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7 Facts About Foreign Aid to Paraguay

Foreign Aid to ParaguayWith a national poverty rate of about 24% in 2018, according to World Bank data, increasing foreign aid to Paraguay is vital. Paraguay, a landlocked nation home to 7.13 million people in the heart of South America, has made significant strides to combat poverty, but not without help. Foreign aid is a staple in the country’s infrastructure development, humanitarian assistance and social welfare programs, all of which help to reduce poverty in Paraguay.

7 Facts About Foreign Aid to Paraguay

  1. Based on a poverty line of less than US$5.5 (2011 PPP) per day, foreign aid contributions helped Paraguay’s poverty rate fall to 15.8% in 2019, “less than half of what it was in 2003.” For instance, between 2003 and 2019, Paraguay received at least $13 million each year in U.S. foreign assistance, contributing to many projects designed to improve life for impoverished Paraguayans. One such project is the Paraguay Productivo, which targeted rural poverty by connecting smallholder farmers with “sustainable business opportunities” between 2009 and 2012. With projects like these, foreign aid to Paraguay contributed to a sharp decrease in poverty, improving the quality of life for millions of Paraguayans.
  2. Paraguay received more than $304 million for official development assistance (ODA) in 2020. This large sum of money contributes to hundreds of projects, including those for encouraging democracy, developing infrastructure and eradicating poverty. Projects like the Democracy and Governance Project (U.S.), Paraguay Productivo (U.S.) and the Project for Strengthening Primary Health Care System (Japan) contribute to economic growth and political stability, providing better resources and improving life for impoverished Paraguayans.
  3. The largest single donor to Paraguay is Japan, contributing more than $54 million in 2019 and 2020. The next highest donors of foreign aid to Paraguay are the European Union ($40.07 million), South Korea ($39.84 million), the Inter-American Development Bank ($38.36 million), the Green Climate Fund ($28.07 million), France ($22.44 million) and the United States ($21.52 million). Japan’s priorities in Paraguay are reducing disparities and promoting sustainable economic development, providing a framework for its aid. For instance, Japan’s Agricultural Sector Strengthening Project delivered resources to farmers, increasing their productivity and mitigating rural poverty.
  4. The sector receiving the most ODA is economic infrastructure and services, receiving 34% of foreign aid to Paraguay from 2019 to 2020. The next highest receiving sectors are social infrastructure and services (33%), health and population (17%) and education (5%). Paraguay Okakuaa, a U.S. project lasting from November 2015 to September 2021, developed economic infrastructure to prevent the exploitation of impoverished children, including the development of an electronic case management system to assist the government in executing labor laws.
  5. USAID, the U.S. agency orchestrating the country’s international development plans, leads several noteworthy projects that contribute to the fight against poverty, both directly and indirectly. The Democracy and Governance Project focuses on stemming corruption in the country, with an allotment of almost $4 million in 2018. The Higher Education Partnership received $3 million in 2019 to “strengthen the capacity of local higher education institutions (universities and training centers) to address gaps in the area of rule of law,” the USAID EducationLinks website says. USAID donated $4.9 million for COVID-19 assistance in 2022, bolstering the nation’s response to the pandemic.
  6. Some projects have a narrower focus on improving the well-being of Paraguayans, from improving health care to advancing access to food and water. For example, Japan and the Inter-American Development Bank loaned up to 9.13 million yen for water and sanitation improvements in Ciudad del Este, advancing water and sewage services in Paraguay’s “second largest metropolitan area.” Projects like this one focusing on water quality ensure the health, safety and security of the Paraguayans with the fewest resources.
  7. Foreign assistance does not always come from government sources, as many non-governmental organizations step up to combat poverty. Habitat for Humanity, for instance, served almost 3,500 Paraguayans in 2021 through “new constructions,” home repairs and “incremental building.” This organization contributes to improved living conditions, aiding vulnerable Paraguayans by building durable homes.

Eradicating global poverty is a group effort. As it stands, 8.6% of the world lives in extreme poverty and foreign aid works as a critical tool in the fight to end poverty. Through global action, poverty in Paraguay can diminish.

– Michael Cardamone
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty Reduction in Chile

Poverty Reduction in ChileWith the highest GDP per capita in South America in 2020, Chile’s growth in the last few decades has been viewed as a model for Latin American development. Adopting a laissez-faire approach, the government shied away from significant spending on welfare, with the few existing programs geared toward middle and upper-class Chileans. However, recent administrations have made combating poverty a central theme of their campaigns, with presidents like Sebastián Piñera and Gabriel Boric both committing to the elimination of extreme poverty. Poverty reduction in Chile and the challenges the country faces serve as an inspiration and a warning for other developing nations.

Chile’s Approach to Poverty Reduction

Chile’s approach to poverty reduction is based upon a series of programs that focus on short-term income support and long-term economic security. During the 1990s, the Aylwin administration invested in hospitals and schools while also increasing the minimum wage. These reforms halved the number of Chileans living in poverty while contributing to the country’s steady growth throughout the decade. However, the highly centralized and inefficient public services system, coupled with strikes from teachers and health workers, meant Chile required a new solution for the new millennium.

Chile Solidario

With a new presidential administration and the need for change amid stagnating results, the government introduced ‘Chile Solidario’ as the country’s newest front in reducing poverty. Conceived in 2002, the program aimed to help low-income Chileans on an individual level while simplifying the arcane bureaucracy behind the country’s welfare system. Chile Solidario provided those in extreme poverty with cash stimuli and “psycho-social support” from social workers, assisting with immediate needs and future plans. In addition, the program synthesized many smaller financial assistance programs into a cohesive system, aiming to make aid more accessible to low-income citizens.

The program showed some successes with poverty reduction in Chile, albeit with limitations. The clearest evidence supporting Chile Solidario is the rapid decline of the percentage of people living in poverty in the years after the program’s introduction in 2002, from 29% to 8.6% by 2017.

Furthermore, attendance in schools and hospitals rose significantly, suggesting health and educational benefits in the future. A significant drawback of Chile Solidario is that while many in the program leave poverty, the rates of exit from the program are not as high. A study during Chile Solidario’s early years also found that household income per capita among recipients did not significantly increase.

The administration of Piñera further modified Chile Solidario. In 2012, President Piñera replaced Chile Solidario with the Ingreso Ético Familiar (Ethical Family Income). As part of his broader promise to end extreme poverty in Chile, IEF focuses primarily on conditional cash transfers to eligible Chileans, requiring school attendance and regular health checkups.

Looking Ahead

Unfortunately, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and Chile’s strict lockdown has challenged the nearly continual progress of poverty reduction in Chile, with the poverty rate increasing from the 2017 low of 8.6% to 10.8% in 2020. Chile’s new president Boric promised $3.7 billion in aid in April 2022, undertaking to create new jobs while raising the minimum wage.

The ongoing debate over Chile’s draft constitution offers hope in the fight against poverty, promising to end job insecurity and institute a universal basic income. However, it also risks undermining the gradual, albeit successful progress of the last four decades in its radical rejection of the blueprint of the 1980 constitution.

Poverty reduction in Chile stands at a crossroads, able to embrace more direct government involvement in reducing the poverty rate or continue to let economic growth naturally spread to its poorest citizens. President Boric’s government seems to firmly favor the former, but in September, it is up to Chileans to decide whether they agree with his vision for the country.

– Samuel Bowles
Photo: Pixabay

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All You Need to Know About Poverty in Mexico

Poverty in MexicoFor some, poverty in Mexico is their reality. Juana, a 17-year-old girl living in Maneadero, Mexico, was born into a family with no access to education, clean water, electricity or housing. This is becoming the norm in Mexico. Juana only managed to escape these conditions through the help of foundations that built her family home and provided her with a scholarship. Extreme poverty increased by 2.1 million from 2018 to 2020, with 43.9% of the population below the national poverty line. The current government welfare system is failing to deal with increasing poverty in Mexico. Many Mexicans are not as lucky as Juana. Here is everything you need to know about poverty in Mexico that is causing the lack of opportunities and high inequality.

Corruption, Security and Justice

Mexico is not a poor country. As of 2020, it has the 15th largest economy in the world and until recently had the largest economy in Latin America. However, 15 individuals hold 13% of Mexico’s wealth and corruption is rampant across all sectors. As a result, Mexico invests less money into public services due to bribes and misallocation of resources into unproductive activities and inefficient policies. This has led to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

In fact, Transparency International outlines that “corruption is the most regressive tax in the country and a direct obstacle to the access to the most basic services for development,” Huff Post reports. This plays a key role in the rising levels of poverty in Mexico.

On top of this, in Mexico wealth is not distributed evenly, with those living in rural areas receiving less. They have little access to infrastructure or social support. The most extreme examples of this are Chiapas and Oaxaca, with poverty rates over 60%.

In addition to rising levels of poverty, people’s quality of life is also impacted by the fact that 93% of all crimes go unreported in Mexico. Crime has multiplied due to Mexican law enforcement agencies failing to hold people accountable.

The growth of drug cartels and petty crime has led to greater political instability and affected economic growth. As a result of this, 12 million Mexicans now work through the black market without the protection of social security. These individuals are often exploited. The number in this situation is only increasing.

To help support the poor, The Hunger Project has set up a scheme that advocates and creates partnerships between municipalities in Mexico. The aim is to create self-reliant communities.

Since 2020, this has already seen success in Oaxaca. Some examples of this are The Hunger Project setting up backyard orchards in seven municipalities, introducing rainwater harvesting systems and installing ecological toilets. This has helped to deal with the issues of health care and education outlined below. The more awareness and opportunities that are introduced like this, the more people could get chances like Juana’s.

Health Care and COVID-19

As a result of corruption and instability, public institutions in Mexico fail to live up to the standards necessary to ensure people’s health and well-being. From 2012 to 2014, those with access to health care decreased by 3.5 million.

Consequently, families are likely to have more children, leading to less investment in each child. This means children develop fewer skills. As a result, families are more likely to stay in poverty. The added pressures of COVID-19 have made the situation worse, explaining the increased rates of poverty in recent years.

Moreover, 30% of the population experience nutritional problems as they cannot afford basic food items. This leads to underdevelopment in children and a higher mortality rate. As a result, human capital in Mexico is lacking.

While unemployment is high, where people do secure work, they are often weak and uneducated, leading to lower productivity. This has reduced economic growth, resulting in higher levels of poverty in Mexico.

Education

COVID-19 has also decreased access to education. Education was already limited, with only 62% of Mexican children reaching high school. This limits the opportunities for those in poverty, amplifying the divide between the rich and poor.

Furthermore, those living in rural areas have even less access to education meaning the uneven distribution of wealth in these areas is only increasing. Lack of skills and qualifications also means that many poor people cannot find jobs, resulting in extreme poverty levels of up to nearly 20% across the country.

Juana was lucky. From everything you need to know about poverty in Mexico, there is hope for a better future through schemes such as The Hunger Project. A self-reliant population could reduce the issues of elitism and corruption. Economic growth could prosper and poverty could decrease if this campaign continues. This could give Mexico the opportunity to renovate its infrastructure and institutions.

– Reuben Cochrane
Photo: Flickr

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Curbing Inflation in Venezuela

Curbing Inflation in VenezuelaInflation is one of the most significant problems in the world right now, as the global inflation rate rises to 6.7% in 2022, almost double the average of the last decade. This is a consequence of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Venezuela, which is one of the most in-need countries in South America has finally come out of one of the longest bouts of hyperinflation in the world after 12 consecutive months of the inflation rate rising below 50%, however, three in four people in the country still lived below the poverty line in 2021. The United States and other major players can still do a lot to help the country and curbing inflation in Venezuela is one of the many solutions necessary to improve poverty and economic stability in the country.

Mounting Challenges in Venezuela

In 2016, Venezuela entered a streak of hyperinflation which is when the rate of inflation increases by more than 50% for 12 consecutive months. In 2022, Venezuela has been able to pull itself out of this downward slide pretty simply. The country ramped up printing money in 2016, which became a real issue at the end of 2017 and caused the recent inflation. This has even been a problem in the United States because innately the more currency circulating, the less each piece of currency will be worth. That, along with deficit spending created one of the worst inflation crises in the world.

The solution to this problem appeared to be just as simple as the cause because as soon as the central government of Venezuela decided to stop printing so much money, the inflation rate eased. Although inflation has been on the decline, poverty has still been on the uptick rising to 76% in 2020. Even though these two statistics would seem to be contradictory there are reasons why simply curbing the inflation in Venezuela is not the end all be all.

Solutions

Curbing inflation in Venezuela is only the first step in a long line in order to help the situation in the country. In June 2022, the U.S. announced more than $314 million in aid to help stabilize Venezuela and the rest of that South American region.

These funds will go to multiple countries and aim to improve education and provide COVID-19 relief along with aid for other basic human needs. These funds will also go toward an effort to help potential migrants leaving the country, fleeing in an attempt to find better financial stability. They will also improve access to health care, which has been a challenge for people to access in Venezuela. As many as 5.4 million people have left the country in 2022 because of the unstable economy.

These funds ensure these people can have safe and productive new lives after leaving the country. Venezuelans will receive access to life-saving humanitarian programs like emergency shelters and obtain health care which has been difficult to access because of Venezuela’s own health care system. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) provided health care to more than 100,000 Venezuelans between 2020 and 2022, and since 2017, the U.S. has donated nearly $2 billion in total to Venezuela and the surrounding region. The humanitarian aid provided to the country has already done a lot to improve the lives of those living there and those attempting to leave. Curbing inflation in Venezuela is a step in the right direction.

Looking Ahead

The inflation crisis is severely affecting the entire world including Venezuela. People are having to leave the countries they call home in search of refuge and the possibility of a better life. A person’s displacement is a life-altering event that can change how they live forever. As more and more countries join in the fight to help Venezuela, hope exists that it will have a bright future.

– Alexander Peterson
Photo: Flickr

10 Facts About Women’s Rights in Brazil

women's rights in Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in South America with a population of more than 200 million. Though the country has taken many legal steps forward towards improving women’s rights in Brazil — a number of hurdles remain in the way of equal representation and gender equality within the country. Below is a list of 10 facts about women’s rights in Brazil.

10 Facts About Women’s Rights in Brazil

  1. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was ratified in Brazil in 1979. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the treaty in the same year. The treaty aimed to act as a bill of rights, an international baseline of privileges that should be afforded to all women — focusing on protection against discrimination. Despite this positive first step four decades ago, rights violations against women continue in Brazil.
  2. Only men were considered official heads of households until 1988. Despite ratification of CEDAW in 1979, solely men were able to be legally recognized as head of household for an additional nine years. Under this provision of the Civil Code, only men were able to manage the home and joint assets.
  3. Brazil had a female president. From 2011 to 2016, Dilma Rousseff held the position of President of Brazil. Though Brazil does not hold one of the highest rates of female political representation, female participation rates in government have been steadily increasing. Elections in 2018 saw a record number of women run for office, in all sectors of government.
  4. As female political representation increases, child mortality decreases. As more women are elected into office, they bring with them increased awareness regarding issues that disproportionately impact women and children. This has created a negative correlation (but a positive outcome) between increased female political representation and decreased mortality in children under 5-years-old from 2000 to 2015.
  5. In 2015, Brazil committed to upholding gender equality at the United Nations Global Leaders meeting. The president at the time, Dilma Rousseff, affirmed her commitment to protecting women from violence as well as further including female voices in policy-making decisions. On a practical level, Rousseff promised to improve available education to women, in addition to maternal healthcare. Previous commitments to improve women’s rights in Brazil have included establishing care for victims of gender violence as well as increased penalties known as “femicide laws” for those who perpetrate these crimes against women. These commitments suggest a hopeful, forward movement for women’s rights in Brazil.
  6. Brazil instituted equal pay laws in 2017. Under Brazilian labor laws prior to 2017, gender discrimination was prohibited during the hiring process. That said, there were no laws mandating equal pay. However, in 2017, Brazilian labor laws consolidated additional regulations requiring equal pay and creating penalties for non-compliance.
  7. Funding for projects protecting women has decreased since January 2019. When President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, the budget for the Secretariat of Policies for Women was cut by 27%. Much of the funds available to the department went to maintaining a hotline for women to report violence and receive guidance on support-resources. This service has not received adequate support from the federal government in terms of funding, despite its importance to improving women’s rights in Brazil.
  8. Femicide rates continue to rise in Brazil. Despite increasing female representation in government and strides toward female-centered legislation in the country — Brazil continues to have one of the highest rates of femicide in the world. Even as murder rates fall, femicide, a phenomenon defined as violence against women resulting in death — continued to rise as much as 7% from 2018 to 2019.
  9. Brazil has the highest instances of child marriage in South America. Though the legal age of marriage in Brazil is 18, there is an exception for pregnant females 16 and older. In 2016, 36% of girls were married before they turned 18. Child marriage remains a barrier to the full realization of women’s rights in Brazil.
  10. COVID-19 has caused an increase in violence toward females. Most cases of femicide and domestic violence occur within the home. Due to increased time in isolation as a result of lockdowns, rates of femicide across South America and in Brazil have seen a dramatic rise since March 2020. Six states in Brazil experienced a 56% increase in femicide during March alone.

Brazil has made good and meaningful progress in the past, regarding women’s rights. However, issues such as the increasing rate of femicide, coupled with the country’s already high rates of child marriage must be remedied in order to bring about true gender equality. The outlook should prove promising if previous positive trends continue.

– Jazmin Johnson
Photo: Google Images

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Mass Incarcerations in Colombia: 4 Things to Know

mass incarcerations in Colombia
Colombia is a country in South America with a population of nearly 50 million as of 2018. It is the second largest country located in South America, with the 38th largest economy in the world. The Colombian Justice System is structured similarly to that of the United States, where defendants have the right to a fair and speedy trial and are sentenced by judges.

Colombian prisons have a problem with mass incarceration. They have an overall capacity of 80,928 people; however, their actual capacity is at 112,864 people as of May 2020. The majority of people are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, such as drug-related offenses. Mass incarcerations in Colombia are also an issue because they lead to other health issues, such as the transmission of HIV and tuberculosis. Here are four more important things to know about mass incarcerations in Colombia.

Mass Incarcerations in Colombia: 4 Things to Know

  1. Capacity Rates: There are 132 prisons in Colombia with a total maximum capacity of just over 80,000 people. Despite this capacity, Colombian prisons have an occupancy level of 139.5%, or just over 112,000 people. Women make up approximately 6.9% of this number, or about 7,700 women. There are no children actively incarcerated in Colombian prisons. The country’s congress has regularly fought against the release of prisoners, instead choosing to keep the prisons full.
  2. Effects of COVID-19: Prison riots are becoming increasingly common in Latin America with the spread of the coronavirus. Mass incarcerations in Colombia have created panic amongst the prisoners, who have demanded more attention to their conditions. The Colombian Minister of Justice, Margarita Cabello, has not outwardly acknowledged the prison riots as demands for better care against COVID-19. Instead, she has stated that the riots were an attempt to thwart security and escape from prison. Furthermore, because of the scarcity in the number of doctors, many prisoners have contracted and/or died from COVID-19. In one particular prison in central Colombia, over 30% of staffers and prisoners have become infected with the virus.
  3. Infectious Diseases: Beside COVID-19, mass incarcerations in Colombia have allowed for the spread of other infectious diseases, such as HIV and tuberculosis. Colombian prisons have designated cell blocks for those who contract HIV, as it is common for prisoners to engage in sexual relationships with guards. Healthcare facilities are not readily available in prisons, and condoms are in scarce supply. Active cases of tuberculosis (TB) also correlate with mass incarcerations in Colombia. Approximately 1,000 prisoners per 100,000 were found to have active cases of TB with little to no access to affordable care.
  4. Possible Solutions: Local citizens Mario Salazar and Tatiana Arango created the Salazar Arango Foundation for Colombian prisoners. Salazar conceived the idea after being imprisoned in 2012 on fraud charges and seeking ways to make serving his sentence more tolerable. The Salazar and Arango Foundation provides workshops for prisoners in the city of La Picota and puts on plays for fellow inmates. Prisoners have found the organization to be impactful to their self-esteem and their push for lower sentences.

Mass incarcerations have had major impacts on the Colombian prison system. Issues such as food shortages and violence have given way to poverty-like conditions with little action. Despite these conditions, organizations such as the Salazar Arango Foundation look to make mass incarcerations in Colombia more tolerable for those behind bars. Hopefully, with time, mass incarcerations in Colombia can eventually be eliminated.

– Alondra Belford
Photo: Unsplash

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Beca 18: An Educational Program that Brings Hope

scholarships
Lack of educational opportunity is one of the principal reasons why people may get stuck in the cycle of poverty. In many places, people are at least required to have a high-school level of education to get a minimum wage job. Most high-paying positions, however, expect people to have a college degree education, something that for many low-income Peruvians, is very hard to obtain.

In the year 2015, Peru ranked 64 out of 70 on the International Programme for Student Assessments: A standardized test that measures student’s performance on academics. The problems don’t lie within the lack of teachers or a good infrastructure; it lies within the fact that most Peruvians don’t have access to a decent education. Most of the most competitive schools and colleges are in major cities, and with usually high tuition costs.

This difference is prevalent in the countryside where some children have to walk for hours to go to school. In the Peruvian Andes, children are less likely to go beyond high-school education and much less pursue a college degree. As of the year 2017, only 16 percent of young adults were pursuing a college degree, principally because of the inability to pay the high tuition. Fortunately, a governmental program called Beca 18 (Scholarship 18) may soon change that.

The Story of Beca 18

Beca 18 is not the first program that has given scholarships to well-deserved students. The National Institute of Scholarships and Educational Loans, was founded in 1972 and lasted until 2007. While they did offer necessary scholarships and loan payments, they only centered in Lima. After 2007, the new Office of Scholarships and Educational Loan opened, with a more polished selection of students and with a clear focus on trying to reach scholars located on problematic areas of the country, but by all merit have achieved academic excellence.

The Office of Scholarships and Educational Loan worked until 2012, the year on which the former president Ollanta Humala “upgraded” it, becoming the National Program of Scholarships and Educational Loans, also known as Beca 18. The program works as an administrative unit of the Peruvian Ministry of Education with 24 regional offices, giving around 52 236 scholarships around 25 regions from 2012 to 2016. Most of the students that benefited were living in extreme poverty.

How the Program Works

The first thing that applicants have to know is if they meet all the appropriate requirements. For Beca 18, a student’s living conditions have to be below the poverty line, attending the last year of high school or have recently graduated and been on the honor roll. The Scholarship has other ramifications that cater to different students, like Beca Albergue, that centers around students that lived in foster care.

After meeting the requirements, the next step is applying to the National Exam, which can be done by just accessing the scholarships webpage during the call-up time, that happens around December each year. Each student needs to present their essential legal documentation; however, depending on what portion of Beca 18 the student is interested in they may submit additional paperwork. After taking the exam, hosted by many public and private schools around the country, each student receives guidance to get into their desired college. Once accepted, the process of applying for the Scholarship can begin, only students with satisfactory grades on both the National Exam and their college entrance exam, are granted the scholarships.

What Costs Are Covered

Depending on each of the holder’s family and economic situations, the scholarships cover the costs of the admissions exam, full tuition and other work materials, such as a laptop. If needed, the awards include accommodations, transportation, and pocket money. A private tutor is also an option but only for public universities, as privates often offer that service to its students. These, of course, help students that either came from the Andean of Rainforest Regions of the country or lived in an extreme poverty situation.

Famous Recipients

As mentioned before, Beca 18 is an excellent opportunity for many people that couldn’t afford higher education but had exceptional academic abilities. Like Omar Quispe, a recipient that now is a developer for ElectroPeru. He is currently working on a project that could bring good quality electricity to his native Huaylas, a district surrounded by extreme poverty. Another famous case is of Abel Rojas Pozo, that upon graduation started to help local guinea pig farmers spend their business. These efforts were to make his hometown one of the centers of guinea pig exports.

With an educated population, the chances of escaping poverty are higher. And like the recipients of Beca 18, they can use their new-found knowledge to help their families and their communities.

– Adriana Ruiz
Photo: Wapa

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10 Scary Facts about the Zika Virus

10 Scary Facts About the Zika Virus
The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947 through a group of diseased monkeys. In 1952, the first infected human was found in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The Island of Yap is the first location where a large scale outbreak of the Zika virus was recorded. This incident took place in 2007. There are currently no countries facing a sizeable Zika outbreak, however, there may be a risk of contracting the disease in regions where the Aedes species of mosquito is prevalent. This article looks at the top 10 scary facts about the Zika Virus.

10 Scary Facts About the Zika Virus

  1. People are more likely to contract the Zika virus in poor countries. Mosquitoes that carry Zika often breed in stagnant water. These buildups of stagnant water are found in areas where communities lack adequate plumbing and sanitation. According to the United Nations Development Programme, poor households are least equipped to deal with the virus and are most likely to be exposed to the disease.
  2. Women face the biggest consequences during a Zika outbreak. Health ministers throughout Latin America have told women not to get pregnant during a Zika epidemic. In poorer countries, women lack access to sexual education, which leaves them vulnerable to misinformation. Furthermore, women may be blamed for contracting the virus during pregnancy, which carries an unfair social stigma.
  3. Zika poses a threat to unborn children. In some cases, when a pregnant woman is infected by the virus it disrupts the normal development of the fetus. This can cause debilitating side effects like babies being born with abnormally small heads and brains that did not develop properly. This condition is called microcephaly. Symptoms of microcephaly are seizures, decreased ability to learn, feeding problems, and hearing loss.
  4. Even though a mosquito bite may be the most well-known way to contract the Zika virus, it is possible to get the disease through other avenues. It is possible to get the disease during unprotected sex with a partner, who already have been infected by the virus. Individuals can also contract the virus during a blood transfusion or an organ transplant.
  5.  Symptoms of a Zika virus infection may go unnoticed. The symptoms can be described as mild. If symptoms do occur they can present themselves as a fever, rash or arthralgia. This is especially dangerous for pregnant women because they may not know that they have been infected, unknowingly passing it on to their unborn baby. There is no treatment available to cure this disease once it has been contracted.
  6. There are other birth defects associated with the Zika virus. Congenital Zika syndrome includes different birth problems that can occur alongside microcephaly. Some malformations associated with congenital Zika syndrome include limb contractures, high muscle tone, eye abnormalities, and hearing loss. Approximately 5-15 percent of children born to an infected mother have Zika related complications.
  7. The cost of caring for a child born with Zika related complications can be quite expensive. In Brazil, each kid born with the disease could cost $95,000 in medical expenses. It would cost approximately $180,000 in the U.S. to care for the same condition. Some experts believe the numbers are higher when taking into account a parent’s lost income and special education for the child.
  8. Even though there are more than 10 scary facts about the Zika Virus, there are also measures being taken to prevent future outbreaks. Population Services International (PSI) is working with the ministries of health in many different Latin American countries to spread contraception devices. This promotes safe sex practices. This also gives the women the power to decide if and when she wants to become pregnant.
  9.  The World Health Organization (WHO) is also implementing steps to control the Zika virus. Some of these steps include advancing research in the prevention of the virus, developing and implementing surveillance symptoms for Zika virus infection, improving Zika testing laboratories worldwide, supporting global efforts to monitor strategies aimed at limiting the Aedes mosquito populations and improving care to support families and affected children alike.
  10. The good news is that there are currently no major global outbreaks of the Zika virus. This is a sign that steps around the globe have been successful to lower the number of Zika cases. However, this doesn’t mean that precautions shouldn’t be taken when traveling to areas where the Aedes species of mosquito is prevalent. Even though they are no major outbreaks the disease still exists and may cause problems if contracted.

Conclusions

Even though the Zika virus may currently not be a threat worldwide, it is still something that needs to be accounted for. Zika has serious repercussions in poverty-stricken countries where people can’t afford adequate medical care. The Zika virus is also more likely to be contracted in poorer regions. The Zika virus has a strong correlation with poverty.

– Nicholas Bartlett
Photo: Flickr

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Why Is Suriname Poor?

Why Is Suriname Poor? Poor Planning and Unhealthy Dependence.
Suriname, one of the smallest countries in South America, is also one of the poorest. Nearly one out of every two people in Suriname are impoverished. Tucked between Brazil and Guyana and endowed with oil reserves, one may wonder: why is Suriname poor?

The most important answer to this question lies in Suriname’s exports. Economically, Suriname is heavily dependant on exporting commodities, namely oil and gold, for revenue. As market prices fluctuate, so too does Suriname’s economy.

Mining for said commodities is the main source of employment in the nation. Stagnant markets cause production to slow and unemployment to jump. From 2014 to 2015, Suriname’s unemployment rate climbed from 6.9 to 8.9 percent.

The country’s GDP decreased two percent in 2015 and 10 percent in 2016—more than eight full quarters of economic contraction. A country is considered to be in a recession after just two.

Oil Dependence
After the crude oil price spikes during the global recession, crude supply increased as North America, and Russia exploited domestic supplies.

The sharp increase in supply, coupled with the plateauing of China’s demand for crude, depressed the global price. This led to a decrease in Suriname’s exports and public revenues. Couple that with the announcement that Alcoa, a major U.S. aluminum company, was ending its operations in Suriname after 100 years of activity—Suriname’s economy entered free fall.

In 2016, Suriname’s GDP plummeted to 2008 levels. In the same period, the U.S. added $4 trillion to its GDP, an average increase of 1.4 percent.

Currency Issues
In response to the recession, Suriname experimented with a number of monetary and fiscal policies. The Suriname dollar was devalued by 20 percent amid the drop in oil prices, was unpegged from the U.S. dollar and, by the end of 2016, had lost more than 46 percent of its total value.

Suriname also implemented austerity policies in last two years to reign in spending and raise revenue. As a result, the Suriname dollar inflated over 50 percent in 2016.

In regards to the question “why is Suriname poor?”, there are a few big takeaways:

  • The drop in global oil prices dealt a major blow to Suriname’s export-driven economy.
  • Suriname’s economy is in a two-year-long contraction. The unemployment and poverty rates have both increased.
  • The Suriname dollar has lost a great deal of value and purchasing power, hurting the country’s less-fortunate.

The short and mid-term economic forecasts for Suriname are bleak, according to economists. Economic contractions are expected to continue throughout 2017. However, the discovery of another offshore oil deposit has given the nation hope. With foreign investment and revenues from another oil project, Suriname might stabilize its economy, which will allow it to restructure to rely less on exports.

– Thomas James Anania

Photo: Flickr

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Lessons in the Causes of Poverty in Guyana

Lessons in the Causes of Poverty in GuyanaIn this age of development, many small countries look toward a future of economic growth and a higher quality of life. With the level of cooperation among states increasing (e.g., the Sustainable Development Goals), the possibility of eradicating extreme poverty grows more and more realistic. However, the number of smaller states is also increasing. Smaller states are often the most vulnerable to poverty and slow growth, and Guyana is no exception. The causes of poverty in Guyana are complex, but taking the time to learn about them can assist in creating solutions for the future.

Guyana is a country in South America, north of Brazil and east of Venezuela. A small nation, Guyana’s population only stands at 773,300 people, but over 50 percent of citizens currently live abroad. The nation formerly belonged to the British but won its independence in 1962. As a result, Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and has many ethnic differences among its people.

Like any country with limited resources, the available resources have to provide for more people than they were intended to. Combined with weak infrastructure, the situation results in weak education and healthcare providers. This has resulted in what is known as a “brain drain,” where the most educated people leave the country for better opportunities. Although these are a few of the causes of poverty in Guyana, they are just the tip of the iceberg.

Economic Causes
The economic causes of poverty in Guyana revolve around the country’s lack of resources. The country depends on agriculture and extraction of resources. Because it can only export food products, especially sugar, and some natural resources, it imports most of its goods. The country has a GDP of $3 billion, but the country is heavily in debt to other countries. Poor policies toward business and excessive spending have also contributed to Guyana’s 35 percent poverty rate. However, Guyana’s GDP does show a small positive increase.

Social Causes
One of the after-effects of British colonial rule in Guyana is the presence of many racial groups brought to the country during colonialism. Demographically, Guyana is comprised of primarily East Indians at 40 percent, black people at 30 percent, people of mixed race at about 20 percent and the other 10 percent made up of indigenous peoples and other races. African slaves were first brought to the country to work sugar plantations; after abolishing slavery, Indian indentured workers were brought to the country to work in the plantations. Because of this, ethnic tensions exist between the two large groups. The tensions contribute to the fractured political state in Guyana.

Political Causes
Politics can illustrate economic grievances in the country, as well as tensions in the country between different groups. The government of Guyana has had problems in the past with corruption, as well as issues with one party controlling most of the power. Many citizens vote along ethnic lines, but with the elections of 2015, there has been a small shift towards unity. In 2015, Guyana elected David Granger, a member of a multi-ethnic party, president. The new administration looked toward stopping the corruption in government that contributed to the current state of the economy.

The causes of poverty in Guyana, like any country, are complex and deep-rooted. Understanding and looking for solutions to poverty in Guyana can help lead to solutions for the rest of the world. With the political shifts in Guyana, it has the opportunity for economic growth and increases in its quality of life and the well-being of its citizens. The developments in this country have the potential to help the entire world in the fight against poverty.

– Selasi Amoani

Photo: Flickr