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World Toilet Day

world_toilet_day

The United Nations has declared November 19th as World Toilet Day. November 19th has been celebrated as Toilet Day by the World Toilet Organization since 2001. By declaring this day World Toilet Day, the UN is bringing awareness to the problems of sanitation. The UN urged countries to change behavior and policy on sanitation issues ranging from water management to ending open-air defecation.

Currently 2.5 billion people do not have access to toilets or latrines. In addition 1.1 billion people still defecate in the open, which is extremely harmful to the public. In countries with high rates of open defecation they have high rates of under-five child deaths, high levels of malnutrition and poverty, and large wealth disparities

“Despite progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, one in three people do not have a basic toilet,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson. “Almost 2,000 children die every day from preventable diarrheal diseases. Poor sanitation and water supply result in economic losses estimated at $260 billion annually in developing countries.”

Sanitation is important for many reasons. It can reduce the risk of violence against women since, a toilet provides privacy. Sanitation can yield huge economic benefits considering it would be a preventative measure against many diseases. Sanitation improves the educational prospects of poor people and increases girls’ attendance at school, due to improved health and privacy. Sanitation also prevents environmental pollution, which has become a problem in many developing nations.

The UN expected laughter and jokes after declaring World Toilet Day. “Their laughter is welcome, especially if they recognize the prevailing and unhealthy taboo that prevents an open and serious discussion of the problems of sanitation and toilets globally,” said Mark Neo, an envoy from Singapore who backed the declaration.

Ways to raise awareness about proper sanitation and water management are to simply put the word out there. Post on social media websites with certain statistics about sanitation. It can be especially influential if you get the word out on World Toilet Day.

– Catherine Ulrich

Sources: UN News, NY Daily News

The Good News About the Kenyan Economy

kenya_economy_open market
Kenya, one of the world’s leading developing countries in East Africa, is on its way to becoming a more stable economy. The country experienced an economic growth of 4.2% in 2012 and is expected to grow by 4.5% in 2013 and as much as 5.2% in 2014.

However, Kenya is not growing as rapidly as expected because, while agriculture is the staple of the Kenyan economy, the demand in Europe for Kenyan horticultural exports was lower than projected. While overall, the Kenyan economy is growing, there is still a very wide range of economic activity going on in Kenya.

In an interview for The Borgen Project, Andre Sanchez-Montoya, a student at  American University, talks about his five months studying and living in Nairobi. He draws on his experiences to come to conclusions about the work ethic of Kenyans and what is most important to Kenyan socioeconomic culture.

“Kenya’s visible economic activity ranges from informal economic actors like street vendors an open air markets to some of the nicest and largest malls I’ve ever seen,” Sanchez-Montoya said. “In urban development areas like the neighborhood on Kangame, there are dozens of [stands] selling fresh vegetables from the countryside and mangos from the coast, along with almost anything else you could want.”

The makeshift markets that Sanchez-Montoya talks about drive the domestic economy. While local economic support is seen as very positive in America because it drives funds away from big corporations and encourage small businesses to grow, in Kenya, it reflects something else.

“The emergence and longevity of the open air markets are a direct result of the uneven economic development in the country,” he suggests. “These markets exist to meet the needs of the people who live in neighborhoods such as Kangame, because whatever can be found in the ‘slums’ can be found in the city centre, but for a higher price.”

Despite the work that still needs to be done in Kenya, the recent economic growth in a positive sign not only for international trading but for Kenyans on a more individualized level. Kenyans are excited about the opportunity to make things more financially stable in their country.

Reflects Sanchez Montoya, “The 2013 elections made Kenyans want to engage in talks about politicians, the domestic and international economy, and what the future of Kenya looked like to them. Kenyans are definitely aware of where their country is on the development spectrum, but the conversations I had with many of my friends indicated that they know change comes slowly and they are excited to be an active citizen in the cultivation of their country.”

Kenya’s high rate of economic success is also in part due to funding by the USAID. It is one of the top ten recipients of USAID sypport, having received just over $296 billion for all six of USAID’s incentives: democracy and governance, economic development, education and social services, environment, health, and peace and security. However, there have only been tangible results in two of the six incentives.

Regardless of the politics, Sanchez-Montoya finished the interview with a positive reflection on the cultural difference between Kenyans and Americans:

“There is very much a divide between what Kenyans consider ‘success’ and ‘joy.’ Americans tend to think that those things are intertwined, that success and wealth bring happiness. But Kenyans, whatever their situation is, find joy in friends, family, food, and faith.”

– Lindsey Rubinstein

Sources: All Africa, USAID, USODA, UN, AfDB
Photo: My Daily News,

The Sudan and South Sudan Conflict 101

sudanese_conflict
In order to understand the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, it is necessary to understand the colonial history of Sudan. Sudan consisted of kingdoms and tribal communities until the Turko-Egyptian invasion of 1821. The Turko-Egyptian invasion was motivated by the expansionist ambitions of the Ottoman empire and its interest in commodities, such as slaves, ivory, gold, and timber. The Turko-Egyptian and North Sudanese collaborated against those of South Sudan and exploited them into slavery. Turko-Egyptian rule lasted for sixty years, but during this time, South Sudan was not fully incorporated under the new administration. The Mahdist administration, 1883-1989, also struggled to maintain control over South Sudan.

During this time, Belgium and France both attempted to maintain some control over Sudanese territory. However, after the French attempted to annex South Sudan to the French territories in West Africa, a conflict developed between the British and French over South Sudan known as the Fashoda incident. In 1898, Egyptian and British forces teamed up to reconquer Sudan. This incident resulted in the signing of the Condominium Agreement, which established Sudan’s current borders. France and Belgium eventually receded from Sudan, giving Britain-Egyptian forces full control over the country. During this time, Britain created separate administrative policies for South and North Sudan. These policies, which included immigration and trade laws, coupled with differing official languages, treated North and South Sudan as two separate entities.

British forces established an Advisory Council for North Sudan, in which all six provinces of North Sudan were represented and the council had the power to decide what was administered where. However, no such council was established in South Sudan. Rather, in 1946, British forces suggested that the North colonize the South. Since the South was not represented in the Council, the choice to colonize South Sudan was made without consulting anyone from the South and the South was betrayed by the British.

When Sudan achieved independence from British-Egyptian forces in 1956, independence was seldom felt in the South as the North assumed full control over the colonial state. The parliamentary republic, which was established at the onset of independence, failed to incorporate the South and this has led to years of civil unrest. Since achieving independence, the South has been politically marginalized, socio-economically ignored, if not retarded, and culturally subjugated by the North. The South, which is predominantly Christian and Animist, is culturally different from the Arab Muslim North. Yet, the North has used Islam as a weapon by denying basic rights to those who do not convert to Islam. In addition, the North has forced Islam and Arabization onto the Southern populations through educational systems which aim to kill indigenous languages and culture.

The military-led government of President Jaafar Numeiri agreed to autonomy for the South in 1972, but this Peace Treaty was undermined in 1979 when oil was discovered in South Sudan. After the discovery, the Numeiri government attempted to deny the South ownership of the resource by redrawing the southern boundaries to include the oil reserves. The new boundaries, however, violated the Addis Ababa Agreement which accepted the boundaries from colonial rule. Rather than improving the living standards of the Sudanese, it led to further conflict between the North and South. Civil war broke out in 1983 when Numeiri divided South Sudan into three regions, each with a governor appointed by himself, and declared Arabic the official language. To make matters worse, Numeiri imposed Shari’a law on all of Sudan. Since then, the government has waged war on South Sudan, whose forces are known as Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

Throughout the 22 year conflict, Southern villages were ransacked and destroyed. Numeiri was eventually removed from power and replaced by Al-Bashir, who is supported by the Nationalist Islamic Front (NIF). Al-Bashir was able to maintain control until 1999, when SPLA forces began to gain control over large areas outside of more populated cities. In addition, SPLA forces made huge gains by attacking transportation lines and government forces. But by 2000, the South was hit with a widespread famine and the government did nothing to help its people. With the help of the United Nations and the United States, Operation Lifeline Sudan began to deploy food and supplies to areas affected by the conflict. By 2002, 2 million lives had been lost due to the genocide by the Bashir government. Throughout 2003 and 2004, the international community pressured the Sudanese government and the conflict began to die down.

In 2005, Sudan and South Sudan ended the 22 year conflict. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was underpinned by an agreement to 6 years of Southern autonomy, with a vote on succession at its end, split revenues from southern oil evenly between north and south sudan, islamic law in the north but to be voted on in the South, and if the succession vote was negative, the north and south were to combine forces. Six years later, in July of 2011, a vote for succession was held in Sudan and South Sudan gained independence from Sudan. Since then, South Sudan has been recognized by the international community after being accepted into the United Nations.

– Kelsey Ziomek

Sources: Global Witness, University of Pennsylvania, Pulitzer Center, University of Massachusetts
Photo: ABC

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Global Poverty Could End by Giving Women Land

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Why Women?
A lack of distinct land ownership laws leads to poorly cultivated land and hungry families who are forced to work as day laborers or indentured servants. This weighs even more heavily on women, who are rarely given the opportunity to act as a land owner. In addition to benefiting the women themselves, recent studies have shown that giving land rights to women can have a direct impact on the elimination of global poverty.

Women Can Bring Home The Bacon Too

Rural women play a large part in agricultural production. According to the UN, women workers are involved in fisheries, agro-forestry, and wild-harvesting systems. They work along-side men to produce commercial crops, manage livestock and grow vegetable gardens. However, women also have the added burden of caring for their families.

Despite their crucial work in both production and family well-being, rural women are often under recognized laborers. Most rural women are unpaid or highly underpaid. This means that rural women frequently work in “unofficial” or informal agricultural settings. In India alone, 34% of informal women’s employment is made up of unpaid agricultural work. In Egypt, the percentage comes in at a staggering 85% compared to the 10% for men. Furthermore, many institutions do not recognize or define rural women’s work as economically active employment.
However, the UN is now calling for the economic empowerment of women as a means to combat global poverty. Economic empowerment can first come through the recognition of women’s land rights. Land ownership leads to greater respect, status and increased decision-making power for women.

Research indicates that land ownership can lead farming communities to reinvest in improving their production. This no doubt contributes to greater food security alongside increased welfare for individual families. Research also indicates that when women have land rights, there is an even greater improvement upon food security and hunger. This is largely due to the fact that women are more likely to focus on sustainable crops for their families as opposed to the riskier cash crops that are exported out of the nation.

Women with rights to their own land are also more likely to have a higher status and higher income within their community. This kind of empowerment enables women to make decisions that ensure improved nutrition for themselves and their children. Additionally, women with higher social standings are also likely to be healthier themselves. The effect of such is increased infant survival rate and higher birth-weight children. In fact, research on child malnourishment in Nepal suggests that infants born to mothers that own land are half as likely to be born critically underweight.

Ultimately, increased support for land rights coincides with Millennium Development goals to reduce poverty. But more importantly, land rights give hard-working rural women a chance to better enjoy the fruits of their labor.

– Grace Zhao
Sources: The Christian Science Monitor UN
Photo: Declan McCullagh

Top 5 Global Development Indicators

Global Development Indicators
There are many global development indicators that are worth mentioning, however the five apex indicators are discussed below.

 

Top 5 Global Development Indicators

 

  1. Hunger and Nutrition: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that between the years of 2010-2012, 870 million people were undernourished. To many, 870 million is a difficult number to grasp, so in more relatable terms, imagine the population of the United States going hungry about three times over. While starvation is certainly a form of malnutrition, the term also represents any diet severely lacking in essential vitamins. The lack of certain vitamins can lead to a smorgasbord of life long mental and physical health issues. Although the overall number of malnourished people has declined in recent years, there is still much to be done to prevent developmentally stunted children and persistent illnesses plaguing entire populations. While this number is high, to be sure, over the past 20 years, the figure has been effectively halved. Primarily through domestic development, individuals have greater access to higher value foodstuffs.
  2. Poverty Rate: The Global Poverty Rate has effectively been cut in half in the last 20 years. On the whole, governments and NGOs have set the threshold for global poverty at $1.25 a day, which is far less than the American poverty threshold of $30. While this level of purchasing power is painfully low, from the years of 1990 to 2010, global poverty has declined from 43 percent to 21 percent, respectively. While support from NGOs, non-profits, and to some degree foreign assistance certainly play a role, the decline in global poverty can almost be almost entirely attributed to domestic economic development. The Economist reports that between 1981 and 2001, approximately 680 million Chinese were lifted out of poverty due to domestic economic development.
  3. Population Growth: Population Growth is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa and Lowest in Developed Europe. According to the World Bank, the world population grew by about 1.2 percent each year between 2000 and 2010. Globally, at about 2.5 percent, a year, the Sub-Saharan countries of Africa represented the highest population growth rate. The lowest, on the other hand, were European and Central Asian countries, which averaged around 0.2 percent growth per year. While it almost seems irrational, where there is economic prosperity, birthrates tend to decline. In poorer countries, parents are inclined to have more children in order to ensure survival of at least one or two. In a self perpetuating manner, with more children and less food, poverty rates and hunger skyrocket.
  4. Health: HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects poorer regions. According to World Bank statistics, in 2009, 31-33 million people were living with HIV/AIDS globally. This equates to approximately the entire population of California. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 14.8 million children have lost one or both parents to the disease. Despite intensive care campaigns, the World Health Organization estimates that only 5.25 (36 percent) of those suffering from the disease are receiving treatment.
  5. Child Mortality: Child Mortality Rates are Steadily Declining. On a global scale, a tell-tale sign of a countries development is their infant mortality rate. A welcome statistic the world over is that this rate is falling in all areas of the globe. In developing nations, the World Bank has found, infant mortality rates per 1,000 births has dropped from 98 in 1990 to 63 in 2010. With greater access to care, more abundant resources, and fewer unplanned pregnancies, developing nations are able to keep more and more of their young alive into adolescence. While matters seem to be improving, underdeveloped nations still exhibit shocking infant mortality rates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a newborn stands only a one in eight chance to see their fifth birthday.

– Thomas van der List
Sources: FAO, The Economist, World Bank
Photo: The Guardian

Unrest in the D.R. Congo Displace Thousands

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Thousands of refugees flee from the DR Congo to Uganda after Congolese Government forces (FARDC) and the M23 Islamic rebellion movement, collide in dispute. More than 100 armed men wearing women’s clothing entered the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Rwanda, launching an attack close to the provincial capital of Goma.

In addition to this conflict, elsewhere fighting has displaced thousands more after the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group, launched a surprise attack on the Congolese town of Kamango. Authorities report that Congolese troops have retaken the town, but they worry that a mass movement of people will allow rebels to further infiltrate nearby areas and worsen the conflict.

According to aid agencies, an estimate 66,000 refugees poured into Uganda following these attacks. Adrian Edwards, spokesman for the UNHCR, said that “people literally fled for their lives,” bringing nothing with them as they tried to reach the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Refugees fleeing from Kamango and nearby areas entered Uganda through the district of Bundibugyo, where they had to take shelter under shop verandas or on school grounds. The Red Cross estimates that 2,000 of the refugees are pregnant women, and at least five of them gave birth while on the run.

The agency is working with Ugandan police to transport hundreds of people from six reception centers to a transit camp where they can register and receive necessary services. Many of the refugees are in immediate need of emergency aid in the form of food, shelter or medicine. The facility is already being overburdened as the Red Cross works to accommodate increasing numbers of Congolese citizens.

International assistance remains of the utmost importance as fighting rages on between government forces and ADF rebels in Kamango and the Congolese army and M23 rebels in Goma. In addition to the UNHCR and the Red Cross, other agencies working to relieve the humanitarian crisis include the World Food Programme, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam and the Lutheran World Foundation.

– Katie Bandera

Sources: UN, The Guardian, VOA News
Photo: Africana Connections

Rwanda: Sustainable Solutions for Hunger

Rwanda: Sustainable Solutions for HungerHead of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin shed some light on the programs in Rwanda that are working on solutions for hunger. She highlighted the specific solutions supported by the WFP that focus on long-term development and sustainability.

“Here in Rwanda, WFP is providing life-saving food assistance that we are known for to tens of thousands of refugees, but we and our partners are also supporting community-based agriculture and livelihoods projects that assist the poorest and most vulnerable Rwandans as they build a brighter future for their families,” said Ms. Cousin.

Ms. Cousin stressed the importance of effective partnerships between UN agencies, communities and the government to empower Rwandans to lift themselves out of poverty. One of the most successful WFP sustainable solutions for hunger is called Purchase for Progress, known as P4P. P4P is a program out of eastern Rwanda that works with local farmers to buy their surplus maize and beans. P4P aims to use WFP’s purchasing power to connect smallholder farmers to the market. P4P has grown nationally and now, some smallholder farmers have found other customers besides WFP to purchase their surplus crops. Since its implementation in 2011, WFP has purchased 33,000 metric tons of combined food commodities through P4P.

The UN, WFP and the Rwandan government are looking for sustainable solutions to link the P4P program to food-for education initiatives. They hope to be able to provide students a daily meal and also give local farmers regular customers.

Ms. Cousin saw the success of these solutions for hunger on her visit to Rwanda. “I met one woman farmer who started with nearly nothing, and now has become so successful that she’s been able to build her family a new house, and put her children through school.”

“While speaking with small-scale farmers and rural families, I could see very clearly the difference that rural development initiatives have made in helping people improve their lives,” she said.

Currently, WFP provides food assistance to 173,000 people in Rwanda, including refugees and primary school children. This month, the WFP has collaborated with UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and UNWOMEN to launch a Common Country Programme. The hopes are that together these agencies can prevent chronic malnutrition, improve livelihoods and food security, and enhance government capacity on food assistance, food security analysis, disaster risk management, P4P and school feeding.

– Catherine Ulrich

Sources: UN, WFP
Photo: Flickr

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Slight Drop in World’s Children Without Primary Education

Slight Drop in World’s Children Without Primary Education
According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the figure for the number of the world’s children with no access to schools has dropped from 61 million in 2010 to an estimated 57 million. Unfortunately, the improvement is unlikely to reach the millennium goal for primary education for all by 2015.

“We are at a critical juncture,” stated Irinia Bokova, UNESCO’s director-general. Every year UNESCO releases a report measuring the world’s progress towards the goal of universal primary education. Recent years have shown stagnation after early gains. Between 2008 and 2011, the number of children at the primary age who were out of school fell by only 3 million.

The most recent numbers provide a more up-to-date picture, and also show that aid for primary education has fallen by 6% because most major donors have decreased their funding in the past year. UNESCO ranked the U.K. the largest direct donor to basic education. The US was previously the largest donor, but budget cuts in 2011 put the U.K. at the top. Germany, Australia, and Norway also increased their donations while budgets were cut in France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, and Canada.

The pledge for universal primary education made by UN-leaders in 2000 is looking likely to be missed, and there have already been discussions to push up the 2015 target. There was a previous target set in 1990 to achieve this goal by 2000. After this was missed the goal was moved forward to 2015.

The latest mid-year figures do reflect some progress, but partly due to previous estimates being revised. According to UNESCO, the most recent numbers show about 2 million fewer children missing school. Over half of the children missing school are in sub-Saharan Africa.

The last annual report showed that in some countries the problem is actually getting worse rather than better. In Nigeria, 40% of children ages 6-11 do not attend primary school. Despite significant increases in enrollment in recent years, UNICEF estimates about 4.7 million Nigerian children of primary school age are still not in school.

But there is some good news: southern and western Asia has seen considerable gains, cutting their numbers of children not in school by two-thirds in two decades.

– Scarlet Shelton

Sources: BBC, UNICEF, UN

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New Crisis Models are Good News for Syrian Refugees

New Crisis Models are Good News for Syrian Refugees
As thousands of Syrian refugees flood into neighboring countries, Lebanon stands out as a particularly sought-after harbor. The country’s proximity to Syria makes it a prime target for refugees and, the entourage of international organizations that come with them. Unlike their counterparts in other countries, however, Syrians in Lebanon are not living in camps—for the most part, they are looking for apartments, hunting for jobs, and otherwise acting like typical immigrants. Except that there are a million of them doing so.

Lebanon, which struggles to support its own population of four million, is staggering under the weight of the massive influx of refugees. Because the UN deliberately avoided internment as a solution, Syrians wander Lebanese streets and sleep under Lebanese roofs. Of course, a million extra people with no homes cause serious unrest, not to mention the dramatic surplus of demand that has thrown the Lebanese economy into a tailspin. As prices spike, jobs dwindle, and aid that originally flowed to the Lebanese gets repurposed for refugee relief, the Lebanese, understandably, grow hostile to the Syrians in their midst.

“At first, we were sympathetic, but now it has changed,” says one Lebanese family. “We used to get assistance, food parcels, assistance with school fees, food parcels, diesel fuel, and other aid, but we get nothing at all now.”

The growing dissent among locals signals the lack of coordination and direction of international efforts, which have collectively ignored host-side problems and thus complicated host-refugee relationships.

World Vision, one of the NGOs with the greatest presence in the Syrian refugee crisis, has been active in focusing on both short-term relief goals and longer-term development goals among host populations. The organization has long called for holistic programs aimed at refugee-host integration, increased funding for agencies that recognize the crisis’ underlying social problems, and improved consulting on the ground for a more effective and coordinated response.

In response to the ever-increasing need for both relief and local development, the World Food Program launched a food voucher program in the region in partnership with NGOs like World Vision. The program allocates aid money for expenditures in local food markets, a move designed to both feed hungry refugees and empowers the poor farmers and grocers who can feed them.

Sara Pantuliano, the director of the Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute, applauds the work done by organizations like Vision and the WFP. Her institute focuses on protracted refugee situations and the myriad of issues surrounding population integration, and she sees plenty of hope in their work. “We see some improvement in donor responses, in some agencies’ response,” she said.

However, she also recognizes that much of their kind of work runs against the grain of the typical refugee crisis response. “They continue to be the exception in many ways,” she admitted.

– John Mahon

Sources: Devex, Overseas Development Institute, World Vision
Photo: The Electronic Intifada

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International Day of Co-operatives

July 6, 2013 marked the International Day of Co-operatives, a type of organization that is integral to development and one of the most common institutions at village level in Africa. The International Day of Co-operatives was created to “increase awareness of co-operatives and promote the movement’s successes and ideals of international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace,” according to the International Co-operative Alliance’s website.

Co-operatives are membership-based organizations owned by the people who benefit directly from the co-operative’s goods and services. The International Co-operative Alliance defines a co-operative as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.” In essence, co-operatives are business enterprises owned and controlled by the very members that they serve.

Co-operatives come in all forms, ranging from consumer to producer organizations, and they help promote ethics and values in business and economics as they are run directly by those using their services. Snake-charmers in Ethiopia or village credit co-operatives are two diverse examples of co-operative organizations.

Self-help projects are often pursued through co-ops, enabling small farmers or labor groups to pool resources to gain a strong bargaining power and lower the prices of goods and services. There are over 1 billion members of co-operatives around the world. Given the power that co-operatives yield to consumers and producers alike, they are crucial for development and empowering the poor.

This is why the UN created the International Day of Co-operatives, and why last year was also the International Year of Co-operatives. Co-operative organizations help organize the informal economy in the developing world and, like labor unions, unite members of the developing world in a way that gives them more bargaining and purchasing power. As United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said, “Cooperatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility.”

– Martin Drake

Sources: The Guardian, ICA, UN
Photo: IFAD