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Top Three Charities in the World

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Ever wonder how large charities can get and how much they can impact the world we live in? Charity Navigator has provided a glimpse into the top ten enormous charitable organizations that operate today. The ranking scale they use is out of 70. Here is a look at the top three.

  1. United Nations Foundation: UNF comes in at 69.04 on the overall charity scale. Working to connect citizens around the world to the United Nations, UNF provides fiscal services for the programs that the United Nations offers. It is also the main advocacy and support system for the United Nation’s ideas and beliefs. The total revenue of the charity comes in at $192,737,803.
  2. The Conservation Fund: The Conservation Fund comes in at 69.32 on the overall charity scale. Dedicated to protecting important pieces of American land, such as historical landmarks, parks, and reservations, CF has saved more than 7 million acres of land across the nation. The total revenue of the charity comes in at $242,376,138.
  3. Direct Relief: The highest rated charity on Charity Navigator comes in at 69.91, a nearly perfect score. Direct Relief works to improve health worldwide through programs, emergency preparations, disease awareness, and the improvement of health systems. The total revenue of the charity comes in at $405,035,176.

It is interesting to view just how large the top three charities are and the immense impact that these charities have. Without the amount of money they raise and the support they provide, it would be a very different world we live in today.

– William Norris

Sources: Charity Navigator United Nations Foundation The Conservation Fund Direct Relief
Photo: Direct Relief

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AMREF USA’s Pledge for a Healthy Africa

AMREF USA’s Pledge for a Healthy AfricaDespite the substantial improvements made in the last few decades, Africa still faces major public health problems. The continent accounts for two-thirds of the global population infected with HIV/AIDS, with 22.5 million citizens suffering. Malaria and diarrhea continue to kill children daily. The rise of tuberculosis, prevalent in mining areas across Africa, infected 2.3 million citizens in 2011 and killed 220,000. And childbirth still remains very dangerous, with 1 in every 16 women dying while giving birth.

African Medical and Research Foundation USA seeks to improve the health standards of all African nations, one community at a time. Founded in 1957, AMREF looks to improve the quality of life for African communities and eradicate public health problems.

AMREF understands local health systems are essential in developing quality, sustainable health standards. AMREF has trained many African locals to return to their communities in order to improve health conditions. The organization educates volunteers and on the symptoms and treatment of diseases to prevent diseases from spreading further and decrease the number of citizens infected. AMREF has trained over 10,000 health workers in over 40 African nations.

AMREF estimates that a million more health workers need to be properly trained and educated to meet the United Nation’s Millenium Development Goals for improved public health. As the fight for better health conditions in Africa continues, educating and training citizens may be the solution for healthier African communities and improved health standards.

– William Norris

Sources: AMREF USA, All Africa
Photo: Flickr

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Extreme Poverty Has Been Cut in Half Since 1990

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In 1990, 43% of the world’s population subsisted on less than $1.25 per day. By 2010, that number had shrunk to 21%. This success comes 5 years before the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal of achieving such a number by 2015.

The conversation has now shifted to the remaining 21%. Optimists hope to achieve similar success by 2030. However, there are several unique obstacles to addressing that 21%, and the economic conditions that allowed such a rapid decline before are unlikely to be replicated in the coming decade.

Much of the success of the last two decades was achieved by slightly elevating the conditions of those living just below the $1.25 per day line. Pulling a person living at $1.15 per day over the $1.25 line is much easier than pulling someone living at $0.25 to over $1.25. In other words, much of the remaining 21% was the bottom half of the original 43 percent. The challenge of the next decades will be to improve the lives of the most impoverished people on Earth.

China’s growth over the past decades was instrumental in lowering the extreme poverty rate. In the twenty years, from 1981 to 2001, China pulled 680 million of its own citizens out of extreme poverty as it rapidly developed. With China’s extreme poverty rate now at low levels, the focus will now shift to new developing countries, primarily India and Africa. The challenge will be to replicate the economic conditions for such an achievement in vastly different governmental and cultural contexts.

Should such a success be achieved by 2030, however, the fight against poverty will hardly be over. The $1.25 a day figure is simply an accepted global standard of extreme poverty, and does not account for those living in poverty in developed countries. In the U.S., the poverty line sits at $30 a day–a marked difference. However, with extreme poverty levels eradicated, the world would be able to focus anew on those living just below the line.

– Andrew Rasner

Sources: The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist
Photo: The Economist,

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Importance of Small-Scale Farmers

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With a rising population and a high demand on food production, our world is looking for solutions to increase food production. Small-scale farmers play an important role in the dilemma of feeding our world. Currently small-scale farmers produce the majority of food for the developing world.

There are millions of success stories about these farmers reaching out and sustaining whole communities. For example, in Brazil there is a food security policy known as Zero Hunger. In this program the government buys products directly from small-scale farmers and distributes the products to day-care centers, hospitals and community associations.

However, the UN and FAO in a report, Smallholder Integration in Changing Food Markets, highlight the challenges still ahead for small-scale farmers. The report calls attention to the importance of policymakers in the growth of small-scale farmers. The report focuses on the fact that most of these farmers are removed from the market. It calls for policymakers to create greater market integration and more inclusive value chains. The report concludes that by doing these things, these farmers will be more inclined to adopt new technologies to grow productivity.

The report stresses the two main ways to link small-scale farmers to the market are to provide better access to credit and insurance, and to strengthen the links between farmers and buyers. The report discusses the fact that, in many countries, transportation is too costly, infrastructure is inadequate, and the cost of storage is too high. These farmers are unlikely to risk producing a surplus of products if they think that their products would go to waste.

“High levels of price, production risks and uncertainty, and limited access to tools to manage them deter investment in more productive new technologies that would enable smallholders to produce surpluses for sale in markets,” according to the report.

Policymakers must focus on the inclusion of small-scale farmers into the market. They are important to the future of our world and must be supported.

– Catherine Ulrich

Sources: FAO, International Institute for Environment and Development, UN News

What was Different about the Decade of Extremes?

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The debate over global warming has been a heated one over the past decade, but it is clearer now more than ever that our climate is changing. The UN has released a report, The Global Climate 2001-2010, A Decade of Extremes, which reports the unprecedented climate extremes experienced in the past decade. The report states that more national temperature records were broken during this period than ever before. This decade was the warmest for both hemispheres and both land and ocean temperatures were at the highest since measurements began in 1850. This heating of the ocean has caused the melting of Artic sea ice and ice sheets.

“Rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are changing out climate, with far reaching implications for our environment and our oceans, which are absorbing both carbon dioxide and heat,” said Michel Jarraud, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

In the past decade our world has experience extreme floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones. 370,000 people have died as a result of these climate extremes. Tropical cyclones, such as Hurricane Katrina, were responsible for the death of 170,000 people and affecting over 250 million; the damage caused by these cyclones is estimated around $380 billion. Floods were the most frequently experienced climate extreme of the past decade; Eastern Europe, India, Africa, Australia, and Pakistan were severely impacted by flooding. Droughts were the most detrimental climate extreme because of their long-lasting nature. Regions most affected by long-term droughts were Australia, East Africa, and the Amazon Basin.

This report was released as the first session of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Change Services began. The Intergovernmental Board on Climate Change Services oversees the Global Framework for Climate Services which is attempting to improve and expand science-based climate research to help society cope with climate change.

“We are already seeing the effects of climate change and so we need to take action through the use of scientifically-based climate services to cushion the impact on our environment, our economies and our societies,” said Mr. Jarraud.

– Catherine Ulrich
Sources: UN News, The Guardian
Sources: Political Blindspot

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Poverty in Sri Lanka

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Poverty in Sri Lanka has been decreasing for years, and a recent study shows that this trend is continuing. Between 1990 and 2011, overall poverty in Sri Lanka plummeted from 26.1% to 8.9%. Much of this progress has been made in recent years, with the number of Sri Lankans stuck in poverty falling by over half between 2006 and 2012.

While Sri Lanka definitely deserves recognition for the astounding progress it has made, there are still some clear areas for improvement. For example, gains in the fight against poverty have been uneven across various population groups. While poverty rates have dropped significantly in both the urban and rural populations, poverty on Sri Lankan plantations has actually risen by roughly half. Sri Lanka is also being outpaced by some of its geographical neighbors. Growth rates of per capita income are far behind those of South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. Studies focusing on Sri Lankan poverty also reveal a vicious cycle, in which people who cannot afford adequate nutrition are more likely to develop health problems later in life, which often drain them of any monetary resources they do have. Similarly, when people can’t afford education, they are less likely to gain access to highly profitable employment opportunities. Cycles such as this help organizations and governments understand why poor people tend to stay poor, enabling them to more effectively empower the poor to raise themselves out of poverty.

Various organizations, including the United Nations Development Program, have worked alongside the Sri Lankan government to make this progress possible. Much of their success has been with programs to improve the efficiency of agriculture and fishing businesses. These programs include an initiative to advocate for struggling plantation workers that make up an increasing percentage of the population, and the building of an ice plant so fishermen can store their catch in order to get a better market price. Another significantly effective strategy in Sri Lanka’s fight against poverty has been to encourage political stability. These efforts have included the building of a new courthouse, and improved training of Sri Lankan police officers. Efforts such as these take a holistic approach to poverty. They arise from careful consideration of the myriad factors that contribute to poverty on both individual and societal levels, and they work to address those factors. Innovative work such as this, and the encouraging results it has produced thus far, serve as an inspiration in the global effort to end extreme poverty.

– Katie Fullerton

Sources: CEPA, Journal of Competitiveness, World Bank, UNDP
Photo: Photopin

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What is the Global Education First Initiative?

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The necessity for global education has always been present, but what many may not know is that worldwide, 61 million primary-aged children are out of school, of which more than half are girls. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon seeks to remedy this with the Global Education First Initiative – a program that works to raise awareness of the necessity of education as well as to provide better access to education, as well as to improve the quality of learning for every child the program puts into school.

In order to put every child in school, some major goals for development include eliminating cost barriers to attending school, identifying and aiding those that need nutrition and health support, eliminating the gender disparity, and building millions of new classrooms around the world, especially in rural and crisis-affected areas. The second focus of the initiative, to improve quality of learning, is going to be met by training of teachers and improving learning materials. These measures will insure that children are more ready for further education as well as for life outside of school – with proper education come far more opportunities for success in life.

The last major focus of the initiative is to foster global citizenship, or in other words, promote peace, community, and innovation throughout the world through education. In the words of Ban Ki-moon, “The world faces global challenges that require global solutions. Education must cultivate an active care for the world and for those with whom we share it”. Ki-moon sees education as a driving force for human development that will drive down inequalities and improve health while fostering solidarity around the globe.

This push for education has been heartily embraced by education rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who has volunteered with the UN to speak on July 12 in favor of the right to education for girls, and for all those who may desire it. As a survivor of extreme violence because of her advocacy, Malala’s message is clear: “…that all students should be given the chance to attend school with adequate safety. Obtaining education is every man and woman’s birth right and no one is allowed to take away this right from them”.

In honor of Malala’s efforts, and in part encouraged and inspired by the Global Education First Initiative, the UN will be launching a global petition called A World at School – Stand With Malala as an effort to establish universal primary education by December 2015. It is the hope of the United Nations that someday universal education will be achieved and that because of this the world will become a more stable, healthier, and happier place.

– Sarah Rybak

Sources: Global Education First, Women News Network
Photo: Global Education First

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Facts About Food Security in Africa

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Food insecurity in Africa is one of the biggest obstacles to global development and poverty reduction. Countries that are food insecure are vulnerable to famine and malnutrition, which can then lead many other problems, including diseases, less economic growth, and displacement. These problems explain why USAID spends $1.06 billion a year to combat chronic food insecurity.

Lack of food security is linked to violent conflict. Though food insecurity is rarely the only cause of a violent conflict, it can create a setting where conflict is much more prone to break out. The World Food Programme’s “Occasional Paper 24 – Food Insecurity and Violent Conflict: Causes, Consequences, and Addressing the Challenges” states that, “Food insecurity, especially when caused by higher food prices, heightens the risk of democratic breakdown, civil conflict, protest, rioting, and communal conflict.”

Lack of food security can occur in countries regardless of climate and landscape. Food insecurity is a major issue in Liberia, for example, a country with vast natural resources and a lush landscape that favors agriculture. Global climate change contributes to food insecurity. The warming climate has increased aridity in many African nations and contributed to recent droughts which have halted food production and made many countries food insecure.

Infectious diseases are a significant contributor to food insecurity in Africa. HIV/AIDS in particular limits the workforce that can be put towards agricultural production. Additionally, diseases put further financial burdens on households, limiting their ability to buy agricultural products.

Production of commercial agricultural products can make countries less food secure. Many African countries devote large parts of their agricultural sector to the production of cash crops like tobacco or coffee. This practice makes these countries more food insecure as they do not produce enough food within the country to feed the population and must rely on importing food to meet needs.

The resources exist in the developed world to end world hunger. By U.N. estimates, the cost to end world hunger would be $30 billion dollars annually. The world’s poor are the largest untapped market on earth, and lifting them out of poverty will only contribute to global economic prosperity. To see a bigger effort to combat food insecurity and thereby stimulate the global economy, it is as simple as contacting legislators and explaining to them the importance of food security and poverty focused aid.

– Martin Drake

Source: Harvest Help, World Food Programme, Real Clear World, Food Security Portal
Photo: UNDP

Traffic Accidents: An Ignored Global Health Concern

Traffic Accidents: An Ignored Global Health Concern
The topic of global health usually brings to mind familiar issues like malaria or HIV, but a current United Nations initiative is pushing to make road safety a global health priority. The UN effort, supported by the World Health Organization, declared 2011 through 2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety, and the statistics underscore the importance of such a program. Each year over a million people die in fatal traffic accidents, making traffic fatalities the eighth leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death among people ages 15-29. With another 20 to 50 million people suffering non-fatal injuries annually, the cost of dealing with the aftermath of these accidents pushes into the billions of dollars.

Fortunately, some progress has been made in improving road safety worldwide. According to the WHO’s recent report on road safety, between the years 2007 and 2010, 88 countries saw a decrease in traffic deaths, while only 87 countries saw an increase. The WHO still considers the high number of fatalities unacceptable, but the progress is encouraging.

Improving road safety is a complicated issue, dominated by rapid motorization outpacing the regulations, policies, and infrastructure required to keep roadways safe. Such circumstances hit middle-income countries, where rates of motorization are highest, the hardest with 80% of all crash deaths occurring within these countries. In an effort to keep pace with such a quickly motorizing global community, the UN initiative focuses primarily on proven strategies to improve road safety.

Among these strategies for road safety is the reduction of speed, a major issue in motorized communities worldwide. In its report, the WHO encourages reduced, standardized, and enforced speed limits to increase the safety of not only motorists but also pedestrians and cyclists, who account for 27% of global traffic fatalities. Laws enforcing the use of helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints are also described as key to reducing death and serious injury from accidents. Furthermore, efforts to reduce drinking and driving are encouraged through the enforcement of more stringent drink-driving laws and improved impairment standards based on a driver’s blood alcohol concentration. Finally, the report addresses the challenge of improving infrastructure. Safer roads mean safer conditions for the people using them, but safely implementing these projects in a cost-effective manner poses difficulties for local governments.

Researchers from the University of Toronto suggest the general population has a hard time accepting traffic accidents as a global health issue. The public is more likely to personalize the risks of heart disease than the risks of riding in a car. A big reason for this inattention is simply the fact that the majority of trips taken in a motor vehicle do not result in an accident. Researchers also say the regular depiction of survival of a fiery road crash on television and in movies has worked to desensitize the public to the very real risks and consequences of traffic accidents. With a population generally more inclined to be advocates for breast cancer research rather than road safety, the international community has their work cut out for them in the crusade to make global roadways safer.

– Lauren Brown
Source: LA Times, WHO
Photo: Guyana Times

Post-2015: A New Millennium for Women

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For U.N. members looking to affect real change in reforming the millennium development goals post-2015, one thing is clear: gender equality goals must be at the top of the agenda.

Many argue that a lack of attention to the pervasive inequalities that plague the developing world was the key limitation of the last round of millennium development goals (MDGs) that are set to expire in 2015. While the new set of MDGs now makes achieving greater equality a priority, some wonder if the goals will focus too much on income inequality while overshadowing issues of gender and other social inequalities.

Specifically, human rights advocates worry about the proposal to replace the current, specified gender equality goal with a less defined, overarching goal covering all “inequalities.” Female empowerment advocates disagree with the MDGs’ tendency to treat gender as merely one of the many inequalities that generate poverty. Rather, they say, gender is both the most pervasive form of inequality as well as the root problem that instigates other forms of inequality.

Despite its limitations, however, having the MDGs has proven useful both as a tool to hold governments accountable for their responsibilities to women, and as a line of defense against conservative forces in developing nations that threaten to reverse equality gains. U.N. leaders and stakeholders around the world should use this solid foundation to achieve further, more progressive reforms, like ensuring fairer access to employment opportunities and greater representation in decision-making positions in the public sector.

As it turns out, as rates of gender equality improve, so does a country’s overall well-being. Recent reviews have shown that countries with greater gender equality in employment and education were more likely to experience greater economic growth and human development rates. Thus, fixing the gender inequality problem can consequently help improve the socio-economic inequality problems without necessitating separate initiatives.

The same principle does not apply in the reverse, however. Economic growth does not necessarily contribute to gender inequality if the social structures needed to empower women are not put in place. Gender, then, seems to be the only standalone factor that intertwines itself with every other aspect of the complex issue of global poverty, and thus the issue that must be addressed and corrected before any other reforms can occur.

– Ally Bruschi

Source: The Guardian,Institute of Development Studies
Photo: The Business Finance Store