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U.N. Supports Aid for Women and Girls

Aid for Women and Girls
A recent hearing at the United Nations Human Rights Council illuminated the impact of COVID-19 and general global health emergencies on women and girls in impoverished communities, calling for increased aid for women and girls by the U.N.

How COVID-19 Impacts Women and Girls

The U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, made a statement to the U.N. Council for Human Rights on the consequences of the global COVID-19 pandemic for women and girls stating, “experience demonstrates that insecurity and displacement fuel increases in sexual and gender-based violence, as well as other crimes and human rights violations.”

Testimonies like those shared by the U.N. News Podcast The Lid is On elaborate on the implications of COVID-19. One episode features a Ugandan activist named Zahara who reports that, in addition to increased rates of violence, rural women are currently suffering limited access to education, medical care and community support due to the pandemic.

The Deputy High Commissioner stresses that the situation for many women in poor communities is already critical. She notes that high rates of teen pregnancy, inadequate access to education and high rates of sexual violence in countries like Myanmar and South Sudan have only been exacerbated by the global COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, Al-Nashif called for greater legislation to provide judicial protection and increased aid for women and girls in vulnerable circumstances now and in the future.

Supporting Women through US Legislation

Like Al-Nashif, many members of Congress are pushing for increased aid for women and girls abroad. In addition to legislation providing international COVID-19 relief, bills are aiming to create long-term solutions to the challenges faced by women and girls. For instance, the Keeping Girls in School Act — recently passed in the House of Representatives and introduced in the Senate — would permit USAID to allocate funds specifically to confront “societal, cultural, health, and other barriers” that prevent girls from receiving a quality secondary education in foreign countries.

Similarly, the Girls’ Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development Act (Girls’ LEAD Act) — introduced in the Senate in October 2019 —seeks to create opportunities to gain experience in leadership and government through USAID. By expanding programs and aid for girls abroad, supporters of the bill hope to cultivate communities where women in leadership lift women and girls from positions of vulnerability to voices for societal change.

Looking Ahead

The U.N. has made it clear that women and girls in impoverished communities around the world suffer disproportionately during emergencies like the current COVID-19 outbreak. As such, international organizations firmly believe that increased foreign aid is critical. Legislation like the Keeping Girls in School Act and the Girls’ LEAD Act would support long-term assistance to prevent women and girls abroad from these vulnerabilities not just in times of crisis, but in everyday life.

– Courtney Bergsieker
Photo: Flickr

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3 Infrastructural Changes for Healthcare in Guinea

Healthcare in Guinea
Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a Western African country located between Mali to the northeast and Sierra Leone to the southwest. With a population of 12.41 million and a total gross domestic product (GDP) equivalent to $11.4 billion, Guinea is one of the poorest nations in the world. Guinea’s poverty has limited its ability to develop the infrastructure necessary to sustain the health of its citizens. The people of Guinea have historically faced widespread public health risks such as malaria and Ebola. Infrastructural improvements resulting from domestic and global efforts are improving healthcare in Guinea.

The Problem: Lack of Healthcare Spending

As of 2018, Guinea’s per capita GDP of $920.80 amounted to only 7% of the world’s average. Within this figure, Guinea’s healthcare spending averaged the equivalent of $34 per capita. This minute healthcare budget has led to a variety of public health problems in Guinea, especially before 2014, such as:

  • Maternal & Under-5 Mortality: Guinea’s maternal mortality rate is among the highest in the world. Between 2006 and 2012, an average of 724 mothers passed away per every 100,000 live births. Guinea’s under-5 mortality rate is also a global stand-out. In the same time frame, an average of almost 120 children under the age of 5 passed away per every 1,000 births.
  • Malaria: Malaria has historically been troubling for Guinea, taking more lives annually than any other disease and ranking as the country’s top public health concern. The disease strains Guinea’s healthcare system and heavily contributes to its under-5 mortality rate. Malaria causes 31% of consultations, 25% of hospitalizations and 14% of hospital deaths of children under the age of 5.
  • Epidemic Risk: From 2014-2016, Guinea endured the worst of the Ebola epidemic. Originating in Guinea and spreading to nine other countries, reports determined there were a total of 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths. Guinea was ill-prepared to face this outbreak due to limited resources and is at even greater risk from faster and more infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Despite these issues, healthcare in Guinea is showing significant progress thanks to a combination of domestic and global efforts beginning in 2014. In the midst of the 2014 Ebola epidemic, the United States, alongside almost 30 other countries, co-initiated the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). The agenda focuses on struggling countries at high risk for infectious diseases like Guinea, equipping them with the resources to improve health systems by revitalizing their physical and organizational infrastructure. The GHSA would mark the beginning of a series of legislation to improve the capacity of Guinea’s healthcare system through infrastructure improvement. Here are the top three infrastructure changes for healthcare in Guinea.

 3 Infrastructure Changes for Healthcare in Guinea

  1. Emergency Operations Centers: The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) helped create a system of public health Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in 2015. These centers successfully responded to yellow fever, anthrax and Lassa fever in Guinea. They also strengthened vaccination campaigns for polio, tetanus and measles.
  2. Health Commodities: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aims to increase the capacity of Guinea’s public health systems by providing resources such as health training, equipment and technical assistance to struggling communities. The USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program, launched in February 2017, has helped maintain a continuous supply of these commodities.
  3. Epidemic/Pandemic Preparedness: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) aims to help communities prepare and respond to health crises such as epidemics and pandemics. In conjunction with USAID funding, the IFRC created the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Program (CP3) in 2017. This program strengthens the ability to prevent and address infectious diseases in Guinea and seven other countries. The infrastructure created through this program will continue to help in the preparation and response to such global crises as the COVID-19.

These global efforts have already proven effective. Guinea’s maternal mortality rate decreased from 724 per 100,000 births in 2006-2012 to 576 in 2017. Similarly, the under-5 mortality rate dropped from 120 per 1,000 births to about 100. 

While Guinea’s mortality rates may be decreasing and its healthcare improving, there is still much the country needs to do to attain a suitable healthcare system: even the country’s lower mortality rates are still among the highest in the world. Guinea must maintain and push forward global initiatives for better infrastructure for the sake of its livelihood.

– Asa Scott
Photo: Flickr

4 Facts about Measles in the Central African Republic

Measles in the Central African Republic
Measles is a viral infection spread through airborne respiratory droplets from an infected individual. Measles can cause typical flu-like symptoms and a skin rash, and, under certain circumstances, it can lead to death. While the illness is virtually obsolete in more developed countries, other countries, such as the Central African Republic, struggle with keeping it at bay. Here are four important facts you should know about measles in the Central African Republic.

4 Facts About Measles in the Central African Republic

  1. Measles primarily affects children. The viral infection is especially taxing on those with weakened immune systems. Thus, children, especially those who are malnourished or HIV-positive, are more likely to become infected and die from the measles. In 2017, only 49% of Central African children under five years of age received vaccinations against measles. In the resurgence of measles in 2019, 90% of cases in the Central African Republic affected children aged 10 or younger. Although a safe vaccine is available, many Central African families have been displaced, live in rural areas or do not have access to a nearby healthcare center. With the help of foreign aid, the government can initiate more vaccinations and widespread awareness – two critical components in combating measles.
  2. The fight against measles in the Central African Republic is ongoing. For more than 40 years, Central African citizens have struggled with measles. The epidemic is a health crisis and is at the top of the country’s political priorities. In 2014, with the help of the Red Cross and the United Nations, the government of the Central African Republic rolled out a vaccination campaign. It aimed to provide free measles vaccines for more than 115,000 children. However, in January 2019, a resurgence of the measles appeared in the Central African Republic. Since then, the citizens have been fighting widespread outbreaks of the disease. From January 2019 to February 2020, there were more than 7,000 new cases of the measles and 83 deaths.
  3. Vaccines are hard to distribute in the Central African Republic’s war-torn political climate. As of 2017, nearly 900,000 Central Africans had fled violence and unrest. More than half of these displaced people were children. Children and adults are more likely to contract measles and die if they are subjected to overcrowding, malnutrition, immunosuppression or poor healthcare systems. The political turmoil throughout the country can cause these factors to become more prevalent and inhibit effective immunizations. Furthermore, the looting and closing of healthcare facilities across the country has stifled the progress made by previous vaccination campaigns.
  4. The government is working with other international organizations to eradicate measles in the Central African Republic. As a response to the recent outbreaks, the Ministry of Health partnered with the World Health Organization to develop specialized courses of action and vaccination campaigns. They have increased epidemiological tracing, communication about the disease’s risks and vaccination and medicine availability. Additionally, the Center for Emergency Operations in Public Health has aided government officials in devising plans for dealing with outbreaks. Another important international program is Gavi, an alliance that promotes free access to vaccinations all over the globe. Gavi has helped the Central African Republic fund measles treatment and follow-up vaccines by donating more than $1 million to the cause. Similarly, USAID has helped in the fight against measles by making financial donations that fund testing and vaccinations.

Although the prevalence of measles in the Central African Republic is serious, the government and other organizations are committed to fighting it. Moving forward, continued efforts are needed to reduce the prevalence of measles in the nation.

– Danielle Kuzel
Photo: Flickr

5 Facts About Healthcare in Angola

Healthcare in Angola
After a 40-year-long civil war that displaced one-third of Angola’s population and killed approximately 1 million people, the nation’s infrastructure was severely damaged. Following the civil war, healthcare in Angola suffered, with nearly 50% of the population living without adequate access to healthcare services.  The lack of availability of healthcare services has contributed to high mortality rates for children under 5 years of age, high incidences of mother-to-child HIV transmission as well as a high risk of contracting malaria.  Here are five facts about healthcare in Angola.

5 Facts About Healthcare in Angola

  1. Access to healthcare in Angola varies greatly depending on the region. People in more populous regions such as Maradi, Tahoua, Zinder and Tillaberi have the least access to healthcare services. Angola struggles to keep its healthcare infrastructure adequately sourced with nearly 50% of the population lacking proper healthcare services.
  2. As recently as 2018, the mortality rate for children under 5 years was approximately 77 children per 1,000 live births. Despite a high mortality rate for children under 5 years, the number of children under 5 dying each year has been steadily declining since 1980. In comparison, the neighboring countries of Zambia and Namibia had mortality rates for children under 5 years of 57 per 1,000 live births and 39 per 1,000 live births respectively in 2018. Inadequate sanitation contributes to a high mortality rate for children under 5 years in Angola. In Angola, 49.3% of people do not have access to clean drinking water and 54.7% of schools do not have adequate sanitation facilities.
  3. Angola has the second-highest incidence rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the world. The incidence rate of mother-to-child transmission sits at 26%. During the fiscal year 2020, the CDC plans to provide support to implement the Born Free to Shine Initiative. The first lady of Angola established the Born Free to Shine Initiative with the goal of reducing the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The initiative seeks to reduce the transmission rate to 14% from 26% by 2021.
  4. Malaria is the fourth leading cause of death among people living in Angola with the entire population at risk of contracting the disease. USAID is an organization that has given aid to the region, subsequently reducing the number of malaria-related deaths in children by 42% since 2005. Community health worker training has been an integral piece in Angola’s efforts to combat malaria. In 2019, Angola trained 120 of these health workers in order to help provide treatment for malaria in areas with low access to healthcare services.
  5. The National Health Development Plan is a program that sets specific goals for Angola’s health sector. The program aims to meet its long-term goals by 2025. More specifically, the Angolan government hopes to see a reduction of 2% in the prevalence of HIV, increase access to family planning services by 39% and raise the number of doctors per 100,000 people from one to three.

Despite facing a number of challenges, government programs and aid from international agencies are improving the outlook for healthcare in Angola. Community health workers are helping to increase access to essential healthcare services in high need areas of the nation. With government plans and the implementation of initiatives, Angola is well on its way to meeting the goals that its National Health Development Plan has outlined.

– Maddi Miller
Photo: Flickr

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Food Insecurity in Iraq

Food Insecurity in Iraq
Decades of conflict in Iraq have effectively destroyed what was once the center of human civilization. Many view Iraq as a country very costly to the U.S.—another war from which the U.S. must recover. However, the international community’s job is not done. Today, millions of Iraqis are displaced and suffer from food insecurity, a problem that the government has struggled to control. This article will delve into the background of food insecurity in Iraq and what various groups are doing to combat it.

Governance Issues

The oil industry accounts for 90% of Iraqi government revenue. The crash of oil prices caused a $40 billion deficit in the Iraqi budget, cutting this revenue in half. Iraq’s government has been unable to properly fund various institutions. Combined with a 66% rise in population since 2000, this has placed immense stress on the country’s food supply. Constant conflict and the corrupt management of resources have hindered any ability to keep up with this population boom. USAID labels just under one million Iraqis as food insecure. The World Food Program, however, estimates that this number is closer to two million.

While much focus is on obtaining aid from the international community, Iraq has not necessarily focused as much on reforming its own institutions governing agricultural industry networks. Iraq’s State-Owned Enterprises are involved in every step of food production, processing and distribution. The government attempts to distribute food products and support the industry through its bloated Public Distribution System (PDS), which in 2019 cost $1.43 billion, and its yearly $1.25 billion effort to buy wheat and barley from Iraqi farmers at double the international price. Despite these expensive programs, Iraq still ends up importing 50% of its food supply.

Inefficient growth, processing and distribution methods and a reliance on food imports place Iraq in a delicate position. They are susceptible to global food chain supply network failures and the threat of a budget collapse due to the crash of oil prices. Such an occurrence would likely cause the food system to implode without the current level of government intervention. These governance issues, on top of decades of conflict and displacement, have exacerbated food insecurity in Iraq.

The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many of the aforementioned issues confronting the Iraqi food supply. Cases in Iraq have skyrocketed during May and June as Iraqis faced the decision of staying home without reliable state support and suffering from lack of income or holding onto their jobs and risking infection.

The pandemic has worsened the already pervasive levels of poverty and food insecurity. Inefficient state institutions and bureaucracy have combined with the pandemic to display the fragility of the Iraqi food supply. There have already been severe shocks in the global supply chain. For a government that relies on imports for 50% of its food supply, this pandemic could cause the crisis of food insecurity in Iraq to spiral. The Iraqi government has faced issues of governance for decades. The pandemic has only emphasized these issues while placing millions of Iraqis at further risk of conflict and disaster.

Humanitarian Efforts

The stark problem of food insecurity in Iraq has caught the eye of many different aid organizations, both in the U.S. government and the intergovernmental level. USAID, the primary U.S. foreign aid organization, has spent years trying to help meet Iraqis’ basic humanitarian needs, especially in the face of seemingly endless conflict. USAID has provided almost $240 million in emergency food assistance to Iraqis since FY 2014. This money goes toward food vouchers, food baskets and cash for food, all under the coordination of the World Food Program (WFP), which the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established with the UN General Assembly.

USAID has also supported WFP efforts to create an electronic distribution platform for Iraq’s PDS, which would allow Iraqis to update their locations, use biometrics for identification and improve overall access to food supplies. The WFP, in turn, supports 280,000 internally displaced Iraqis and 76,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq, providing monthly food support mainly through cash transfers. It also provides local, healthy food for over 324,000 schoolchildren in Iraq. The organization is currently looking to expand cash transfers and food access to over 35,000 refugees and 10,000 internally displaced people in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FAO has worked with the WFP in Iraq by focusing on agricultural sustainability. To improve food security and Iraqi self-reliance, the FAO has supported livestock production through capital, seeds, fertilizer and resources to counter disease. It also uses “cash-for-work activities” to enhance local markets and support infrastructure in addition to its efforts to promote labor-saving technology to counteract food insecurity in Iraq.

Looking Forward

Poor food access has been an issue for many years, but the pandemic is making the situation worse. Constant conflict and a lack of effective governance are both serious obstacles to creating a stable food environment for Iraqis, but there is a significant commitment from the international community to shore up Iraqi agricultural sustainability and provide support to individual Iraqis. While many are still in dire need of access to food, organizations like these provide hope for the fight against food insecurity in Iraq.

– Connor Bradbury
Photo: Flickr

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Tusome: Powering Childhood Learning in Kenya


Kenya, a country in East Africa, has made strides in battling poverty by reforming childhood education. In 2003 Kenya established a free primary school education program meant to ensure that young children receive a basic education. However, the Kenyan school system still has challenges to overcome. Teachers often lack proper training and support, and students often do not have enough school supplies. These obstacles ultimately contribute to low learning outcomes for students. Tusome, which means “let’s read” in Kiswahili, is a national literacy program powering childhood learning in Kenya that attempts to address these education shortfalls.

Origins of The Tusome National Literacy Program

Despite previous efforts to improve childhood learning outcomes by the Kenyan government, assessments from the years 2010-2014 showed no significant change in literacy and 40% of primary grade students could not understand their reading material. Tusome was built on this prior research and “was one of the first experiences of taking a piloted literacy program to national scale through government systems.” Tusome is funded by both the Kenyan government’s Ministry of Education and the USAID organization. The program was implemented in January of 2015 and will run until 2020 with a goal of improving reading for 6.7 million students.

Training and Support of Faculty

Two of Tusome’s key goals are to address the need for faculty training and support in the Kenyan school system. Tusome educates teachers, administrators, coaches, and support staff on the Ministry of Education’s expected learning outcomes. The program also provides Curriculum Support Officers that regularly visit schools to coach and monitor teachers in learning outcomes, though these are not professionals trained in general classroom instruction. Youth associations are also working to help to tutor children and develop a reading culture in their area.

School Supplies and Integration of Technology

One of the Tusome program’s notable achievements is that is has provided 26 million textbooks and supplementary materials for primary school students, ensuring that each student has a textbook of their own. Tusome also offers its students tablets with digitized learning materials, which can also provide feedback and progress monitoring for teachers. The performance of each student is uploaded to a cloud-based network system which is meant to promote greater responsibility within the school system.

Conclusion

Tusome has been able to improve teacher support, training and availability of school materials in Kenyan primary schools. This is, in part, due to the integration of technology in the form of digital materials, tablets and cloud-based technology. Learning outcomes have been promising, even in the early pilot phase. In 1,384 schools, children who reached the Tusome standard for an understanding of the English language increased from 8.6% to 43.7%. Overall, Tusome is considered a successful example of large-scale governmental implementation of a national program that can power childhood learning in Kenya, and serve as a model to education systems around the world.


– Joseph Maria
Photo: Flickr

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Understanding Economic Institutions in Yemen

Understanding Economic Institutions in Yemen
The lack of formal economic institutions in Yemen solidifies the nation’s position as one of the poorest countries in the Middle East and in the world. Its violent civil war largely prevents the development of economic structures and impedes infrastructure improvement. Furthermore, conflict with Houthi rebels, the insurgency group opposing the Yemeni military, destabilized Yemen’s crucial hydrocarbon exports. This has significantly damaged government revenue and forced a broad suspension of fundamental public services. Consequently, the economic structures that are present in Yemen remain informal and underdeveloped.

Politics, War and the Economy

Since March of 2015, 100,000 Yemenis have died, and indiscriminate Saudi aerial bombing caused most of the civilian deaths. Interference from the U.S. and the U.K. by supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia exacerbates the poor economic circumstances. Mass causalities and civil unrest have run rampant.

During the civil war, the Houthis seized the opportunity for profit maximization through illegal methods to solidify their regional occupation. Opportunities arose in the most informal economic institution: the black market. Arms manufacturing, food smuggling, consumer goods and drugs, human trafficking and military leaders pocketing troops’ salaries and food allowances all contribute to Yemen’s economic instability.

Future economic prospects depend on the political situation in Yemen. While the past few years have shown some optimistic growth, a recent surge of violence by the Houthis in the temporary capital of Aden puts further stress on the fragile macroeconomic circumstances. Predictions for the next two years determine that the economy will grow between 2% to 2.5% annually, yet these rates are far below what is necessary for the reconstruction and human development.

A Resource Crisis

The domestic turmoil that the Houthi insurrection propagated prevents Yemen from gaining control over its own resource sector. Prior to the civil conflict’s escalation in 2014, 25% of Yemen’s GDP and 65% of government revenue came from oil and gas. On the other hand, Yemenis rely heavily on foreign trade; approximately 90% of the population’s food is imported. However, the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY), one of the many fragmented state institutions, had to disrupt foreign exchange for necessary imports and public sector salaries. This has led to high inflation and has worsened the humanitarian crisis, both of which facilitate the deterioration of robust economic institutions in Yemen.

Economic instability causes the nation to rely on financial assistance from neighboring Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, its resource bank of oil and gas production nearly stopped at the outbreak of civil war in 2015. In late 2018, Yemen’s economy gave an indication of stabilization as the GDP growth neared positive, a stark contrast from the economic loss of 40% that occurred between 2014 and 2017. While the oil and gas industry has seen production increases, the destruction since the conflict began continues to leave many Yemenis without a stable income. The U.N. estimates that 55% of the entire Yemeni workforce has lost employment since the beginning of the civil war.

Aid and Hope for Yemen

Yemen depends on the United States, specifically USAID, to work with local and international partners to reconstruct social and economic institutions. However, providing humanitarian assistance is simply not enough to propel Yemen’s development. To address the nation’s structural macroeconomic issues, USAID created the Yemen Economic Stabilization and Support (YESS) program in July 2019. The technical assistance that it provides to the CBY-Aden is to better manage the financial sector and assist cash-flow conditions by fortifying the bank’s critical functions, such as managing currency and foreign exchange operations.

One can find a glimmer of hope for Yemen in YESS’s success in streamlining customs and commercial trade. Between October 2018 and March 2019, shipment inspections fell from 100% to 70%, and customs processing reduced from five to two days. The Trusted Trader Program at the Yemen Customs Authority further enriched this progress. The inspection rate may be a critical indicator for development, as it implicates fewer barriers to citizens receiving humanitarian aid.

Today, economic instability remains a defining factor in Yemen’s overall underdevelopment. Widespread damage to infrastructure due to the war stresses the currency exchange rate, accelerates inflation and limits food and fuel imports. Most of the labor force works in agriculture and herding – a key indicator of an underdeveloped economy – while construction, commerce and other industries make up less than 25% of total employment. To avoid remaining economically underdeveloped and escape poverty, it is essential that Yemen strengthen its central bank, reclaim resource control and address its liquidity crisis.

– Frankie Gaynor
Photo: Flickr

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5 Projects Fighting Hunger in Tajikistan

Hunger in TajikistanTajikistan is the poorest nation in Central Asia and one of the world’s most impoverished countries. The rugged, mountainous terrain covers approximately 93% of the country’s territory, making food production nearly impossible. As a result, the 9.1 million people that inhabit the country often face food insecurity and high malnutrition rates that affect mostly women and children. Fortunately, the former Soviet constituent has been working alongside various countries and organizations to overcome this struggle and has been successful throughout the last decade. However, hunger throughout the country is still widespread and will need continual support. Here five projects fighting hunger in Tajikistan.

5 Projects Fighting Hunger in Tajikistan

  1. The Prevention and Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition Project: The Prevention and Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition Project is a plan that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) gave funding to and the World Food Programme (WFP) implemented. The project started in January 2018 and will go to 2022. It intends to improve nutrition and healthcare in the region by “[providing] specialized nutritious food to over 24,000 malnourished children aged 6-59 months in more than 300 national primary health centers in targeted districts.”
  2. Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN): In September 2013, the Republic of Tajikistan joined SUN, a movement consisting of 61 countries that work alongside central and local governments to improve nutrition. Since joining, Tajikistan has passed several laws and documents that address improvements in health, nutrition and food security. Not only that, but the government has also installed the Food Security Council of the Republic of Tajikistan (FSCT) to delegate strategic methods on how the country should allocate food to alleviate widespread hunger. Since joining the movement, the country has made various improvements in all aspects of nutrition. For instance, from 2016 to 2019, SUN was able to decrease stunting in children under 5 years of age, a very prevalent issue throughout the country, by 9.3%.
  3. Women’s Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS): The Women’s Dietary Diversity Score, or better known as the WDDS, is a qualitative global nutrition evaluation that studies the types of food that a person consumes over 24 hours. The objective is to monitor the quality of the Tajik peoples’ current diet so the government can determine how to integrate better nutrition. The indicator focuses on women because experts believe that if women can satisfy their high nutritional needs, especially mothers and those expecting, then family members should also achieve their dietary needs. In the pilot WDDS study in 2016, the mean score on a scale from one to nine was six. Future studies will focus more on having comparable food-related information.
  4. Agrarian Reform Programme: From 2012 to 2020, the Agrarian Reform Programme of the Republic of Tajikistan addressed how to enhance the country’s low agricultural productivity. The landlocked state often faces hardship when it comes to food production because 7% of arable land is often prone to soil degradation. With assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the country has received support to revise and advance policies regarding federal policies on food security, distribution and nutrition. Through various agrarian reforms throughout the eight-year period, the amount of arable land increased to nearly 65%.
  5. Feed the Future: Feed the Future is an American global hunger and poverty initiative that emerged in 2010. It aligns people from various sectors and the U.S. government to create an effective way to assist countries that need help enhancing their food production and distribution systems. With the support of USAID, the initiative has been able to help farmers boost their rate of food production while simultaneously teaching the importance of proper nutrition. The majority of the focus has been on Khatlon, a key province for agricultural production in the southwest area of Tajikistan that also has the highest rates of undernutrition and the largest number of those living below the poverty line.

Through various technological and modernization developments, Feed the Future has had a huge success, including secure access to land and water, increased breastfeeding rates and the establishment of a pilot program to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition in children. One of the most notable accomplishments was the introduction of seedling technology that helped produce more than 1.5 million seedlings of improved produce, such as cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peppers.

While hunger is still a very prominent issue throughout Tajikistan, the Tajik government and international organizations’ efforts have brought forth numerous improvements throughout the last 10 years. With continued support, Tajikistan has high hopes for an improved future.

– Heather Law
Photo: Flickr

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The Fight for Quality Healthcare in Tanzania

Healthcare in Tanzania
The percentage of Tanzania’s population living on about $1.90 per day remains at 49.1% as of 2017, according to data from The World Bank. President Benjamin W Mkapa commented on the state of poverty in 2004 stating that ‘‘… the poor must be brought from the margins into the mainstream. The process must be inclusive. The weakest economies and communities need special and differentiated help.’’ President Mkapa shared his thoughts on including everyone in the process for universal aid and healthcare in Tanzania, which stretches from the cities to the rural agricultural communities. His words echoed the thousands of people living in extreme poverty where, like most other countries, their healthcare quality is dependent on wealth, status, location and transportation.

Effects of Poor Healthcare in the Poorest Communities

Masuma Mamdani and Maggie Bangser wrote a literary review in 2004 titled Poor People’s Experiences of Health Services in Tanzania, where they discussed the effects of poor quality of healthcare in Tanzania. Sexual and reproductive health was a major focus, especially with the implications it has for poor women in the region. ‘‘Many [poor women] cannot afford transport costs so they sell their food, borrow, use herbs or just wait to die,” a healthcare worker shared from Mpwapwa.

According to Mamdani and Bangser’s literary review, key barriers to the poor in this region include:

  • The availability of drugs and medicines
  • The shortage of qualified personnel
  • Distance and transport issues
  • Charges
  • Governance

The government has written out and implemented a number of policies, but the issue of inaccessible healthcare for the poorest of the population is still prominent. Today, the United States is working in conjunction with the Tanzanian government to address a multitude of healthcare issues with USAID. For example, the strengthening of Tanzania’s own health system is imperative through supplies, more healthcare workers and supporting finances; but these efforts mostly concentrate within major cities and areas of high population density.

History of Healthcare Legislation

Since the East African country of Tanzania gained independence from Britain in 1961, there have been many ups and downs in the fight for healthcare for all citizens. The Arusha Declaration of 1967 moved towards the nationalization of public services, including medical, but ultimately failed due to economic decline. As the population rose and poverty levels increased through the years, especially in rural communities, even the numerous improvements in health services could barely keep up with the demand.

Healthcare in Tanzania today still does not receive enough funding and is nearly inaccessible outside of major cities. The funds directed towards the health sector have declined from 9.6% in 2014 to 7% in 2018, and the investments do not meet the estimated minimum requirement to guarantee basic health services to the population. There are a number of privatized health care options along with four main insurance programs available to the public, but even so, a large number of the population does not have insurance due to the high costs.

To combat this disparity, Tanzania enacted a Health Sector Strategic Plan from 2015-2020 to gain quality improvement in healthcare, provide equitable access to all and to achieve active community partnership. The Tanzanian government had implemented its fourth strategic plan, building on previously stated actions meaning to expand coverage of health insurance and extend quality health services to the poorer regions. For example, one of the core strategic objectives target the improvement of quality health services through ensuring essential services, a quality rating system, providing adequate staffing, performance management systems and more.

Independent Initiatives in Tanzania

Besides the government legislation that is currently in place and making changes, other independent NGO initiatives are making a difference for healthcare in Tanzania as well. An American initiative, Roads To Life, has dedicated itself to building and improving medical facilities in the Nkololo village, along with constructing roads and funding education. This nonprofit serves a primarily agricultural area with a population of 22,000, addressing the need for quality medical services outside of major cities and transport improvements between towns and regions. Roads To Life has also expanded and renewed the Songambele Health Center, which emerged in 1994. It can now treat up to 560 patients and has a new surgical center. After the addition of new operating suites which opened in 2016, there have been 149 surgical procedures. These new technologies and resources are vital to the health of Nkolo community members, who often had to go to the District Hospital for emergency procedures which was an hour away.

The combination of service and community makes all of the difference in healthcare in Tanzania. Influence from these discussed governmental and independent initiatives is still spreading throughout the country and there is still more work for the country to accomplish in terms of sexual and reproductive health. The efforts that Tanzania has put forth towards universal healthcare and providing quality medical services in more locations is a great push in the right direction to fight the effects of poverty in the poorest regions of this country.

– Savannah Gardner
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Kazakhstan is Like a Small Business

Poverty in KazakhstanPoverty in Kazakhstan compares to what small businesses around the world face now that COVID-19 has changed the game. Kazakhstan is not a developing country. It is not a top player in the international market either. It is somewhere in between. And with the new and confusing world that we live in now, Kazakhstan is going to have a difficult time maintaining its good trade relations.

Kazakhstan is Like a Small Business

COVID-19 has thrown the plight of small businesses around the world into the spotlight. Now more than ever people are realizing the struggle of small businesses to stay afloat during a pandemic among other larger businesses. Poverty in Kazakhstan is like a small business. It has been making headway in the global market, but now that the pandemic has hit, its economy will struggle to stay afloat among the other major players in the world economy, an economy that goes under spells with poverty in Kazakhstan for many of its citizens. With the GDP per capita increased by a factor of six, poverty in Kazakhstan has decreased. But, this upward trend may not hold if the pandemic continues to restrict the country’s international trade. According to the Asian Development Bank, Kazakhstan’s poverty rate is 4.3%.

The US–Kazakhstan Relations

Trade relationships and federal direct investments are a key part of success for small countries like Kazakhstan. The U.S.–Kazakhstan relations have been thriving in past years, having signed the U.S.–Kazakhstan Bilateral Investment Treaty and the Treaty on the Avoidance of Dual Taxation. And this has improved Kazakhstan’s economy tremendously; in 2006, Kazakhstan became a part of the upper-middle-income bracket instead of the lower-middle-income bracket. Trade makes up 60.6% of Kazakhstan’s GDP. Federal direct investments allow for the country to focus on its largest economic contributors: mining and manufacturing.

A major country recognizing a state’s independence is a colossal benefit to a rising state, and that is exactly what the U.S. did for Kazakhstan when it was the first country to recognize its independence. The U.S. set up an Embassy and a Consulate General in Kazakhstan. Now that Kazakhstan has excellent relations with countries of the east and the west, perhaps it will be able to maintain its footing in the global economy. Kazakhstan has excellent relations with Russia, the Middle East and Asia and is completing its term on the Security Council of the U.N. These are great strides, but the progress that Kazakhstan’s economy has made may backslide because of the restriction that the pandemic has imposed on so many countries.

The Impact of COVID-19

 The World Bank has stated that “If the pandemic continues to spread and the external economic environment deteriorates further, GDP could contract by as much as 3 percent in 2020, which would significantly increase the poverty rate.” Two of its major cities – Almaty and Nur-Sultan – are already inaccessible outsiders. Large corporations have been unable to get loans because the banks are too afraid that they will not pay them back. The deficit has already grown to 3.3% of the GDP as of 2019.

Here is a look at Kazakhstan’s predicted future in 2020:

  • There could be a 0.8% drop in GDP because of decreasing demand from foreign consumers and “COVID-19 mitigation measures sap[ping] consumer demand and investment.”
  • Predictions have determined that 6% of the GDP will increase the deficit because of the aforementioned trade decline and the fact that the price of oil will be lower.

In conclusion, Kazakhstan has become a thriving market over the years. It has excellent trade relations in almost every part of the world and its poverty rate has reduced due to a bolstering in the economy. COVID-19 is affecting every country, though, and Kazakhstan is particularly vulnerable because its economy was still growing, and now may see regressions.

The situation in Kazakhstan is not all bad, though. The U.S., along with USAID, is contributing to a relief fund that will give Kazakhstan $800,000. This money will go towards fighting the virus by preparing labs, tracking down cases, etc. Though the world is certainly not perfect, it is heartening to see the quick and unencumbered responses of countries to help each other.

– Moriah Thomas
Photo: Pixabay