TACOMA — In 2018, across almost 50% of European Union states, children held the “highest risk of poverty or social exclusion.” More specifically, Bulgaria has the highest rate of child poverty in Europe with more than half of children living in or “at risk of poverty,” according to SOS Children’s Villages. Many factors contribute to child poverty in Bulgaria, including malnutrition and deficiencies, lack of education and child discrimination. Malnutrition Malnutrition negatively affects the mental and physiological capacities of children. This can cause poor productivity levels, which can increase the risk of widespread poverty in a country. In 2019, 144 million children younger than…
Author: Staff Reports
Staff Reports
Political Director at The Borgen Project.
TACOMA — Brazil’s aging population has increased substantially in recent decades. The population of Brazilians older than 60 has jumped from 5% of the population in the 1970s to 15% by 2018 and is expected to reach more than 25% by 2050. Overall, Brazil is projected to have the world’s fourth-largest elderly population behind India, China and the United States by 2050. With such demographic trends, elderly poverty in Brazil is a pressing long-term challenge to address. This has implications for the country’s public pension and health care systems that provide socio-economic security for elderly Brazilians running the risk of…
TACOMA — Japan has the world’s third-largest economy by gross domestic product (GDP). Despite this, there is a significant gender wage gap in Japan. Women face an uphill challenge entering the Japanese labor market. Gender discrimination and less representation in regular employment results in diminished wages for women in comparison to their male counterparts. Due to this, many single women experience economic hardship. Fortunately, the Japanese government has made the gender wage gap a key focus. Launched in December 2020, the Fifth Basic Plan for Gender Equality sets forward various updated policies that promise to make significant headway in closing the gap. The…
New York, NEW YORK — In 2003, Liberia celebrated the end of a 14-year-long civil war that left the country in a state of social, political and economic tragedy. “Peacemaking efforts” were largely not inclusive of women though women significantly suffered during the war. In 2005, Africa finally witnessed its first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf transform Liberia’s view of gender-inclusivity and peacemaking efforts. Mothers, sisters and daughters from all regions came together to form the leadership beside the continent’s first woman as head of state. Here are seven women-led advancements Liberia has made since 2005. 7 Notable Women-Led Advancements…
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — On June 29, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Partnership Program Act of 2021 (TSCTP), also called H.R. 567. Sponsored by Rep. Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), the act addresses terrorism “in the Sahel and Maghreb regions of Africa.” By recognizing “the root causes of terrorism,” the TSCTP will help stabilize governments in these regions and provide resources to vulnerable communities in Sahel and Maghreb. Why H.R. 567 is Necessary Sahel and Maghreb are located in the northwestern region of Africa. The Sahel is one of the most impoverished Muslim regions in Africa…
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — While the Olympics may still be dominated by countries like the United States, China and Great Britain, throughout the multi-week tournament, many countries, big and small, impoverished and wealthy, have a chance to showcase their talents in all sorts of events. Throughout the Tokyo Olympics, many smaller, lesser-known, lower-income countries made history, earning their first medals in sports across the athletic spectrum. In weight lifting, Filipino Hidilyn Diaz won her country’s first-ever gold medal. In fencing, Edgar Cheung Ka-long earned Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medal. Exciting and inspiring wins like these can do more than invigorate a…
MACUNGIE, Pennsylvania — Poverty is much more than a lack of material possessions, yet the act of donating handmade items can make a significant difference in a person’s life, significantly benefitting children in particular. In 2020, the World Bank Group and UNICEF reported a finding from a pre-pandemic study indicating that one out of every six children were living in extreme poverty. Young children in the developing world are particularly affected, with 20% of children under the age of 5 living in extreme poverty. Crafting for a Cause The World Bank and UNICEF state that “the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will…
ATHENS, Georgia — Polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that causes paralysis, typically in children, is close to complete eradication with a 99.9% decline in cases since 1988. With a goal of complete global polio eradication by 2023, in 2015, the world saw the complete eradication of type 2 wild poliovirus along with the eradication of type 3 in 2018. Afghanistan and Pakistan are now the only two countries in the world with incidences of polio. Complete eradication is possible, which would make polio potentially the “second infectious disease” to see eradication, behind smallpox. Women play an integral role in polio eradication…
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Agriculture is the primary source of income for the estimated three-quarters of the global poor that live in rural communities. Any aspirations of poverty eradication are essentially dependent on these communities. The longstanding tradition of agriculture cooperatives, in which small farms pool resources, might be able to offset the effects of endemic poverty in agrarian economies. A Moment In the Sun In 2012, three branches of the United Nations launched the International Year of Cooperatives. The initiative aimed to highlight the financial disadvantages of small farms. It also highlighted the potential for inter-community economic unions…
DUBLIN, Ohio — One of the highlights of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was Yusra Mardini’s story: the participation of refugee, who became an Olympian whose skill was born from necessity. After escaping war-torn Syria six years ago, Mardini competed in the Olympics to show refugees everywhere that they too can accomplish their dreams. Yusra Mardini’s story serves as a source of inspiration, bringing hope to refugees worldwide. Mardini’s Story Mardini fled Syria in 2015, four years after the Syrian civil war tore apart the only home she had ever known. Ezzat, her father, was a nationally ranked swimmer in Syria…