Educating Girls Around the Globe Blog 7, Lakeisha Richardson

Depending on where you live around the Globe, education (K-12) can be considered an option, requirement, or privilege. Jennifer Buffett president of NOVO Foundations, an organization that seek to end violence and exploitation against girls and women worldwide, writes about the struggle many girls face to receive a safe education in her article “Make schools safe for girls everywhere”. A 14 year old girl name Malala from Pakistan was shot by the Taliban because she spoke out against the suppression of women educational rights. Violence amongst girls (and women) restricts where they can go and when they can go places. Some parents keep their daughters out of school because they fear they could be harmed. What about the violence in the home? Nearly half of the teen girls in developing countries are married with most being before the age of 15. This put them in risk of being sexually and/or physically abused by their much older husband.

 According to Buffett, nearly half of sexual assaults around the world are committed against girls 15 years of age and younger. A recent study that took place in Swaziland, found that sexual violence against kids was greater amongst those who were not attending school. According to Jennifer Buffett, this study suggests that educational opportunities decrease ones vulnerability to violence. How so? Girls in school have an opportunity to escape early marriage, and early pregnancy. They have an opportunity to learn how to be more economically, socially, and financially powerful. They are able to learn the skills and trades they may need to live a better life.

Education is important for families across the globe. If girls become better educated, and better protected against the violence they have become prone to, they can live better life for themselves and their families. Better education for girls mean more future female role models, and teachers. More educated women can help adolescent girls get through a very difficult period in life. A girl who is educated has a chance to live a happier and healthier lifestyle. With education she can learn to be a better mother, employee, and citizen when she is older. Education is important for everyone. We as human beings must do what we can to keep young girls safe. We must do what we can to help young girls receive an education in a safe manner. An education they can get without dealing with harassments and sexual misconduct from people on her way to school, or even her teachers. According to the above article, 2,000 cases of teacher rapes in Zambia were reported in 2010 with only 240 teachers being convicted. While it is important to get girls in school, it is equally important to ensure they are being protected when they seek education.

 

 http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/11/opinion/buffett-girls-safety/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

Fight Against Meningitis Blog 6, Lakeisha Richardson

Every year many American children get vaccinated so they can be protected from different viruses and illness. Meningitis vaccination is only one of the many vaccinations offered to children in America. Meningitis is a disease that causes swelling in the brain and spinal cord. This disease can lead to deafness, learning disabilities and/or brain damage. While many Americans are protected from meningitis, there remain some countries fighting every year to avoid this disease. Many children and adults in Africa miss school and work because they are afraid to get meningitis. An article titled “New Immunization Effort Launched” talks about how vaccinations are available in 26 “at risk” countries. 430 million people within the targeted countries are affected by meningitis. Each vaccination costs 50 cents in U. S dollars. Making the vaccinations cost effective, helps protect those families who may not have otherwise been able to afford the vaccination.

It is a relief to know that the World Health Organization is devoting time in trying to protect as many as 430 million families affected by meningitis. Parents who stayed out of work because of their fear to contact meningitis can now continue working and supporting their families. Children can continue to go to school to receive valuable education about how to live in their culture. Making vaccinations available to developing countries at a low price give that country a chance to grow. It can be very cost effective to nurture an ill adult or child. Meningitis was hurting many families especially in the targeted countries.

 

http://www.voanews.com/content/africa-meningitis-4oct12/1520404.html

Is Income Tax Unfair? Blog 5, Lakeisha Richardson

A big debate hitting the U.S presidential elections this term is income tax. Ravi Agrawal journalist from CNN wrote an article titled “We’re all makers and takers.” The article talks about the debate over rather high income earners are paying too much in income tax or too little. According to the article, only 53% of U.S citizens pay income taxes. In India, only 2.8% of the population pays income tax, which is only slightly higher than the 1.72% out of China’s population of 1.34 billion. Some people believe people receiving higher income should not have to support the rest of the population. Agrawal mentions a quote from Mitt Romney stating that “his ‘job is not to worry’ about the ‘47 percent of the people’ who ‘pay no income tax’ has divided America.” Ravi Agrawal writes while it seems as if citizens who pay no income tax are receiving all the benefits, in reality everyone is benefited, and we are all “makers and takers.” In the United States the 53% of citizens paying income tax still benefit from subsidies we receive or products such as gasoline. While gasoline may be $4 a gallon here, many other countries such as Europe, India, and China pay at least twice that amount. We benefit from having police, fire and rescue, and even the highway system.

Everyone around the world benefit from government services and/or programs made possible through income tax payments from its citizens. In the U.S this includes getting water, food, electricity, gas, radio services and numerous other needs for a far less price than you would if there were no income tax payments. Income tax helps keep families safe and secure. Only a small amount of the world pays income tax. China and India are one of the largest countries on earth. What happens if people decided it’s not fare they have to pay income tax, but others don’t?  Many families depend on government programs, especially those in poverty. Many families around the world live in poverty. Cutting down on tax will not help the problem. Is there a way to make tax payers feel better about paying tax while at the same time helping families stay (or get) secure? Families around the world safety depend on the funds coming from taxable income paid by some citizens around the world.

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/26/were-all-makers-and-takers/?hpt=wo_r1

Fighting Child Malnourishment Blog 4

2.3 million Children around the world died in 2011 due to being undernourished. World Vision and Save the children have a mission together to end this “silent crisis.” According to a press release by Save the Children foundation, millions of children are at risk if countries fail to tackle the problem with malnutrition. In their project, World Vision and save the children are working to get financial commitments from the government of 36 countries. These are the countries in which 90% of the world’s undernourished children live. The article states that even though Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries; significant progress has been made in child mortality, nutrition, and health. This change is largely due to the investment the government has made to end child malnourishment. On the other hand, India has experienced economic growth, yet still remains at the bottom of the spectrum when it comes to child malnourishment.  Elly Vandenberg from World Vision states, "Every child deserves the best start in life. Combatting child malnutrition demands good governance and multi-sectoral strategies backed by long-term investments.”

Many people can see how big of a problem child malnourishment is, yet few things are done about it. It shouldn’t take 2.3 million children deaths for the governments around the world due something about the undernourishment of children. Children are the future of this world. Nutrition is critical for growth and development, and without the right nutrition, many kids want be able to grow up and take on the legacy of their previous generations. Common symptoms of malnutrition are fatigue, poor immune function and poor learning. In these conditions, how can one expect a child to learn the cultural practices in there society. They will have a hard time learning what they need to know to be economically sufficient when they get older. Loosing so many children to malnutrition can take a toll not only on each individual population, but on the world itself. Years to come, if there is no one to do what the adults are doing now, there will be interference in the cycle of life.  It takes more than words to fight malnourishment around the world; it takes commitment from each government in each and every country.

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/persistent-failure-tackle-malnutrition-putting-230000148.html;_ylt=A2KLOzEGv1xQjHsA1obQtDMD

Who's Hiring? Blog 3, Lakeisha Richardson

If you have been following the election you will see that unemployment is one of the main topics in this year’s presidential election. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post says it’s “the most overrated stat of the 2012 election.” Living in the United States, you know what problem unemployment has been. Unemployment is not only a problem in the United States, but in many other countries around the world according to a news article by Fox Business. The quarterly survey by Manpower Group a global employment firm showed that 26 out of the 42 countries assessed would hire fewer people in the fourth quarter than they did last year. Jeffery Joerres, chief executive of Manpower Groups states if uncertainties such as the debt crisis in Europe, rumblings of a slowdown in China, the U.S presidential election and healthcare costs, keeps stacking up the steady hiring mode would come to a pause. The good thing is that according the report, there is not any expected widespread layoffs. In Japan, employment intentions are recorded to be flat. China employment index intentions are three points lower than the third quarter and seven points lower than last year. Recent bank bailouts, the Eurozone debt and measures taking by the government to lower ballooning debt is making business in Europe very cautious.

What does this say about families? If families cannot work, they cannot support themselves. The United States have very few families living in absolute poverty, but other countries are not so lucky.  It is expected that every family move up or down the social class latter by 1. If hiring rates continue to go down or stand still, those families seeking employment will have a harder time finding employment and staying out of poverty, yet a lone moving up the social class latter. With all the social forces affecting the economy, business are going to turn to the most cost effective way to do business. This includes hiring last people, or even outsourcing.


http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/09/11/global-employment-view-weakens-with-economy/

Lakeisha Richardson, Family Planning Blog 2

Family planning has been in the news lately many people are for it and there are some against it. Family planning helps women and adolescents in a variety of ways. According to Joyce Nyakato article "Benefits of Family Planning" 44% of newborn deaths would be averted and the number of women needing medical care due to complications of unsafe procedures would decline from about 8.5million to 2million worldwide. Family planning provides a lot of medical help for many women and adolescents in need. One benefit that many people may not think of is education. If adolescents were able to protect themselves from having a child early in life, they would have a better chance of furthering their education.

Not only is family planning one of the main topics in the United States upcoming presidential election, but it is something many countries around the globe are trying to adapt and receive funds for. In the Philippines, according to journalist Monolo Jara, the family planning bill is beginning to receive more support. According to professors at the De La Salle University in the Philippines, “Lack of access to quality and affordable reproductive health services and family planning information as well as poverty,” they said, “has kept many women from taking their own voice, exercising their basic rights and taking their place as full members of society.”  According to journalist Kavila Wambua Machakos Kenya has the lowest proportion of unplanned pregnancies. Here in this town an average of 53.2 percent of women is using family planning.
Although some people do not agree with planned parenthood (family planning) many people have come to see the many benefits it provide women and adolescent girls.



http://allafrica.com/stories/201209040092.html   (author Joyce Nyakato)
http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=126995&heading=Asia  (author Monolo Jara)
http://allafrica.com/stories/201209010061.html  (author Kavila Wambua)

Lakeisha Richardson, Blog 1 Poverty in Haiti

The family is the basic and fundamental unit of society. Many global issues have an effect rather its direct or indirect on families. Poverty is a big global issue and it affect families around the world every day.  I read an article by David Brown of the Washington Post which talked about a big project being put in place in Haiti. According to the article, more than half of families living in Haiti's Central Plateau do not have clean water or enough food. 40 percent of the children are not in school, and a quarter are not vaccinated.  Approximately 80% of this population do not have bathrooms. Poverty is increasing around the globe in different shapes and forms. The 4 million project mentioned in the article provides homes with a "personal coach" that helps the family make a plan to meet there families need. The coach works as a "health educator, vaccinator, epidemiologist, financial analyst, social worker, scheduler and advocate all at the same time." The project points out that helping poor families in only one area of there many problems will not make a big difference. For this reason, these personal coaches guide the family through all there problems.

It is important for children to have food, water, proper vaccinations, healthcare, and education. Without these things, children become increasingly susceptible to diseases which could lead to poor health and/or death. Kids are the future of the world, and if the population of kids decrease, we risk demographic aging. Not only are the children within the family system affected, but the adults are also. Without proper care and nutrition it is hard for adults to live a healthy life while providing for there family. If children have to take on the role of caregiver because there parents are not in the right health, they in turn loose out on education, and living there life as a child. Poverty affects families around the globe and without help more social problems may occur.  I believe the personal coaches is a great idea because it helps the family deal with and prepare for problems.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/for-haitian-families-trying-to-get-out-of-poverty-personal-coaches/2012/08/29/72a5a2ea-c15b-11e1-9ce8-ff26651238d0_story.html