Newsletter
November/December 2021
Homelessness
|
Newsletter Committee Chair: Dylan Truong
Researchers: Talya Firestein, Akshara Rangaraju, Gania Tyagi, Dylan Truong, Ira Joshi Writers: Grace Kester, Saadhvi Prakash, Akshita Jain, Alexis Schneider, Ayanna Mathur |
Homelessness
The world's homeless population amounts to around 150 million people; homelessness is an epidemic. Lacking a home and proper shelter can have many causes, and can be devastating to one's physical and mental conditions. Impoverished conditions and homelessness are most commonly linked to lack of employment opportunities, domestic violence, decline in available public assistance, lack of affordable healthcare, mental illness, and various forms of substance abuse. The three types of homelessness, chronic, transitional, and episodic, can affect a variety of people. Chronic homelessness, resulting from lack of employment opportunity and free public education, commonly affects the elderly along with those who possess physical disabilities. Transitional and episodic homelessness affect younger populations and those who are unemployed or suffer from domestic or substance abuse. Despite the variations of homelessness that can be observed all over the world, rural areas are more heavily affected by homelessness than urban areas. As rural areas lack education and career fields, the amount of people who will not have access to reliable homes can be two times higher than those who lack reliable housing in urban areas. As homelessness continues to affect millions of people in all areas all over the world, of all different ages and backgrounds, solutions are being sought by various organizations and companies in order to assist in providing a permanent and stable home for everyone.
A Global Crisis
150 million people, which is about 2% of the world’s population, are homeless. That is equivalent to the combined populations of the UK and France. 1.6 billion people, which is more than 20% of the world’s population, lack adequate housing. Causes of homelessness around the world may vary depending on the country’s political and economical history. It may be a result of factors in the labor market, physical and mental healthcare, housing policies, education, social security, and changes in family structure. The Coronavirus has especially contributed to the increasing global poverty seen in the last two years. It has made having access to housing a matter of life or death as unemployment rates rise.
Homelessness in the United States
Homelessness in the United States is a major issue that has been going on for a long period of time. Even now in 2021, there are millions in this country who don’t have a regular or fixed nighttime residence. Research shows that in 2014, there were around 1.5 million sheltered homeless people in the United States alone. Homelessness is relevant and discussion should be brought up to stimulate change. Homelessness not only affects the person, but with that, there are many health concerns that come with it. These adverse health consequences are and can be majorly filled by poor living conditions and a lack of access to treatment facilities. And due to living in poverty, there are millions in the United States who cannot afford proper healthcare. Making it harder for the homeless, there have been various laws put in place to criminalize them along with the people who have attempted to feed them. Mental illness is a health condition, which shouldn’t be overlooked by any human. It has been reported by homeless people in the United States that their mental illness is one of their top three reasons for becoming homeless. Some families do not report their homelessness, while others are unaware of the opportunities available to them. Along with the increase of COVID-19 variants in the country, there has been a drastic increase in poverty, causing many to reach a position between life and death.
Truth behind homelessness
The reality of homelessness is something not many people are aware of. A common misconception is that homelessness is caused because of people not wanting to work. In reality data from the National Coalition for the homeless says that 40-60 percent of homeless people try to work full-time or part-time when feasible. In fact New York’s Department of Homeless Services reports that 34 percent of the families in the shelter there have a working adult. Many families who experience homelessness have experienced trauma like domestic violence, substance abuse, chronic stress, or mental illnesses. In fact 73 percent of the homeless population faces many challenges especially like mental illnesses, domestic violence, or other obstacles that prevent them from obtaining stable housing. Homeless families can’t afford child support. This is devastating because many homeless people consist of single moms with kids under five. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 22% are children, 33% are families with children, 39% are women. Along with this, teen moms have a high probability of being homeless because of mental, social, and economic challenges. Homelessness is a problem that has been going on for a while. 70-80 percent of homeless people are not new to the city/town. Overall homelessness has many misconceptions and it’s valuable to be aware of the reality of what’s happening.
UNICEF’s Impact
UNICEF works with many communities worldwide to combat homelessness. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the homeless have been severely impacted, and the streets have become more dangerous. Currently in Thailand, UNICEF has provided children with personal protection supplies (hand sanitizer, soap, masks, disinfectant, etc.) and psychological aid (therapy and counseling) in order to fight the effects of homelessness. In Haiti, many have lost their homes and, therefore, the homeless population has increased exponentially. Ten-year-old Germine Pierre says, “I wish they’d build us a house so we could sleep in peace.” She is one of the 540,000 children impacted by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on August 14th, 2021. In Haiti, malnutrition is alarmingly common among children; UNICEF has made it a priority to provide children with therapeutic foods and ready-to-use nutritional supplements to combat this. Additionally, UNICEF has provided potable water and implemented four large safe water reservoirs in Haiti with the help of organizations like ECHO and DINEPA to prevent water-borne diseases. Needless to say, UNICEF is busy at work trying to bring supplies to all those impacted.
Here at Apex High School, it is the goal of our club to support those in need in our own communities. Until December 17th Apex UNICEF Unite will be hosting a coat drive! Bring your old coats, jackets and sweaters in and drop them off at Ms. Luch’s room (4008). Please make sure they are in good condition. All the coats that we collect will be donated to homeless shelters in local communities!
Resources
The world's homeless population amounts to around 150 million people; homelessness is an epidemic. Lacking a home and proper shelter can have many causes, and can be devastating to one's physical and mental conditions. Impoverished conditions and homelessness are most commonly linked to lack of employment opportunities, domestic violence, decline in available public assistance, lack of affordable healthcare, mental illness, and various forms of substance abuse. The three types of homelessness, chronic, transitional, and episodic, can affect a variety of people. Chronic homelessness, resulting from lack of employment opportunity and free public education, commonly affects the elderly along with those who possess physical disabilities. Transitional and episodic homelessness affect younger populations and those who are unemployed or suffer from domestic or substance abuse. Despite the variations of homelessness that can be observed all over the world, rural areas are more heavily affected by homelessness than urban areas. As rural areas lack education and career fields, the amount of people who will not have access to reliable homes can be two times higher than those who lack reliable housing in urban areas. As homelessness continues to affect millions of people in all areas all over the world, of all different ages and backgrounds, solutions are being sought by various organizations and companies in order to assist in providing a permanent and stable home for everyone.
A Global Crisis
150 million people, which is about 2% of the world’s population, are homeless. That is equivalent to the combined populations of the UK and France. 1.6 billion people, which is more than 20% of the world’s population, lack adequate housing. Causes of homelessness around the world may vary depending on the country’s political and economical history. It may be a result of factors in the labor market, physical and mental healthcare, housing policies, education, social security, and changes in family structure. The Coronavirus has especially contributed to the increasing global poverty seen in the last two years. It has made having access to housing a matter of life or death as unemployment rates rise.
Homelessness in the United States
Homelessness in the United States is a major issue that has been going on for a long period of time. Even now in 2021, there are millions in this country who don’t have a regular or fixed nighttime residence. Research shows that in 2014, there were around 1.5 million sheltered homeless people in the United States alone. Homelessness is relevant and discussion should be brought up to stimulate change. Homelessness not only affects the person, but with that, there are many health concerns that come with it. These adverse health consequences are and can be majorly filled by poor living conditions and a lack of access to treatment facilities. And due to living in poverty, there are millions in the United States who cannot afford proper healthcare. Making it harder for the homeless, there have been various laws put in place to criminalize them along with the people who have attempted to feed them. Mental illness is a health condition, which shouldn’t be overlooked by any human. It has been reported by homeless people in the United States that their mental illness is one of their top three reasons for becoming homeless. Some families do not report their homelessness, while others are unaware of the opportunities available to them. Along with the increase of COVID-19 variants in the country, there has been a drastic increase in poverty, causing many to reach a position between life and death.
Truth behind homelessness
The reality of homelessness is something not many people are aware of. A common misconception is that homelessness is caused because of people not wanting to work. In reality data from the National Coalition for the homeless says that 40-60 percent of homeless people try to work full-time or part-time when feasible. In fact New York’s Department of Homeless Services reports that 34 percent of the families in the shelter there have a working adult. Many families who experience homelessness have experienced trauma like domestic violence, substance abuse, chronic stress, or mental illnesses. In fact 73 percent of the homeless population faces many challenges especially like mental illnesses, domestic violence, or other obstacles that prevent them from obtaining stable housing. Homeless families can’t afford child support. This is devastating because many homeless people consist of single moms with kids under five. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 22% are children, 33% are families with children, 39% are women. Along with this, teen moms have a high probability of being homeless because of mental, social, and economic challenges. Homelessness is a problem that has been going on for a while. 70-80 percent of homeless people are not new to the city/town. Overall homelessness has many misconceptions and it’s valuable to be aware of the reality of what’s happening.
UNICEF’s Impact
UNICEF works with many communities worldwide to combat homelessness. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the homeless have been severely impacted, and the streets have become more dangerous. Currently in Thailand, UNICEF has provided children with personal protection supplies (hand sanitizer, soap, masks, disinfectant, etc.) and psychological aid (therapy and counseling) in order to fight the effects of homelessness. In Haiti, many have lost their homes and, therefore, the homeless population has increased exponentially. Ten-year-old Germine Pierre says, “I wish they’d build us a house so we could sleep in peace.” She is one of the 540,000 children impacted by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on August 14th, 2021. In Haiti, malnutrition is alarmingly common among children; UNICEF has made it a priority to provide children with therapeutic foods and ready-to-use nutritional supplements to combat this. Additionally, UNICEF has provided potable water and implemented four large safe water reservoirs in Haiti with the help of organizations like ECHO and DINEPA to prevent water-borne diseases. Needless to say, UNICEF is busy at work trying to bring supplies to all those impacted.
Here at Apex High School, it is the goal of our club to support those in need in our own communities. Until December 17th Apex UNICEF Unite will be hosting a coat drive! Bring your old coats, jackets and sweaters in and drop them off at Ms. Luch’s room (4008). Please make sure they are in good condition. All the coats that we collect will be donated to homeless shelters in local communities!
Resources
- https://nationalhomeless.org/about-homelessness/
- https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/yet-another-emerging-global-crisis-homelessness/
- https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2020/03/resolution-homelessness/
- https://switchpointcrc.org/the-reality-of-homelessness/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_the_United_States#Effects_of_homelessness
- https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2019/september/HomelessQandA.html
- https://www.unicef.org/thailand/stories/caring-young-and-homeless-during-covid-19
- https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/stories/broken-childhood-haiti-homeless-unable-to-go-to-school-hunger-and-violence
August/ September 2021
Haiti's Crisis |
Newsletter Committee Chair: Dylan Truong
Researchers: Talya Firestein, Akshara Rangaraju, Gania Tyagi, Dylan Truong, Ira Joshi, Akshita Jain, Ayanna Mathur Writers: Grace Kester, Dylan Truong, Akshita Jain, Alexis Schneider, Ayanna Mathur |
A Crisis in Haiti
Born out of slavery and colonization of France, Haiti has a story and culture unlike any other. Located in the Caribbean sea, the country hosts warm and humid climates, and as of recently, lacks biodiversity with much deforestation and wildlife habitat destruction. The status of Haiti is abysmal at best. The soil in the plains - which are the only fertile areas - is over-cultivated and populations in these areas are dense. This in turn makes food hard to come by. Although the economy is mainly agriculture-based, there are major issues in poverty and starvation - with high death rates, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality - as well as infectious and parasitic diseases at a rise. A majority of the crops that are eaten are smuggled from other countries. They are known to be the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Haiti has a lack of wage-earning careers; most people work small odd jobs or street vending. This causes many illegal jobs to form, such as drug transmission and smuggling. There is little to no education for children; most schools are private or church-sponsored, but many are still illiterate. Through all these economic and unpredicted natural hardships, the people of Haiti have all these shared experiences. With shared experiences, a unique culture arose made of these challenges and origins. These people were stripped from their African roots, put into slavery, and under French rule. Overall, Haitians were extremely unlucky and still face many issues today, and many Haitians are unable to seek refuge.
Causes of the Current Crisis
Currently, Haiti is in a state of crisis. In recent months there have been multiple natural disasters; their President has been assassinated; gang violence has run rampant; and the country has a rising number of COVID cases. In a great time of need, the people are left without basic needs, including a lack of food, shelter, clean water and basic government infrastructure. On July 7th, Haiti’s President, Jonevel Moïse, was assasinated. During his term as president, there was continuous gang violence, anti-government protests and constant controversy over his actions while in office. The assassination has caused and amplified many issues in the country, and it is no help that shortly after, on August 14th, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country. Although Haiti has historically been hit by earthquakes, this one has proven to be more damaging than earthquakes of the past (specifically, than the earthquake of 2010). Now, the country is at great political risk with gangs inciting violence and creating terror among the people. Other issues that have plagued Haiti for years continue to impact the country as well. Such issues include: malnourishment, lack of quality education, unemployment, access to clean water, and a striking approximate 24.7% of the population living in extreme poverty. To expand on this, COVID infects more and more people every day, and because of the earthquake, there is a shortage of vaccines. All the issues previously mentioned have been agitated by the assassination, earthquake, and global pandemic. All this to say, at least 2,200 people have died; more that 12,000 have been injured; an approximated 130,000 houses have been damaged; and 650,000 people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. Especially because of the political issues, many citizens have attempted to flee the country and seek safety in the United States. As of right now, the country is still facing many of the mentioned issues, most of which remain unresolved.
How the Haitian Community has been affected by the earthquake
Haiti is a country with a strong past history of earthquakes which are often very dangerous and life threatening to the citizens residing. The most recent earthquake that struck the country has left a tremendous negative effect on the country itself. The earthquake not only has brought panic to the citizens of the country, but has resurrected a variety of problems that this nation will need to overcome together as a whole before they can return to their “normal” state. Le Cayes and Jeremic are the cities that were hit the hardest out of all. Homes, schools, government buildings, work places, religious buildings and so many more had been seriously damaged in a matter of hours, following during and after the earthquake. Stating this, many now don’t have any place to live, work or pray for recovery. Schools— who had the hardest hit all throughout the country, are the first piece of buildings that are being raced to rebuild as soon as possible to re-start the education of many students. This puts a long term effect on the country as not only schools, but many other important buildings and places’s infrastructure was severely damaged. The Haitian government is almost to no help to the nation as the government itself is trying to get out of the dark place that the country has now fallen into. The Haitian community— which includes the rich, middle class and the poor— no matter what your status is in the country, has been hit pretty hard. Thousands of people are left homeless, millions with no jobs, and basic necessities to sustain a daily normal life. Now this is when the role of millions of non-profit organizations who are eagerly wanting and are helping Haiti and its citizens for a quick and safe recovery come into play.
Aids to the Haitian Community
The frequency of many devastating earthquakes as well as other natural disasters and social and/or political events in Haiti has led many organizations to step up and contribute to the aiding of the Haitian communities. Organizations such as Mission E4, Freedom Fighters Collaboration, The Be Like Brit organization, Medicines for Humanity, and Hope For Haiti have taken part in contributing goods, supplies, food, water, and natural disaster relief to Haiti. Another organization, UNICEF, is where we come in. After the disastrous earthquake that hit Haiti earlier in August 2021, we have made it part of our mission for the month of September as a nation wide organization to work within our communities as well as with our partnering organizations and clubs to deliver more than 30,000 kits that consist of medical supplies, hygienically items, and basic essentials to the people of Haiti who were affected by the earthquake. UNICEF at Apex High School is collecting donations of many unused hygiene items such as toothbrushes, combs, hand towels and more in order to package and distribute these kits of basic essentials to those who have been affected by the recent earthquake, who otherwise might not be able to reach such necessities on their own. We encourage those of you at Apex High School to take a stand and participate in the collection of donations as well as the packaging of the kits, more information on time sensitive dates for this project can be found:
The Involvement of Unicef and how YOU can help
With about half a million children having limited access to healthcare, shelter, food, and water, UNICEF was able to get to the affected areas with medical supplies within hours of the earthquake’s impact. A UNICEF truck was even sent out to deliver medical kits to hospitals in Les Cayes. These kits contained enough supplies to treat 30,000 earthquake victims. UNICEF and some of their partners are also distributing supplies to build emergency shelters and to use for personal hygiene. They are also working on preventing family separation and providing protection and support for all children in need. Within a week, UNICEF had sent out over 65,000 water purification tablets and set a goal to provide at least 500,000 people with water and sanitation. UNICEF has also made it known that they’ve called for a humanitarian appeal to help prevent the unfolding of water-borne diseases that may be present after the earthquake. Being an agency of the United Nations, UNICEF has the ability to provide instant support to those in need. Being high school students, it is much more challenging for us to help as we do not have access to the same resources. However, that does not mean that we cannot be of help towards the UNICEF mission. Apex High School’s UNICEF UNITE has created “Project Help Haiti '' to encourage students in our school to do what they can to help earthquake victims in Haiti. Our club has partnered with Haitian Heritage and Friends of Haiti (HHFOH) in Charlotte, NC for this reason. All students can donate items that will be used to put together hygiene kits that will then be sent to Haiti. We may not be able to fly to Haiti ourselves and tend to affected areas the same way UNICEF can, but we do have the power to take part in relief efforts and make a real difference. We encourage everyone to join us on Monday, September 20th to build these hygiene kits.
Resources:
Born out of slavery and colonization of France, Haiti has a story and culture unlike any other. Located in the Caribbean sea, the country hosts warm and humid climates, and as of recently, lacks biodiversity with much deforestation and wildlife habitat destruction. The status of Haiti is abysmal at best. The soil in the plains - which are the only fertile areas - is over-cultivated and populations in these areas are dense. This in turn makes food hard to come by. Although the economy is mainly agriculture-based, there are major issues in poverty and starvation - with high death rates, low life expectancy, and high infant mortality - as well as infectious and parasitic diseases at a rise. A majority of the crops that are eaten are smuggled from other countries. They are known to be the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Haiti has a lack of wage-earning careers; most people work small odd jobs or street vending. This causes many illegal jobs to form, such as drug transmission and smuggling. There is little to no education for children; most schools are private or church-sponsored, but many are still illiterate. Through all these economic and unpredicted natural hardships, the people of Haiti have all these shared experiences. With shared experiences, a unique culture arose made of these challenges and origins. These people were stripped from their African roots, put into slavery, and under French rule. Overall, Haitians were extremely unlucky and still face many issues today, and many Haitians are unable to seek refuge.
Causes of the Current Crisis
Currently, Haiti is in a state of crisis. In recent months there have been multiple natural disasters; their President has been assassinated; gang violence has run rampant; and the country has a rising number of COVID cases. In a great time of need, the people are left without basic needs, including a lack of food, shelter, clean water and basic government infrastructure. On July 7th, Haiti’s President, Jonevel Moïse, was assasinated. During his term as president, there was continuous gang violence, anti-government protests and constant controversy over his actions while in office. The assassination has caused and amplified many issues in the country, and it is no help that shortly after, on August 14th, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country. Although Haiti has historically been hit by earthquakes, this one has proven to be more damaging than earthquakes of the past (specifically, than the earthquake of 2010). Now, the country is at great political risk with gangs inciting violence and creating terror among the people. Other issues that have plagued Haiti for years continue to impact the country as well. Such issues include: malnourishment, lack of quality education, unemployment, access to clean water, and a striking approximate 24.7% of the population living in extreme poverty. To expand on this, COVID infects more and more people every day, and because of the earthquake, there is a shortage of vaccines. All the issues previously mentioned have been agitated by the assassination, earthquake, and global pandemic. All this to say, at least 2,200 people have died; more that 12,000 have been injured; an approximated 130,000 houses have been damaged; and 650,000 people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. Especially because of the political issues, many citizens have attempted to flee the country and seek safety in the United States. As of right now, the country is still facing many of the mentioned issues, most of which remain unresolved.
How the Haitian Community has been affected by the earthquake
Haiti is a country with a strong past history of earthquakes which are often very dangerous and life threatening to the citizens residing. The most recent earthquake that struck the country has left a tremendous negative effect on the country itself. The earthquake not only has brought panic to the citizens of the country, but has resurrected a variety of problems that this nation will need to overcome together as a whole before they can return to their “normal” state. Le Cayes and Jeremic are the cities that were hit the hardest out of all. Homes, schools, government buildings, work places, religious buildings and so many more had been seriously damaged in a matter of hours, following during and after the earthquake. Stating this, many now don’t have any place to live, work or pray for recovery. Schools— who had the hardest hit all throughout the country, are the first piece of buildings that are being raced to rebuild as soon as possible to re-start the education of many students. This puts a long term effect on the country as not only schools, but many other important buildings and places’s infrastructure was severely damaged. The Haitian government is almost to no help to the nation as the government itself is trying to get out of the dark place that the country has now fallen into. The Haitian community— which includes the rich, middle class and the poor— no matter what your status is in the country, has been hit pretty hard. Thousands of people are left homeless, millions with no jobs, and basic necessities to sustain a daily normal life. Now this is when the role of millions of non-profit organizations who are eagerly wanting and are helping Haiti and its citizens for a quick and safe recovery come into play.
Aids to the Haitian Community
The frequency of many devastating earthquakes as well as other natural disasters and social and/or political events in Haiti has led many organizations to step up and contribute to the aiding of the Haitian communities. Organizations such as Mission E4, Freedom Fighters Collaboration, The Be Like Brit organization, Medicines for Humanity, and Hope For Haiti have taken part in contributing goods, supplies, food, water, and natural disaster relief to Haiti. Another organization, UNICEF, is where we come in. After the disastrous earthquake that hit Haiti earlier in August 2021, we have made it part of our mission for the month of September as a nation wide organization to work within our communities as well as with our partnering organizations and clubs to deliver more than 30,000 kits that consist of medical supplies, hygienically items, and basic essentials to the people of Haiti who were affected by the earthquake. UNICEF at Apex High School is collecting donations of many unused hygiene items such as toothbrushes, combs, hand towels and more in order to package and distribute these kits of basic essentials to those who have been affected by the recent earthquake, who otherwise might not be able to reach such necessities on their own. We encourage those of you at Apex High School to take a stand and participate in the collection of donations as well as the packaging of the kits, more information on time sensitive dates for this project can be found:
The Involvement of Unicef and how YOU can help
With about half a million children having limited access to healthcare, shelter, food, and water, UNICEF was able to get to the affected areas with medical supplies within hours of the earthquake’s impact. A UNICEF truck was even sent out to deliver medical kits to hospitals in Les Cayes. These kits contained enough supplies to treat 30,000 earthquake victims. UNICEF and some of their partners are also distributing supplies to build emergency shelters and to use for personal hygiene. They are also working on preventing family separation and providing protection and support for all children in need. Within a week, UNICEF had sent out over 65,000 water purification tablets and set a goal to provide at least 500,000 people with water and sanitation. UNICEF has also made it known that they’ve called for a humanitarian appeal to help prevent the unfolding of water-borne diseases that may be present after the earthquake. Being an agency of the United Nations, UNICEF has the ability to provide instant support to those in need. Being high school students, it is much more challenging for us to help as we do not have access to the same resources. However, that does not mean that we cannot be of help towards the UNICEF mission. Apex High School’s UNICEF UNITE has created “Project Help Haiti '' to encourage students in our school to do what they can to help earthquake victims in Haiti. Our club has partnered with Haitian Heritage and Friends of Haiti (HHFOH) in Charlotte, NC for this reason. All students can donate items that will be used to put together hygiene kits that will then be sent to Haiti. We may not be able to fly to Haiti ourselves and tend to affected areas the same way UNICEF can, but we do have the power to take part in relief efforts and make a real difference. We encourage everyone to join us on Monday, September 20th to build these hygiene kits.
Resources:
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Haiti
- https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2010-haiti-earthquake-facts
- https://www.npr.org/2021/08/16/1027990749/haiti-earthquake-why-deadly-explainer
- https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2010-haiti-earthquake-facts
- https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-earthquake-situation-report-2-september-1-2021-no-2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Jovenel_Mo%C3%AFse
- https://borgenproject.org/facts-about-poverty-in-haiti-2/
- -https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zgmwv4j/revision/5
- -https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2010-haiti-earthquake-facts#:~:text=The%20earthquake%20severely%20damaged%20two,for%201%2C700%20children%2C%20were%20damaged.
- https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/08/16/haiti-earthquake-massachusetts-organizations-aid/
- https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2021/red-cross-responds-to-earthquake-in-haiti.html
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/08/17/haiti-earthquake-victims-help-donations-organizations/8159098002/
- https://nymag.com/strategist/article/haiti-earthquake-where-to-donate.html
- https://nymag.com/strategist/article/haiti-earthquake-where-to-donate.htm
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58222888
February/March 2022
Equality |
Newsletter Committee Chair: Dylan Truong
Researchers: Talya Firestein, Akshara Rangaraju, Gania Tyagi, Dylan Truong, Ira Joshi Writers: Grace Kester, Saadhvi Prakash, Akshita Jain, Alexis Schneider, Ayanna Mathur |
Gender Equality Globally
March is Women’s History Month! This month is a celebration of all the contributions made by women throughout history. Women’s History Month recognizes and honors the struggles and achievements of women (and their allies) in the battle for women’s rights. Today, there is still gender inequality everywhere. It can be seen in households, in media, and across society. Globally, roughly 25% of girls between 15 and 19 are unemployed or not in school/training to prepare them for successful futures; this is in comparison to 10% of boys. In pushing towards gender equality, all people are provided, regardless of gender, with the opportunity to accomplish their goals. This strengthens both societies and economies. Furthermore, millions of girls are cut off from the information they need to stay healthy, safe, and prosper. This includes girls who are forced into sex, girls do not have access to supplies and information about menstruation, and the hundreds of millions of girls who are subjected to child marriage and genital mutilation. About 5% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have experienced forced sex; this is near 13 million girls. To combat this, UNICEF has built and continues to build partnerships across the globe to push towards gender equality.
History of Gender Equality
The movement for gender equality began with the suffrage movement in western cultures in the late 19th century, which sought to gain voting rights for women. This period also embraced significant changes in women’s property rights, particularly in relation to their marital status. Although this was seen to be the start of the gender equality movement in America, brewing ideologies can be seen all the way back to the 18th century. The head of the Shakers’ central ministry in 1788, Joseph Meacham, voiced that equality between sexes was necessary in order to perfect society. He worked with a fellow Shaker, Lucy Wright, to reconstruct their society with a more prominent balance in the rights between genders. More recently, in 2010, the European Union opened the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania to promote gender equality and fight against systematic discrimination. On a national scale, to overcome gender equality the United Nations Population Fund declares that “Women’s empowerment and gender inequality requires strategic interventions at all levels of programming and policy-making. These levels include reproductive health, economic empowerment, educational empowerment, and political empowerment.”. While development may have been slow over the last few centuries, our world today now contains copious amounts of resources that can be used to voice matters of inequality and work to eradicate gender discrimination around the world.
"Don't say gay" Florida bill
In Florida, legislators have created a new bill that proposes the idea of making discussions about sexual identity and the LGBTQ+ community illegal. The bill states, “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”. This bill would allow information about students' sexuality and gender to be shared with their parents against their will. This could be very dangerous for a lot of people, as they might not be safe with their parents knowing this information. This bill disrupts much of social progress regarding acceptance and awareness of sexuality and gender.
Bringing attention to the gender gap
Recently, many different associations and organizations from all around the globe are now starting to spread awareness and advocate many influential movements to amend the gaps that are present between genders. There are many different associations whose main goal is to not only spread gender equality, but also to address many other ongoing issues in the world currently. For example, the National Organization for Women is a non-profit organization which is dedicated to protecting the rights and putting a stop to violence against women throughout the globe. World Pulse is another organization whose main focus is to use modern day technology and social media to spread awareness. Women from anywhere in the world can connect with each other and share their stories, experiences and ideas. Many other non-profit organizations such as Global Fund for Women, which campaigns on a variety of topics, but mostly on women's reproductive rights and sexual assault. We aren’t limited to just supporting organizations like this, but in fact there are many other things that an individual can do on their behalf to spread awareness. Raising awareness through campaigns about gender equality issues and sending letters to the government addressing the problems is a great way to start. Gender inequality issues are not so widely talked about— which should be changed now in society. Talking about this topic more in school— possibly adding it to the modern day topics of history being taught today— is important since this has been and continues to be an ongoing issue. And lastly, and probably the most important— and the easiest a person can do— is to stay updated on what is happening currently in our country and over the globe.
Gender Inequality and Moving Forward
Gender inequality is extremely prevalent in many people's lives. Children face it in their own homes and communities. It can be seen through the media, shaping how people think, along with adults and family members who take care of them. For example, gender roles in families may be unequal. Mothers tend to do more chores and housekeeping. Gender inequalities affect girls in school as well; 1 in 4 girls from ages 15-19 are either unemployed or not receiving an education. This is due to the lack of support that girls get compared to boys. The numbers in regards to boys are drastically different; 1 in 10 not being employed or educated. Discrimination and gender norms have determinantal effects. They can increase the risk of unwanted pregnancy, AIDS, HIV, and even malnutrition. This has escalated to such an extent that 1 in 20, which is about 13 million girls, around the ages 15-19 have experienced sexual assault/domestic abuse. This age group is also a victim to gender-based violence. Human rights violations like child marriage and female genital mutilation still occur worldwide. Along with this, violence against women continues to exist, especially in places that still continue female infanticide. Gender norms affect a variety of people. Men suffer from the ideology of masculinity. This can have treacherous effects such as gang violence, child labor, lack of interest in school, and joining armed groups.
UNICEF has and continues to contribute to helping in numerous ways. A global stand is being taken through UNICEF. They are cultivating partnerships globally to enhance gender equality. Their mission is to “integrate strategies that address gender-specific discrimination and disadvantages.” They do this by increasing women’s role in the design and delivery of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. This helps employ more women and improve their quality of life. They also work on empowering female entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. Problems like gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and child marriages are being reduced through initiatives encouraged by UNICEF. These initiatives also help with obtaining safe spaces, menstrual health management, and distributing HIV and AIDS care. These movements lead to better employment rates, health, and education opportunities. To increase the effect on upcoming solutions, UNICEF collects data and creates opportunities for citizens like us to get involved in making a change. Supporting, learning, and sharing more about these problems are great ways to contribute to the solution.
Resources:
March is Women’s History Month! This month is a celebration of all the contributions made by women throughout history. Women’s History Month recognizes and honors the struggles and achievements of women (and their allies) in the battle for women’s rights. Today, there is still gender inequality everywhere. It can be seen in households, in media, and across society. Globally, roughly 25% of girls between 15 and 19 are unemployed or not in school/training to prepare them for successful futures; this is in comparison to 10% of boys. In pushing towards gender equality, all people are provided, regardless of gender, with the opportunity to accomplish their goals. This strengthens both societies and economies. Furthermore, millions of girls are cut off from the information they need to stay healthy, safe, and prosper. This includes girls who are forced into sex, girls do not have access to supplies and information about menstruation, and the hundreds of millions of girls who are subjected to child marriage and genital mutilation. About 5% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have experienced forced sex; this is near 13 million girls. To combat this, UNICEF has built and continues to build partnerships across the globe to push towards gender equality.
History of Gender Equality
The movement for gender equality began with the suffrage movement in western cultures in the late 19th century, which sought to gain voting rights for women. This period also embraced significant changes in women’s property rights, particularly in relation to their marital status. Although this was seen to be the start of the gender equality movement in America, brewing ideologies can be seen all the way back to the 18th century. The head of the Shakers’ central ministry in 1788, Joseph Meacham, voiced that equality between sexes was necessary in order to perfect society. He worked with a fellow Shaker, Lucy Wright, to reconstruct their society with a more prominent balance in the rights between genders. More recently, in 2010, the European Union opened the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania to promote gender equality and fight against systematic discrimination. On a national scale, to overcome gender equality the United Nations Population Fund declares that “Women’s empowerment and gender inequality requires strategic interventions at all levels of programming and policy-making. These levels include reproductive health, economic empowerment, educational empowerment, and political empowerment.”. While development may have been slow over the last few centuries, our world today now contains copious amounts of resources that can be used to voice matters of inequality and work to eradicate gender discrimination around the world.
"Don't say gay" Florida bill
In Florida, legislators have created a new bill that proposes the idea of making discussions about sexual identity and the LGBTQ+ community illegal. The bill states, “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”. This bill would allow information about students' sexuality and gender to be shared with their parents against their will. This could be very dangerous for a lot of people, as they might not be safe with their parents knowing this information. This bill disrupts much of social progress regarding acceptance and awareness of sexuality and gender.
Bringing attention to the gender gap
Recently, many different associations and organizations from all around the globe are now starting to spread awareness and advocate many influential movements to amend the gaps that are present between genders. There are many different associations whose main goal is to not only spread gender equality, but also to address many other ongoing issues in the world currently. For example, the National Organization for Women is a non-profit organization which is dedicated to protecting the rights and putting a stop to violence against women throughout the globe. World Pulse is another organization whose main focus is to use modern day technology and social media to spread awareness. Women from anywhere in the world can connect with each other and share their stories, experiences and ideas. Many other non-profit organizations such as Global Fund for Women, which campaigns on a variety of topics, but mostly on women's reproductive rights and sexual assault. We aren’t limited to just supporting organizations like this, but in fact there are many other things that an individual can do on their behalf to spread awareness. Raising awareness through campaigns about gender equality issues and sending letters to the government addressing the problems is a great way to start. Gender inequality issues are not so widely talked about— which should be changed now in society. Talking about this topic more in school— possibly adding it to the modern day topics of history being taught today— is important since this has been and continues to be an ongoing issue. And lastly, and probably the most important— and the easiest a person can do— is to stay updated on what is happening currently in our country and over the globe.
Gender Inequality and Moving Forward
Gender inequality is extremely prevalent in many people's lives. Children face it in their own homes and communities. It can be seen through the media, shaping how people think, along with adults and family members who take care of them. For example, gender roles in families may be unequal. Mothers tend to do more chores and housekeeping. Gender inequalities affect girls in school as well; 1 in 4 girls from ages 15-19 are either unemployed or not receiving an education. This is due to the lack of support that girls get compared to boys. The numbers in regards to boys are drastically different; 1 in 10 not being employed or educated. Discrimination and gender norms have determinantal effects. They can increase the risk of unwanted pregnancy, AIDS, HIV, and even malnutrition. This has escalated to such an extent that 1 in 20, which is about 13 million girls, around the ages 15-19 have experienced sexual assault/domestic abuse. This age group is also a victim to gender-based violence. Human rights violations like child marriage and female genital mutilation still occur worldwide. Along with this, violence against women continues to exist, especially in places that still continue female infanticide. Gender norms affect a variety of people. Men suffer from the ideology of masculinity. This can have treacherous effects such as gang violence, child labor, lack of interest in school, and joining armed groups.
UNICEF has and continues to contribute to helping in numerous ways. A global stand is being taken through UNICEF. They are cultivating partnerships globally to enhance gender equality. Their mission is to “integrate strategies that address gender-specific discrimination and disadvantages.” They do this by increasing women’s role in the design and delivery of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. This helps employ more women and improve their quality of life. They also work on empowering female entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. Problems like gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and child marriages are being reduced through initiatives encouraged by UNICEF. These initiatives also help with obtaining safe spaces, menstrual health management, and distributing HIV and AIDS care. These movements lead to better employment rates, health, and education opportunities. To increase the effect on upcoming solutions, UNICEF collects data and creates opportunities for citizens like us to get involved in making a change. Supporting, learning, and sharing more about these problems are great ways to contribute to the solution.
Resources:
- https://www.unicef.org/gender-equality
- https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/florida-bill-would-ban-talk-of-sexual-orientation-gender-identity-in-the-classroom/
- https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2022/01/20/florida-house-continues-push-for-parent-rights-in-schools/
- https://www.humanrightscareers.com/magazine/feminist-organizations/
- https://now.org/