Over 420,000 children in the Amazon region are facing severe drought and water shortages

 

Over 420,000 children in the Amazon region are facing severe drought and water shortages 

The United Nations reports that over 420,000 children in the Amazon region are facing severe drought and water shortages across Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. This unprecedented drought, ongoing since last year, has impacted Indigenous and other communities reliant on waterways, according to UNICEF. Ahead of the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, urged world leaders to increase climate funding for children, emphasizing that the Amazon’s health is vital to global well-being.

The drought has led to food insecurity, raising concerns about child malnutrition, while limited access to clean water increases the risk of infectious diseases. In Brazil’s Amazon region, over 1,700 schools and 760 medical clinics have closed due to low river levels. In Colombia, water and food shortages forced 130 schools to suspend classes, and in Peru, more than 50 clinics became inaccessible.

UNICEF estimates it will need $10 million in the coming months to provide water and deploy health services to affected communities. Agencies such as NASA’s Earth Observatory and the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service attribute the drought to the 2023-2024 El Niño event in the Pacific.

Five Women Honored with UNHCR Nansen Awards for Transformative Work with Refugees

 Five Women Honored with UNHCR Nansen Awards for Transformative Work with Refugees

Five remarkable women—a nun, activist, social entrepreneur, volunteer aid worker, and advocate for ending statelessness—are being recognized with the 2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award for their transformative work supporting displaced communities. The global laureate, Sister Rosita Milesi from Brazil, has spent nearly 40 years championing the rights of refugees and migrants. As a lawyer and social worker, she has helped thousands access essential services and was pivotal in shaping Brazil's 1997 refugee law to align with international standards and protect refugee rights.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, commended the winners for their dedication, noting how these women have advanced humanitarian responses and influenced local and national policies. Sister Rosita expressed her commitment to helping refugees, stating, “I’m inspired by the growing need to help, to welcome, and to integrate refugees."

The regional awardees are: Maimouna Ba from Burkina Faso, who helped displaced women and children access education and financial independence; Jin Davod, a Syrian refugee in Europe who created a mental health support platform for trauma survivors; Nada Fadol, a Sudanese refugee aiding families fleeing to Egypt; and Deepti Gurung from Nepal, who campaigned for citizenship reforms to help stateless individuals.

Additionally, the people of Moldova will receive an honorary mention for their compassionate response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, welcoming over one million people despite economic challenges. The awards will be presented on October 14 in Geneva, featuring performances by prominent artists and hosted by South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha.

Abhijit Banerjee, Nobel Laureate in Economics: ‘Some Problems Go Beyond Just a Money Transfer'

 

Abhijit Banerjee, Nobel Laureate in Economics: ‘Some Problems Go Beyond Just a Money Transfer

Abhijit Banerjee, Nobel Prize-winning economist, recently discussed the surprising findings of a poverty experiment in Kenya where cash transfers were given to two groups of impoverished individuals. Group A received monthly payments for 12 years, while Group B received the same payments but only for two years. Contrary to expectations, recipients in Group A, with long-term financial security, invested more in business ventures. Banerjee explains that the extended support provided them with the peace of mind needed to make long-term investments, illustrating how financial stability can encourage entrepreneurship and reduce poverty.

Banerjee's work, along with his wife Esther Duflo and mentor Michael Kremer, utilizes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to examine poverty interventions, challenging common stereotypes about the poor. In the Kenyan study, recipients not only started businesses but also improved their health and well-being, demonstrating that financial aid encourages responsible investments rather than frivolous spending. Banerjee’s research refutes long-standing prejudices, revealing that financial security leads to positive, middle-class-like behaviors among the poor.

Banerjee also highlights that simple financial transfers may not address the deeper needs of certain populations, especially those who have lost middle-class status in wealthy countries. He advocates for more comprehensive economic measures, like those suggested in his book Good Economics for Hard Times, to support communities affected by global trade. Banerjee acknowledges the criticisms of RCTs but insists they offer real answers in a field often filled with speculative theories. 

From El Pais