Urgent government action is needed to address inadequate health care, housing and other root causes of a suicide epidemic among Canada’s indigenous, according to a new report. Canada’s indigenous suicide crisis stems from a long history of poverty, chronic unemployment and generations of sexual, physical and psychological abuse.
When Aleppo resident Mariam Hammad’s internet connection went bust last October, her chest tightened with worry that she may not be able to continue her studies. Hammad is one of hundreds of Syrian students who are going to great lengths, amid shelling, hunger and brushes with death, to keep up with their university online.
Sixty thousand public school teachers gathered on the streets of the Colombian capital on Tuesday to demand reforms in an education system plagued by poor funding and inequitable access. Experts say reducing inequities in education will be critical to breaking Colombia’s historical cycle of violence and civil war, which was recently halted in a peace deal.
Foreign aid spending has increased by about 20 percent since 2010, but spending on children’s education has declined by four percent. The increase in aid has been in response to the global refugee crisis, which disrupts educational development for children in crisis. Advocates are calling for more education funding.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde delivered a grim warning on Monday: Unless every government urgently invests more in education and research to boost weak productivity growth, living standards around the world, efforts to reduce inequality and social stability could all be jeopardized.
Education experts in Mexico met last week to discuss inequality, which they say will be the greatest challenge in reforming the country’s education system.
For this Humanosphere podcast, we explore one community’s battle to end the practice of female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision. Our Nairobi-based correspondent Charlie Ensor talks to Samuel Leadismo, founder of an organization known as the Pastoralist Child Foundation, in Samburu County, where female genital mutilation is thought to still be done on nearly all girls shortly before they reach puberty.
Despite improving access to primary education, children in Tanzania often do not continue on to secondary schools. Barriers including lack of rural schools, pressure to work and high-stakes exams prevent more than half of Tanzanian youth from enrolling in secondary school. Limited alternative options leave millions of young people at a lifelong disadvantage, according to Human Rights Watch.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced on Wednesday that narrowing the wealth inequality gap is at the top of this year’s agenda, and he plans to do so primarily by improving access to land, financial services and education for the poor.
The results of Chile’s standardized university admissions exams have renewed an ongoing debate over the country’s higher education system, which has long been criticized for perpetuating poverty and inequality.