The Jubilee Blog

Climate Change: Washing away Pakistan

By Sobia Ijaz

As the world watches, Pakistan adds to its list of challenges a problem on a scale never seen by the country before; not only must it struggle with its domestic economic and political problems, but Pakistan faces its worst natural disaster in the form of flooding caused by torrential rain.  In a country in which over 60% of the people live on $2 a day, the UN estimates that 1600 people have been killed by the flooding and nearly 14 million affected.  The numbers continue to climb as the country now faces more rain and water-borne diseases in its refugee communities.

Every day that passes I see and hear more about my country being washed away.  Mud brick homes that gave shelter to the deprived are destroyed by a deluge of water.  People that spend their entire lives gathering simple possessions and livestock, and selling what little they had to make a living now find everything they ever possessed under water.  The little land they owned is now nowhere to be found.

As the heavy rains continue, and people remain trapped throughout the flooded areas, the thought of reconstruction is far from the first priority concern.  Despite focusing on short-term rescue, long-term implications remain daunting. The health impacts caused by the flooding are one part of a bigger picture: the threat of water-borne diseases has become reality as the United Nations has confirmed cases of cholera.  Most refugees are still being rescued and placed into temporary homes, but as life in refugee camps becomes a harsh reality, survivors’ mental health will certainly be affected by the trauma of displacement and an uncertain future.  Other long-term impacts of the flood in Pakistan will slowly be realized and uncovered.  In a New York Times article Fazl Maula Zahid, the regional manager of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, discussed long-term food security in Pakistan.  Land in northern Pakistan that was once fertile, feeding thousands of people, will become desert like due to the flooding.  These are only a few of many problems Pakistan will face in the future.

Africa: Could the Global Economic Crisis Spur Debt Reform for the Continent?

Our colleagues from Afrodad in Zimbabwe collaborated with Jubilee USA this past week to discuss potential solutions to unsustainable debt burdens facing many impoverished countries with policymakers and civil society.  Check out Leslie Pitterson’s article about these issues “Africa: Could the Global Economic Crisis Spur Debt Reform for the Continent?” featured in All Africa. 

Africa: Could the Global Economic Crisis Spur Debt Reform for the Continent?
By Leslie Pitterson, MediaGlobal
16 August 2010

Will the global economic crisis bring together both developed and developing nations to create oversight for foreign lending? This is the hope of many advocacy groups calling for a United Nations debt arbitration mechanism.

In a round table meeting in New York last week, advocate groups discussed the need to address Africa's worsening debt crisis. According to the most current numbers from the IMF and World Bank, sub-Saharan Africa has over $231 billion in external debt. Though the region receives $10 billion dollars in aid per year, it loses more than $14 billion in debt payments annually.

Collins Magalasi, Executive Director of the African Forum and Network for Debt and Development (AFRODAD), said foreign debt was crippling African countries.

"The issue of debt is one of the biggest obstacles in development on the continent. We know that debt can be legitimate and it can also be illegitimate."As the Millennium Development ten-year anniversary summit approaches in September, AFRODAD will be working with Jubilee USA Network, an American organization that advocates for debt cancellation in impoverished countries in the developing world.

Meet Mr. Nyirenda, Mr. Nyrongi, and Innocent

By Pat Rumer, Debt Detective

Here's the second part of the story of my investigation on Zambia's education system and the impacts of debt cancellation.

Chibombo is about 100 kilometers north of Lusaka, the capital. There is a good road that leads through rich farming land – much of it owned and farmed by white Zambians.  At the Chibombo Secondary School Deputy Head Teacher,  Mr. Nyirenda. proudly announced that they have parity between girls and boys at the school with three dorms for girls and three for boys. There are both boarding and day students at the school although the majority live on campus.  Boarding school students pay $100 USD per term and day students pay $50-60 USD per term.

The Chibombo Secondary School is set off the main road on a small campus.  There are 114 basic schools in the district, but they are the only government secondary school in the district.  The Chibombo district is larger than the UK!, Mr. Nyirenda exclaimed.  The school teaches industrial arts, home economics, music, fine arts as well as university preparatory courses.