Blog Post #3

“How can we maximize our personal abilities to create an impact on the world on a small or large scale?” For my third blog post, I will begin my research on my first subcategory:

What are people around the world most in need of right now?

As of right new we continue to see and experience numerous humanitarian crises threatening the lives of millions of people around the world due to rising hunger, violent conflict and damage created by climate change. [1]  COVID-19, the Ukraine-Russia war and a now new Israel-Palestine war have caused a new series of crises in food and energy, ruining the progress that took decades to solve. These global issues have not only affected those countries directly involved in the war, but have created a disruption in the world’s economy. These issues have create bigger problems such as a cost-of-living crisis (which surveys identify as the most severe threat facing us over the next two years), natural disasters and extreme weather events.[2] 

War:

“War creates the worlds largest displacement crisis.” according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the war in Ukraine has sparked the world’s fastest and largest displacement crisis in decades. Wars create much harsher living conditions, limiting or completely cutting off access to food, water, health care, and other essential supplies. [3] Not to mention the severe loss of innocent life that wars create, such as in the Israel-Hamas conflict, in which the death toll estimate is currently 13,300 dead after six weeks, and this does not include the dead buried under rubble who have not been retrieved.[4]

Political instability:

In Haiti, gang violence continuously disrupts people’s livelihoods and essential services. Armed gangs take control of distribution routes which causes shortages of basic goods and fuel. This causes prices to rise and makes it increasingly difficult for people to afford to buy food, which led to the country recording record levels of food insecurity in 2022. General danger such as kidnappings, rape and killings are all rising, putting thousands at risk of death. Armed groups also intensify their attacks and seize land in Burkina Faso again increasing danger and food insecurity rates. [3]

Climate change:

Severe floods, droughts and climate disasters in general make it increasingly difficult for people in South Sudan to access food and basic resources. Ethiopia’s prolonged drought leads to rising food prices and famine. Somalia’s drought and hunger crisis has lead to many lost lives due to starvation, and the country is on the brink of famine.[3]

Health:

In Syria, years of war has made Syrians unable to meet their most basic needs and millions rely on humanitarian aid. Armed groups fight for control in eastern Congo, forcing families to flee their homes and disrupting humanitarian aid. This has causes Major disease outbreaks–including measles, malaria and Ebola–which further threaten their already weak health care system.[3]

Poverty:

Almost the entire population of Afghanistan is living in poverty and Afghans remain in an economic collapse.[3]

We are in desperate need of global cooperation in order to fix all these current global crises. Corruptions, poverty, equality, food insecurity and many other global issues create issues all around the world [5]

Looking more into B.C. specifically, wildfires and drought along with rising interest rates which leads to a housing crisis and an increase in homelessness and opioid usage. This research leads me to conclude that people are in most need of humanitarian aid, financial support, food, and overall more accessibility to supportive resources. Thank you for reading my blog!

References:

1-https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/humanitarian-crises-you-need-to-know-about

2-https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/these-are-the-biggest-risks-facing-the-world-global-risks-2023/

3-https://www.rescue.org/article/top-10-crises-world-cant-ignore-2023

4-https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/22/gaza-children-death-toll-israel-hamas

5-https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/current-global-issues/