Wednesday, 22 May 2013

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Good News

The good news they forgot to tell you

Front-page-photoIn Focus this week looks at the good news they forgot to tell you; that despite terrible examples of hunger and poverty, most of the world´s poor countries are winning the war on poverty, in large part thanks to international cooperation. For instance in Africa one third of inhabitants are defined as middle class.

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1 The case for good news
2 12,000 fewer children perish daily in 2010 than in 1990
3 Georgia: Microloans offer new starts in war-torn regions
4 Solar power changes families’ lives in Botswana
5 The UN and the EU: Meeting the needs of the most vulnerable

3 Questions to Thomas Ravn-Pedersen, head of the “World´s Best News “ campaign in Denmark.


Small Miracles:

  • Africa – There are 450 million mobile phone users in Africa today. They have created growth and made Sudanese Mo Ibrahim a multimillionaire and local hero: He gives a yearly award to the most democratic African leader who gives up power voluntarily.

  • Burkina Faso - 900,000 people in the countryside of Burkina Faso are now drinking clean water.
  • Global - Developing countries debt has been decreased to a quarter in only ten years.

  • Guatemala - 96 % of Guatemalans now have clean drinking water after the civil war ended in 1996.

  • Bolivia - 5 million Indians now have a certificate pointing to ownership of their own land and Indians have now strengthened their political influence and rights after centuries of repression.

  • Botswana – The economy has grown by an average of 9 % every year, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Botswana has invested its income from mineral trading wisely and is recognized as the least corrupt country in Africa today.

  • Ghana – The number of children suffering from malnutrition has decreased from 32 % in 1992 to 9 % today. After pursuing an effective healthcare policy, agricultural reforms and strong international cooperation, the country is now self-sufficient in food production.
        
  • Rwanda - Rwanda and Angola have more women in their parliament than anywhere else in the world, currently 56 %.

  • Tanzania - 96 % of all children now go to school compared with only 50% in 1990.

  • Vietnam – The number of poor people in Vietnam has fallen from 58 % in 1990 to 15 % in 2008.

  • Bangladesh - Although Bangladesh has huge healthcare problems because of poverty and climate change, investments in healthcare clinics have resulted in child mortality rates being halved since 1990.