Volume 2, Number 1 (June 2011)—download Full Issue.
THE CHILDREN OF NORTHERN UGANDA:
The EffectS OF CIVIL WAR
By Madeline Beard
The primary focus of this article is on the exploitation of child soldiers in the northern Ugandan civil war, and the effects this exploitation will have on future generations. It discusses the conditions of child soldiers living in Northern Uganda and utilizes the work done by Invisible Children and other non-profit groups to expose their suffering. The article summarizes the key issues involving the conscription of child soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army and links them to the lack of health care and education of child soldiers, as well as the vicious cycle of poverty these children continue to face.
POVERTY IN CENTRAL ASIA:
KAZAKHSTAN VERSUS TAJIKISTAN
By Gregory Chapman
This article reviews the existence and nature of poverty in the two very different Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Kazakhstan is oil-rich and agriculturally productive. Tajikistan is poor, rural, isolated and mountainous. Summarizing the nature of poverty in these two countries, this article seeks to understand some of the driving factors behind it. Though by no means comprehensive or complete, this article illustrates the vast differences between these two countries of the same "neighborhood" and, sadly, one has great hope of outgrowing poverty and the other has not.
The WATER CRISIS IN KENYA:
CAUSES, EFFECTS AND SOLUTIONS
By Samantha Marshall
Located on the eastern coast of Africa, Kenya, a generally dry country with a humid climate, is enduring a severe water crisis. Several issues such as global warming (causing recurrent and increasingly severe droughts as well as floods), the contamination of drinking water, and a lack of investment in water resources have enhanced the crisis. This article provides an overview of Kenya’s water crisis, along with a brief review of the literature and some empirical background. It reviews the main causes of the water crisis and how it affects the health of millions of Kenyans. Furthermore, the article summarizes some of the main solutions proposed to overcome the crisis.
Poverty in BOLIVIA:
DIMENSIONS, POLITICAL CONFLICT AND STRATEGIES
By Eliza Morgan
Bolivia is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in Latin America. This article discusses several dimensions of Bolivia’s poverty, including income poverty and inequality, lack of access to safe water and sanitation, high infant mortality, malnutrition, and a lack of basic infrastructure. The country suffers from both urban and rural poverty, though rural poverty is prominent. After summarizing some of the relevant literature and giving some empirical background about the country, this article discusses various dimensions of poverty in Bolivia, focusing on the struggles that face the 10 million people living there today. There have been major political conflicts in the last few decades that have lasting effects on the nation. Despite the conflicts, Bolivia is showing its dedication to reduce poverty, but this is a process that will need to continue for many years in the future.