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Climate Crisis in Honduras and Nicaragua: The Vulnerability of Central America’s two Poorest Countries

By Chloe Kenny

This article analyzes how rising challenges related to climate change disproportionally impact impoverished communities in Central America’s two poorest nations: Honduras and Nicaragua. The geographical location of both countries predisposes them to extreme flooding, hurricanes, and other climate change-induced disasters, which threaten the livelihoods of millions of people. Furthermore, these two countries are also vulnerable to complete climate catastrophes, as nearly 60 percent of Hondurans and 30 percent of Nicaraguans live in poverty. While the disproportionate impact of climate change on impoverished communities is generally understood, this article will investigate the specific threats to the people of Honduras and Nicaragua, compare existing policies to combat the growing climate challenge, as well as the ethical dimensions related to climate vulnerabilities in poor Honduran and Nicaraguan communities.

Read the full article: Climate Crisis in Honduras and Nicaragua

Water and Sanitation Services in Honduras and Guatemala: The Rural-Urban Divide

By Jessica Kenny

This article examines access to potable water and sanitation services in Honduras and Guatemala. While in recent years both countries have experienced marginal increases in clean water access, over a third of each population still goes without, and an even larger proportion lacks access to basic sanitation services. Additionally, a significant disparity has emerged between rural and urban populations, with rural populations tending to suffer more intensely. As water pollution and improper sewage disposal continues to make clean water access more precarious, this article also analyzes the steps each respective government has taken to rectify this issue, as well as their ethical implications.

Read the full article: Water and Sanitation Services in Honduras and Guatemala

Learning Instead of Earning: The Fight Against Child Labor in Ecuador and Uruguay

By Amber Mapel

As some countries in the Global South have become marginal to the global economy, employment and labor standards have declined to allow these countries to be more competitive. This article compares the different strategies of Ecuador and Uruguay to address the exploitation of children for capital gain. Since the 1990s, Ecuador has made great progress in protecting their youngest populations from entering the work force prematurely. In contrast, Uruguay has made minimal efforts and advancements against the worst forms of child labor. This article also considers how the care for children is an ethical obligation that will positively contribute to global development.

Read the full article: Learning Instead of Earning

An Unequal Shift: Urbanization’s Impact on Inequality in Brazil and Bolivia

By James Vendetti

This article examines the urbanization of two developing South American countries, Bolivia and Brazil, and how that urbanization impacts the quality of living in both nations. Both countries are experiencing an increase in their urban populations, but this does not mean the quality of life of both nations’ populations is necessarily improving. In Bolivia, data suggests that there is a massive gap between the country’s poor and rich populations when it comes to reliable access to sanitation services and water. In Brazil, a large portion of the urban population lives in inadequate housing, while Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are both in the top twenty most economically vulnerable cities in the world. This article examines both nations’ populations’ shift to cities and how this has potentially exacerbated the issues of inequality faced by their citizenry.

Read the full article: An Unequal Shift