Footage showed damaged homes, waterlogged rooms and household items floating in muddy floodwater. Another resident, Nelson Joao Adriano, said entire homes, including bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms, had been inundated, and called for families to be relocated from flood-prone areas.

Victims also criticised the authorities for failing to respond adequately, saying the stagnant water posed serious health risks and had made daily life unbearable. While the death toll from the floods rises, residents say they feel abandoned and are demanding urgent support.

Her situation came to light after she met politician Geoffrey Mosiria, who documented her story as shown in this video shared with Global South World. 

“Sir, in my house, there is hunger. We sleep on an empty stomach,” she told Geoffrey. “Begging is not a part of me,  I rebuke it in the mighty name of Jesus.” 

“The only thing that is in my house is salt and matchbox.”

Elizabeth’s case underscores broader deprivation in Kenya, with the latest available data from 2022 showing that 25.4% of the population — about 13.8 million people — are living in multidimensional poverty, with a further 26.4% considered vulnerable.

The country’s multidimensional poverty index stands at 0.113, lower than peers such as Cameroon and Tanzania , but still reflecting significant gaps in access to basic needs.

For families like Elizabeth’s, those figures translate into daily uncertainty over food, work and survival.

“I do manual jobs. I've been out for weeks trying to secure a job, all in vain.” 

Adopted by world leaders in 2015, the 17 SDGs aim to end extreme poverty and hunger, expand access to clean water and sanitation, ensure quality education and tackle climate change by the end of the decade.

ESCAP described the findings as a “stark contradiction”: while millions have been lifted out of poverty and access to electricity has expanded rapidly, environmental pressures are intensifying and inequality remains entrenched.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, ESCAP’s Executive Secretary and a UN undersecretary-general, said the growth model that fuelled rapid industrialisation is now undermining the region’s future.

“The very engines of growth that once lifted millions out of poverty and fuelled rapid industrialization are now undermining our future,” she said, urging countries to pursue development that is “smarter, healthier and more just.”

The sharpest setbacks are in environmental goals. Progress on climate action, marine conservation and biodiversity is not only stalling but reversing, the report found.

Where Asia-Pacific is lagging behind

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, while the Red List Index shows accelerating species loss. Marine ecosystems are deteriorating, sustainable fisheries are shrinking and freshwater systems are under mounting stress.

Urban resilience is also weakening. Although many governments have adopted disaster risk reduction strategies, the human and economic toll of disasters is increasing, exposing a gap between planning and preparedness.

Health outcomes have improved, with sustained declines in maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality. Income poverty has fallen significantly over the past decades, and near-universal mobile network coverage has supported advances in industry and infrastructure .

However, inequality remains persistent. Labour income shares are declining, labour rights compliance is slipping and informal employment and weak youth job prospects continue to pose challenges. Education access has expanded, but minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics is deteriorating.

While 55% of SDG indicators in Asia-Pacific now have sufficient data for assessment — above the global average — gaps in gender equality and governance data limit policymakers’ ability to track progress among vulnerable groups.

With five years remaining to the 2030 deadline, ESCAP said incremental change will not be enough: “Our current development trajectory is unsustainable, and the window for corrective action is closing rapidly.”

What began in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar has quickly expanded far beyond the capital. Demonstrations are now reported in major cities, including Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Kerman, with unrest affecting nearly all 31 provinces.

People from across Iranian society have joined the protests. Shopkeepers, students, oil workers, retirees and low-income families are taking to the streets, driven by anger over soaring prices, a collapsing currency and long-standing political failures.

Iran’s economy is at the centre of the crisis. Inflation has surged, the rial has fallen to historic lows, and the cost of essentials such as food and medicine has risen sharply. For many households, wages have failed to keep pace, turning daily life into a struggle for affordability.

As the rial continues to lose value and budget pressures deepen, unrest has spread beyond traditional economic centres. Protests have reached university campuses, suburban neighbourhoods and rural towns.

Student demonstrators are no longer chanting only about prices, but also demanding greater freedom and political change, signalling a shift from economic protest to broader opposition to the state.

Unlike previous uprisings, this movement has no single leader. It is decentralised, drawing support from a wide cross-section of society, and has been amplified in part by calls for mass action from figures outside Iran, including members of the diaspora.

Human rights organisations and international observers report hundreds of arrests and about 62 deaths, including children in some documented cases.

As demonstrations intensify, the government has moved to restrict information. Internet and mobile phone services have been disrupted or shut down in multiple regions, limiting communication among protesters and making independent reporting increasingly difficult.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday, January 9, condemned the protests and accused protesters of acting on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump during a televised broadcast.

Trump has, in turn threathened to have Iran pay dearly if more civilians or protesters are killed during the demonstrations.

He shared with a reporter that Iran has “been told very strongly … that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell.”

What happens next will depend on whether the state can contain the unrest or whether economic pressure and public anger continue to push Iran toward deeper instability.

Much of the online discussion focused less on how the man evaded traffic police and more on why he felt compelled to take such a risk. 

“It’s an act of survival,” wrote Kobia Muki, a sentiment echoed repeatedly across social media platforms.

Others criticised what they saw as a lack of collective care. 

“No one gave him a ride when the bus stopped or paid his fare, that’s the problem with us,” said Carol CM, shifting the focus from the individual to society at large.

Several commenters connected the incident to wider economic pressure. “Survival tactics in a harsh economy ,” Bobby Issa wrote, while Francis Odiango added: “Honestly Kenyans are undergoing hell…not because of one person but the system, bad policies and hired parliament.”

Economic woes

The reactions came against a backdrop of deepening economic strain. 

Kenya’s economic growth slowed to 4.0% in the third quarter of 2024, down from 6.0% a year earlier, after underperformance across most sectors, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. 

Construction activity contracted by 2.0%, while mining and quarrying shrank by 11.1%, adding pressure to already fragile job prospects.

Although growth in agriculture, transport, financial services, real estate, trade and hospitality helped cushion the slowdown, many households continue to feel the strain. Nationwide protests against proposed tax increases at the end of the second quarter disrupted major towns and turned violent in some areas, underscoring widespread public frustration.

For many online, the image of a man hanging onto a bus was not shocking so much as familiar — a stark snapshot of how far some are pushed simply to earn a living .

Indonesia’s Social Affairs Ministry plans to help at least 400,000 families achieve economic independence in 2026, a major increase from the 77,000 households that “graduated” from social assistance programmes this year. Minister Saifullah Yusuf said the expansion is supported by a larger 2025 budget and aims to break long-term poverty cycles by combining capital support, training, and business mentoring. Families exiting schemes such as PKH and basic food aid will continue to receive guidance to prevent them from slipping back into poverty, with further empowerment overseen by the new Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment. The initiative targets structural, sustainable poverty reduction.

Prabowo to visit Pakistan to mark 75 years of Indonesia-Pakistan ties

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit Pakistan on December 8 to 9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marking his first trip there since taking office in 2024 and coinciding with 75 years of Indonesia-Pakistan diplomatic ties. Prabowo is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and senior military officials, with both sides set to discuss expanding cooperation in trade, defence, investment, health, IT, climate, education, and culture. Several agreements are likely to be signed. Reports say Prabowo departed from Aceh after inspecting disaster-hit areas, though the Presidential Palace has yet to confirm his travel.

Indonesia to extend free meal program to disabled in 2026

Indonesia will deliver free breakfast and lunch to 36,000 people with disabilities starting in 2026, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf announced. Meals will be prepared by community groups and delivered directly to recipients’ homes by village cadres, who will also provide emotional and social support. The program will expand to 100,000 elderly beneficiaries and is guided by Presidential Instruction No. 4, ensuring accurate targeting through detailed national data. Launched in January 2025, the wider meal initiative already serves 49 million Indonesians daily, with a nationwide expansion planned to reach 82.9 million people by March 2026.

Prabowo doubles aid to Rp4 billion as Sumatra disaster toll climbs

President Prabowo Subianto has doubled emergency funding to Rp4 billion ($239,000) for each of the 52 districts and cities hit by floods and landslides in Sumatra, after Home Minister Tito Karnavian requested half that amount. Prabowo also ordered an additional Rp20 billion ($1.19 million) for the worst-affected province and pledged full central government support. Regional contingency funds are reportedly running low, with some areas left with only Rp75 million ($4,493). A separate pooling scheme has gathered Rp34 billion ($2.03 million) for redistribution. According to BNPB, the disasters have killed 929 people, left 274 missing, and affected millions across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

Indonesia to repatriate two elderly Dutch drug convicts

Indonesia and the Netherlands have agreed to repatriate two elderly Dutch drug convicts — one on death row — after a humanitarian request from The Hague. Siegfried Mets, 74, sentenced to death in 2008 for smuggling 600,000 ecstasy pills, and Ali Tokman, 65, whose death sentence for MDMA smuggling was later reduced to life imprisonment, will be flown to Amsterdam on December 8. Indonesian minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said President Prabowo approved the request, noting Mets’ deteriorating health. Dutch officials welcomed the move, saying it would allow both men to be closer to their families and reflected strong bilateral ties.

Since Rajoelina’s transition , Madagascar has been less governed than managed as a hunting ground for a privileged elite. The Presidential Palace became a hub of organised predation, where advisers ran a disciplined criminal network, shaping decrees, controlling contracts, and striking opaque deals with foreign companies. “Development” became a code for kickbacks. Cabinet members advanced mining and land deals that benefited their clans while blocking essential public services, and intelligence agents enforced the system by suppressing dissent around this core, operating intermediaries who managed laundering, transfers, and offshore channels that drained national wealth. In mining regions, forests were razed, rivers polluted, and gold smuggled out weekly under official protection, investment in name but a liquidation of sovereignty in practice.

The transitional pill or the subtle art of confiscating the nation!

In Malagasy political life, certain words are used so often they lose meaning, and “ transition ” is one of them. It suggests a temporary passage toward renewed democracy, yet our history shows that transitions have never been passages at all. They become lucrative interludes, zones outside normal political rules, where the state stops functioning as an institution and instead becomes an asset controlled by a small circle. A transition has no ideology, no vision, and no project beyond its own survival. Its fuel is the Provisional, a space where nothing is fixed and those in power enjoy near-total freedom because everything remains undefined. In this context, the Provisional becomes a resource to be exploited. This is why transitional governments avoid clear political agreements: agreements close the parenthesis, limit their manoeuvring room, and impose deadlines they prefer to keep vague so the period where anything is possible, even the unspeakable, can continue.

The three little pigs of the republic: The presidency, mines, and finances

The orange-clad presidency did not govern ; it operated like a multinational plunder corporation. It became the central server of an institutional mafia that turned the Malagasy administration into a trafficking hub sanctioned by decree. The Palace was less a seat of power than the headquarters of a white-collar family gang. Madagascar has been treated like an open-air supermarket through the hidden dominance of its mines. The sector wasn’t merely looted but emptied and ravaged with official approval. Across the south, southeast, and central regions, the pattern repeats: Chinese companies signing deals in hours, local authorities facilitating rather than overseeing, resources extracted without compensation or safeguards, and vast stretches of land left as abandoned craters.

The shadow of the ‘Tablieristes’: Why are we trapped in our own poverty?

Madagascar’s persistent poverty is not the work of fate or an ancient curse; it stems from the fact that real power has long operated outside formal institutions. Parallel networks and closed fraternities have placed their people throughout the administration, preventing the rise of a true public meritocracy. The state grew not through exams, standards, or independence, but through belonging to a clan, region, business group, or lodge. When the state is weak, these networks rule; when institutions fail, closed circles decide . The result is an administration suffocated by co-optation, appointments negotiated in back rooms, ministries run by loyalty instead of competence, and entire sectors controlled to protect insiders rather than serve the nation.

World Bank funding to align with refoundation priorities

Resources must respond to citizens’ needs, which is why Economy and Finance Minister Dr. Herinjatovo Ramiarison urges that World Bank funding align with the “Refoundation” Government’s priorities. He reiterated this during the review of World Bank–financed projects, noting that Madagascar has already set its goals: improving access to water and electricity, strengthening health, education, and security, and restoring citizens’ dignity. The focus now is accelerating implementation and ensuring concrete results. The 2023–2027 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) had already outlined the Bank’s strategy for inclusive and resilient growth, centered on three priorities: expanding employment opportunities, improving equitable access to public services, and strengthening resilience to shocks.

One eatery serving pagpag has recently drawn attention from international visitors and online viewers. 

On Tuesday, December 2, footage captured the owner, Dennifer Hueves, carefully washing buckets of salvaged chicken meat. She described the process used to make the food edible.

"So that it's clean, I rinsed it twice with water, then the third time I soaked and rinsed it with hot water," Hueves explained.

After washing, she chops the meat, adds seasonings and other ingredients, and deep-fries it. 

The dish originated from extreme poverty in the 1960s, when the country was plagued by a debt crisis and severe under employment , forcing many people to migrate to cities in search of employment. These communities began using leftover scraps of protein from various sources, which later turned into pagpag.

For many in Tondo, pagpag, which costs about 34 cents ($0.34), is the most affordable compared to other food choices out there. 

 "Pagpag costs only 20 pesos, while a vegetable dish out there costs 30–50 pesos; that's why we're saving money when we eat pagpag," resident Nenita Zamora told Viory.

The dish gained wider attention when travel influencer Baozou Brother, who has over 6.5 million followers on social media , posted a video of himself trying pagpag. 

His video sparked an online discussion about food safety and poverty. He struggled with the dish, claiming that while the flavour was "acceptable", the psychological barrier of swallowing it was difficult to overcome.

One resident defended the dish, stating, "I believe that pagpag is safe because of the way it was cleaned, rinsed and cooked. I can say that the bacteria were diminished when it was soaked in hot water and cooked to prevent any stomach problems."

However, the National Anti-Poverty Commission has issued warnings against the consumption of pagpag due to the potential health risks. The agency cited diseases such as hepatitis A, typhoid, diarrhoea, and cholera, along with general malnutrition concerns.

Amid rising global economic and humanitarian pressures, including climate shocks, food security threats, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisation says the new plan aims to reach those still left behind: vulnerable children, their families, and communities in fragile circumstances.

In practical terms, the strategy promises to ramp up programmes that will protect children from harm and improve their education.

“Our core actions will protect children from harm, strengthen their education, improve their health and nutrition, help families build resilience and support communities to adapt to climate and economic challenges,” emphasised World Vision Rwanda’s National Director, Pauline Okumu.

Rwanda has made remarkable social and economic progress over the past decades, guided by national vision plans such as Vision 2050 . But the country still faces structural challenges of poverty, limited rural access to services, inequality, and vulnerability to climate and economic shocks.

In this context, World Vision Rwanda’s strategy could act as a powerful supplement to government efforts, targeting the most vulnerable children who risk being left behind otherwise.

Since beginning long-term, child-focused programmes in the early 2000s, World Vision Rwanda has intervened through water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection, health, nutrition and livelihoods programmes by delivering clean water access to more than 1 million people between 2018 and 2023, and enabling over 678,500 individuals to access livelihood support and financial inclusion services.

Abdala emphasised that Uruguay's concentration of wealth provides what he called a clear “capacity for contribution”, warning that without urgent action, the impact of child poverty will become “structural” and be passed down through generations.

According to PIT-CNT, child poverty has reached 32.2 per cent among children under six and continues to rise. The proposal for a targeted wealth tax was formally presented in late November at the University of the Republic's ParaInfo auditorium, where union leaders, members of the Broad Front and government representatives gathered to discuss the growing crisis.

The government , however, has dismissed the initiative, stating that discussions on new taxes are “over” since the fiscal framework has already been defined in the national budget. Despite this stance, the proposal has triggered significant public and political debate, placing renewed attention on inequality and the social responsibilities of Uruguay's highest earners.

The most recent data from Eurostat (2024) reveals stark disparities. Türkiye and Bulgaria top the list, with 30% of their populations facing poverty or social exclusion, followed closely by Romania (28%), Greece (27%), and Lithuania (26%).

Even major economies such as Spain, Italy, and Germany register notable risk levels, underscoring that wealth alone doesn’t guarantee inclusion.

This disparity reflects deep-rooted economic and social divides. Countries in southern and eastern Europe still face weaker labour markets, lower wages, and limited social protection systems. In Greece and Romania, years of fiscal austerity and underinvestment have left enduring scars.

Meanwhile, nations like Germany and France, though more prosperous, grapple with their own inequality challenges, especially among younger and migrant populations.

Eurostat data shows that young adults aged 18–24 are most vulnerable, with 26% at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Unemployment is a major factor, as more than two-thirds (66%) of unemployed adults in the EU face this risk. The gender gap persists, too, with 21.9% of women at risk, compared to 20.0% of men.

Migration adds another layer to this challenge. Nearly 45.5% of non-EU citizens living within the EU face the risk of poverty or exclusion, compared with 18.9% of nationals. This highlights how integration barriers, limited access to decent jobs, and language gaps deepen inequality.

Europe’s poverty challenge mirrors broader global economic tensions. The World Bank recently revised its International Poverty Line upward from $2.15 to $3.00 per day, instantly adding around 125 million people worldwide to the ranks of the poor.

While global poverty is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, many developing nations remain trapped by inflation , debt, and unstable food prices.

Asean’s chief statistician, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, praised the bloc’s progress.

"Over the past seven years, Asean has made commendable progress across all goals, highlighting the region's collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda,” he said in a statement.

The report said 15 targets were on track, particularly in areas such as poverty reduction, healthcare, gender equality, clean energy and institutional development. Another 32 indicators showed moderate progress, while 21 were either stagnating or regressing.

Healthcare spending was cited as a key driver in reducing poverty, rising to 12.1% of total government expenditure in 2023, from just 7.7% in 2016.

Other indicators linked to poverty presented a more sobering picture. 

Deaths, missing persons and those affected by climate-related disasters surged to 6,386 per 100,000 population in 2023, more than double the 2,921 recorded in 2016. The report noted that the poor remain the most vulnerable to climate shocks.

Spending on education declined during the same period, falling to 13.9% of total government expenditure from 17.8% in 2016.

Household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40% of the population improved modestly to 5.8% in 2023, from 5.2% in 2016. The report cautioned that stronger gains will be needed to ensure sustained poverty reduction.

The UN has set seven targets under Sustainable Development Goal 1, including halving the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty in all its forms by 2030.

Regional progress is expected to be brought up when Asean leaders meet in Malaysia later this month. Leaders from outside the bloc, including US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, have also been invited to attend.

This striking figure, published by World Visualized and confirmed by data from, highlights a widening gap between regions where power is cheap and those where households face mounting energy bills.

The disparity is dramatic. Countries such as Egypt , Oman, Laos, and Kuwait pay just a fraction of what European households do, with rates as low as USD 0.024 per kWh.

Meanwhile, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK routinely exceed USD 0.40 per kWh. In other words, a European family may be paying more than ten times as much for the same amount of power as a household in parts of Asia or Africa.

The reasons for these steep prices are complex and interconnected. European electricity generation still relies heavily on natural gas, leaving prices vulnerable to global fuel markets.

When gas prices climb , as they did in 2024 and 2025, so do wholesale power costs. Compounding this, the European Union’s Emissions Trading System adds a carbon price to fossil-fuel power generation, which directly flows into consumer bills.

Weather patterns have also played a role. Lower-than-expected wind output in northern Europe and reduced hydropower generation in southern regions have forced a return to fossil-fuel-based generation, pushing costs even higher.

Grid bottlenecks across the continent add another layer of expense, limiting the ability to move cheaper renewable power to where it’s needed most. The European Commission recently launched its “Energy Highways” initiative, targeting eight major grid constraints to improve interconnectivity, lower prices, and enhance energy security.

For households, these trends translate into steadily climbing energy bills and a growing risk of energy poverty. Reports from several EU countries show more families falling behind on payments, especially after the summer heatwaves that drove cooling demand to record levels. For businesses, especially in energy-intensive sectors, high electricity costs threaten competitiveness and may encourage production shifts to cheaper jurisdictions.

Globally, the picture is mixed. While much of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East continue to enjoy very low residential electricity prices, their grids face challenges of reliability and capacity.

This misdescription overlooks a fundamental truth that Africa is a vast and diverse continent made up of 54 internationally recognised sovereign countries, each with its own unique languages, cultures, political systems, and economies.

From the high-tech innovation hubs of Kenya to the oil-rich fields of Nigeria, the wine estates of South Africa to the ancient churches of Ethiopia, Africa defies the narrow stereotypes often projected onto it. 

Part of the issue stems from the legacy of colonialism and outdated education systems in the West, where African geography and history are often underrepresented.

While social media has helped Africans challenge these perceptions by showcasing local cultures, tech innovation, cuisine, and social commentary, other unfair stereotypes continue.

In political discourse, leaders and institutions often make sweeping statements or policies about “Africa” without recognising the continent's regional differences or the sovereignty of its nations. This has led to aid programs that miss the mark, security strategies that fail to account for local dynamics, and public commentary that lacks nuance to address country-specific problems.

What it is

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a slow-growing bacterium that primarily targets the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract, and eyes.

Symptoms include pale or reddish skin patches with loss of sensation, thickened nerves, and muscle weakness.

If untreated, it can lead to permanent disabilities, such as deformed hands, feet, or blindness.

Beyond physical effects, leprosy carries a heavy social burden, with affected individuals often facing discrimination and exclusion.

“The stigma can be as debilitating as the disease itself,” says Dr. Erwin Cooreman of the World Health Organization (WHO), which has prioritised eliminating leprosy’s social and medical impacts.

Causes

Leprosy spreads through prolonged, close contact with an untreated infected person through respiratory droplets from the nose or mouth.

It is not transmitted through casual interactions like handshakes, hugs, or shared meals.

The bacterium’s slow replication, taking up to 20 years to manifest symptoms, makes early detection challenging.

Risk factors include malnutrition, poverty, and poor sanitation, which weaken immune responses.

“Where living conditions improve, leprosy tends to vanish within a generation or two,” notes Dr. Paul Saunderson of the American Leprosy Missions, highlighting the link between socio-economic factors and disease prevalence.

History

Leprosy’s history stretches back over 4,000 years, with evidence found in ancient Egyptian skeletons and texts from India and China.

Once widespread, including in medieval Europe, it was feared and misunderstood, leading to the isolation of sufferers in leper colonies.

In Europe, improved nutrition and hygiene largely eradicated the disease by the 19th century, but it persisted in poorer regions.

The introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the 1980s, combining dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine, marked a turning point, curing millions and reducing global cases dramatically. “MDT was a game-changer,” says Saunderson.

“It turned a lifelong sentence into a treatable condition.”

Today’s fight against leprosy

Today, leprosy is reported in all six WHO regions, with South-East Asia accounting for the majority of cases.

In 2023, India, Brazil, and Indonesia each reported over 10,000 new cases, while 12 other countries including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Nigeria reported 1,000–10,000, per the WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record.

Globally, the disease was declared eliminated as a public health problem in 2000 (prevalence below 1 per 10,000 population), but progress has since plateaued.

Egypt aims to eliminate leprosy by 2030 through the launch of its national strategy, which aligns with top international healthcare standards. Counselor Mohamed El-Homsany, spokesperson for the Cabinet, revealed the initiative’s medical, psychological, and social dimensions in an interview.

The strategy includes free, comprehensive care, insurance pensions, and social reintegration programs. As part of reducing stigma, the government plans to rename leprosy clinics as “specialised dermatology clinics.”

Egypt is confident in achieving its goal, building on past successes like the eradication of hepatitis C and malaria.

Disclaimer: The image for the article was AI-generated

The map from The World in Maps visually underscores the extent of the problem: counties shaded in red across vast swathes of the South, Midwest, and even parts of the West all fall below the 72.6-year mark . These findings stand in stark contrast to the popular perception of the U.S. as a global leader in health and longevity.

Health experts point to a range of factors contributing to this disturbing trend:

While North Korea’s regime has faced intense criticism for human rights violations and economic mismanagement, its life expectancy of 72.6 years outpaces that of many U.S. communities.

WHO reports that North Korea’s relatively consistent access to basic healthcare and nutrition, though limited in quality, still produces a baseline that some rural and underserved U.S. counties fail to achieve.

Experts emphasise the urgent need for comprehensive public health interventions, targeted social support, and expanded healthcare access in these vulnerable communities.

“These disparities are a wake-up call,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC director, in a related statement. “Addressing poverty, education, and healthcare access is critical to closing the gap.”

Based on interviews with 2,927 residents in 13 municipalities, the survey notes:

The study also revealed that 32% report genital infections linked to unsanitary public toilets, a frequent issue in state schools and 25% suffer pain severe enough to cause absence from school or work.

According to Fratmat.info , stigma remains pronounced, as 66.4% of women from the Northern Mande ethnic group report menstruation-related discrimination. While male respondents acknowledged menstruation as natural, 67% of Muslim men, compared with 30% of Christian men, described it as “dirty” or “impure.”

Public support for government intervention is overwhelming after the study revealed that 100% of participants backed free or subsidised sanitary products, yet 67% say the state plays “no role at all” in menstrual hygiene management.

CPDEFM says the findings “sound the alarm for urgent social and institutional action” to safeguard the health and dignity of Ivorian women and girls.

Yoaso Mototio, a geologist at South Sudan’s Ministry of Mining, acknowledged the widespread presence of unregulated mining operations. He stated that the ministry lacks the capacity to properly oversee the sector due to missing geological mapping and the country’s porous borders.

“The ministry, of course, knows there is illicit mining going on… But our biggest challenge is that our minerals or the natural resources are not geologically mapped,” Mototio is quoted by Radio Tamazuj .

South Sudan’s 2012 Mining Act allows the government to hold an optional equity of up to 15% in large-scale mining projects. However, Mototio estimates that as much as 40 tons of gold are exported from the country each year without government monitoring or benefit to the state.

According to the report, the Mining Act and accompanying regulations introduced in 2015 have not been effectively enforced. As a result, the benefits of mining continue to bypass local communities.

The World Bank estimates that about 92% of South Sudan’s population of 11 million people live in poverty. CSCNR chairperson James Boboya emphasised the disconnect between gold extraction and community welfare.

“Gold is being taken out, and money is being made — but the communities remain poor,” Boboya said.

He also highlighted the risks faced by artisanal miners, many of whom work under hazardous and unregulated conditions , often returning without earnings and facing food insecurity.

Here’s a breakdown of the number of people without social protection by region:

Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for over 40% of the global population lacking protection, underscoring the urgent need for reform and investment in these areas.

Why are so many still uncovered?

Several key factors contribute to the growing global social protection gap:

Why it matters

Social protection systems—including health coverage, unemployment benefits, pensions, and child support—are fundamental human rights and key to reducing poverty and inequality. Without them, communities are more susceptible to hunger, illness, and economic shocks.

Investing in social protection is not just a moral imperative; it’s an economic one. According to the ILO and World Bank , every dollar spent on inclusive protection yields long-term benefits such as improved health, education, productivity, and social cohesion.

The HDI, which serves as a global benchmark for human development, had previously shown a strong recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by 2023. However, this momentum appears to have faltered.

Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UNDP, described the findings as troubling. “The overarching conclusion is actually one that is quite unsettling. We have, over the almost 35 years that we have measured the Human Development Index now, which is essentially a proxy to measure progress in human development, and reached the lowest level of progress between one year to another last year,” Steiner told AFP. “So the HDI is in many ways a reflection of a world that is increasingly disrupted and that is facing also a different set of challenges.”

He noted that the slowdown is not confined to a single region or factor, but is instead being driven by widespread declines in key quality-of-life indicators. 

“We are very concerned about these drivers that have essentially left the world at the moment in our time, not being able to gain momentum. They're losing momentum, and that is a message that when you go through the human development span by country, can relate to, for instance, a decline in life expectancy or in education levels or in income levels,” Steiner added.

If this deceleration pattern continues, it could seriously undermine global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. According to Steiner, “If that unsettling slowdown becomes the new normal, achieving levels of human development once hoped for by 2030 could slip by decades.”

Afghanistan remains at the very bottom, still facing the devastating consequences of decades of war, political instability, poverty, and limited access to basic services.

Not far behind are Sierra Leone and Lebanon—two nations grappling with severe economic crises, institutional dysfunction, and persistent social unrest that continue to erode the quality of life.

Other countries in the bottom ten include Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, where economic struggles, inadequate healthcare systems, and governance challenges hinder progress toward greater well-being.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen, ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises intensify suffering and insecurity, making happiness feel like an unattainable luxury.

Rounding out the list are Comoros and Lesotho, where weak infrastructure and high poverty levels contribute to low life satisfaction.

While happiness may seem like a subjective concept, it often reflects deep-rooted structural issues that must be addressed to build a better future.

These rankings are based on how people rate their own lives, as measured through surveys conducted by Gallup in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

More than two-thirds of the population lives on less than $2.15 per person per day, underscoring the severity of the crisis. 

“Weak governance, multiple shocks, lack of economic opportunity, high food prices, and conflict have all contributed to increased poverty and vulnerability,” said Charles Undeland, World Bank country manager for South Sudan. “South Sudan’s challenges are many, but there are real opportunities to improve people’s livelihoods through better resource management and fostering a stable, secure environment where citizens can farm, work, and invest for a better future.” 

Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, has faced significant humanitarian challenges. Earlier this year, it was reported that seven million of the country’s 12.4 million people were at risk of crisis-level hunger, with nine million in urgent need of humanitarian aid. 

Over 70% of the population lacks access to basic healthcare, and about one in ten people have no access to electricity. 

According to the report, even those not living in poverty are highly vulnerable to falling below the poverty line due to ongoing shocks such as conflict and economic instability. Nearly 99% of South Sudanese households face high vulnerability, largely driven by limited human and physical capital, which perpetuates chronic poverty.  

“Food insecurity is a widespread issue in South Sudan, exacerbated by rising inflation,” said Frank Adoho, World Bank Senior Economist for South Sudan. “High food prices restrict access, particularly in rural areas where over half of households rely on markets for their food. Insecurity, population displacements, and low agricultural investment have reduced food production, contributing to high rates of food insecurity. Investing in agriculture and infrastructure could help improve food delivery and reduce import dependency.”  

The World Bank also highlighted the need for increased investment in data and statistical capacity to bridge knowledge gaps, which currently hinder effective policymaking. 

Dr Augustino Ting Mayai, Director General of the National Bureau of Statistics, emphasised, “The challenge facing policymakers in South Sudan is to design sustainable, well-targeted policies to combat extreme poverty and food insecurity. Effective policymaking relies on credible data, and South Sudan’s weak statistical system complicates these efforts.”  

South Sudan’s protracted civil war from 2013 to 2020, sparked by political tensions between President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar, resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and the displacement of over 1.6 million people. The conflict further deepened the country’s poverty crisis, leaving millions in urgent need of sustained relief and long-term development efforts.

Linnea Shaetonhodi, a resident of Windhoek said "I’ve been voting since 89 (1989, the year of Namibia's first parliamentary elections) and I know my voice counts, and I want to appeal to the youth: go vote, go in your numbers, you are the future of this country."

"If you vote, the president or maybe the party you will vote for can change things. It’s not in a day. Rome was not built in a day," Isaskar Eiseb also added.

Apart from the citizens, President Nangolo Mbumba has been at the forefront of encouraging voter turnout.

In a recent address , he emphasised the importance of upholding democratic traditions by turning out in large numbers to vote for the leaders and parties of their choice. He urged voters to do so peacefully and respectfully, as exhibited during the campaign rallies.

"I am pleased with the manner in which leaders of political parties and Namibians at large conducted themselves during the campaign period throughout our country. The climate in which you campaigned and freely expressed your views in favour of your political parties is a demonstration of the strength of the democratic foundations of the Namibian House. I therefore wish to thank all political parties, their leaders, supporters and sympathisers, and all the relevant stakeholders in the country for the successful conclusion of all the electoral activities ahead of national voting day," Mbumba.

The youth vote is particularly crucial in this election, as young people make up more than half of the electorate. Political analysts believe that the turnout of young voters could significantly influence the election outcome.

"Young people are disproportionately affected by unemployment and poverty," says Rui Tyitende, a lecturer at the University of Namibia. "Their participation is essential for a meaningful change."

Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesperson, shared the news during a press conference, stating, "This will mean a budgetary savings of around 6.4 billion pesos a year (about $6.5 million)."

President Javier Milei, who assumed office in December 2023, has introduced a series of austerity measures to combat the country's economic challenges, including significant layoffs of state workers and drastic spending cuts.

These measures have sparked widespread unrest, with hundreds of thousands of Argentine students protesting against Milei’s budget cuts earlier this month. The administration's threats to veto a recently passed law in Congress that aimed to guarantee university funding have only intensified the backlash.

The impact of President Milei's austere policies is evident, as the poverty rate in Argentina has surged to nearly 53% in the first half of 2024. An increase from 41.7% at the end of 2023 when he took office and more than double the 26% reported seven years ago.

In countries like Afghanistan and Lebanon, suppression from the Taliban and daily airstrikes from Israel respectively make the citizens the unhappiest on the planet.

Here are the world's top 8 unhappy countries:

The impact of this initiative has been profound. Residents who once felt marginalised and forgotten are now finding a sense of belonging and purpose. According to Sunday Ozegbe, the founder of the Slum Party, the government fixed a bad road in the community which was highlighted through the dance events.

"We decided to shut down this road for our festival this year just to also tell people that dance specifically got the attention of the government to fix this road, and this is one out of many things that dance as an art form can do, not just dancing on Tiktok and Instagram, it actually has real power to attract attention in terms of government, in terms of international bodies to actually come help us when we have problems," he told AFP.

Additionally, the dance events have become a beacon of hope, drawing attention to the potential within the community. They have also helped to reduce crime rates by engaging young people in positive activities and providing them with an outlet for their energy and creativity.

"We are trying to let people understand that you can use your art to change the story, to change the narrative, e.g. music, dance, any kind of art, drawing, painting, even photography. Letting people understand that it is different, making people see that there is talent in the slum. There is talent and you can use your talent to speak, you can use it to fix things and also understand people’s lifestyle," added a dancer, Danjuma Oluwafemi.

Countries like the Philippines, India, and Mali lack reliable data on heat-related deaths, making it difficult to mitigate the risks of extreme heat. Globally, 2.41 billion workers are exposed to excessive heat, causing nearly 19,000 deaths a year, according to the International Labour Organisation. Accurate data on heat-related deaths is difficult to obtain, especially in low-income countries, leading to undercounting. This lack of data is considered a public health failure and poses a significant challenge in addressing the impact of heat waves, reports The Japan Times .

Mali cuts ties with Ukraine

Mali has cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine over allegations that Kyiv aided an attack by armed groups in which Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries suffered heavy losses. Ukraine, however, denies the accusations, and the move follows a similar rebuke from Senegal. As reported by Africanews , this comes at a time of fraying relations between the West and coup-affected Sahel nations.

Insecurity affecting businesses

Anthony Osijo, the new CEO of Bboxx, is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel. He notes that political instability is making it increasingly difficult for Bboxx to secure financing for projects in affected areas. The Africa Report highlights that the solar power provider is currently assessing the safety of continuing operations in Mali and Burkina Faso. According to the UN's Security Council Report in July, the security situation remains "dire" in parts of the Sahel, particularly in the Liptako-Gourma region of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

Former forfeits benefits

Former Mali prime minister Moussa Mara has given up his R22,000 (USD1,183) monthly pension, saying the poor need it more. Mali, one of the world's poorest nations, has a poverty rate of 44.4%. The country is facing economic challenges and political unrest, with a junta government in power since 2020 and failing to meet deadlines for a return to civilian authority, reports News24 .

Ukraine condemns Mali

Ukraine condemned Mali's hasty decision to cut ties over a recent attack. Mali accused Ukraine of involvement in an attack that killed soldiers and Russian mercenaries, but Ukraine denies any involvement and calls the decision unfriendly. According to DH , the diplomatic spat is not expected to have serious consequences for Ukraine's global relations.

Despite calls for democratic reforms, the continent continues to grapple with the repercussions of prolonged leadership, undermining efforts towards democracy and stability.

In 2023, the prolonged tenure of African leaders became evident, with five sitting heads of state having ruled for over three decades each. Notable among them were Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, and José Eduardo dos Santos of Angola

Gabon and Togo had witnessed a dynastic rule spanning more than fifty years. For instance, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended his family's influence by appointing close relatives to his cabinet following his reelection in 2023.

Here are highlights of some leaders who have made staying longer in power a norm.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Guinea

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979, making him the world's longest-standing president. His rise to power through a military coup ousted his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema, the country's first leader. However, his regime has been heavily criticised for its repressive and authoritarian rule, leading some to label Equatorial Guinea as the "North Korea of Africa." He has also appointed his son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, as vice president.

Paul Biya of Cameroon

President Paul Biya of Cameroon follows closely, serving as the second-longest-serving leader since 1982. Despite surviving a coup attempt in 1984, Biya's presidency has faced scrutiny for its longevity and governance issues.

President Omar Bongo of Gabon

President Omar Bongo Ondimba of Gabon held power for nearly forty-two years, from 1967 until his passing in 2009. Following his demise, his son, Ali Bongo Ondimba, continued the family's rule for another fourteen years until August 2023. Amid corruption scandals conflict in the country's east under his presidency is considered one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II.

Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo

Denis Sassou Nguesso has been a fixture in Congolese politics for over thirty-seven years, amending the constitution in 2015 to remove term limits, allowing him to maintain his grip on power.

Yoweri Museveni of Uganda

Yoweri Museveni is the only president a quarter of Uganda’s population under the age of 35 years has known. He has been Uganda's president since 1986, during which he has overseen a period of peace and significant developmental progress. However, his prolonged stay in power, marked by manipulation of institutions, has drawn criticism. Recent changes removing the age limit for the presidency suggest he could remain in power for life.

Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea

Isaias Afwerki has been the only President of Eritrea since the country gained independence in April 1993, making him the only leader Eritreans have known during their independent history. With three decades in power, Afwerki has never faced an election and is known for stifling dissent and arbitrarily arresting opponents without due process of law. Additionally, Eritreans under his presidency are expected to serve a mandatory 18-month military service which often extends indefinitely.

The issue persists because leaders are utilising tactics such as "constitutional coups" to secure longer terms in office. Many African countries have resorted to tactics such as amending constitutions to reset term limits, removing age restrictions, or creatively reinterpreting constitutional provisions. These measures, often controversial, perpetuate authoritarian regimes in a region where poverty remains pervasive.

Emmanuel Mungunasi, the World Bank's senior country economist, said during the report’s launch that while Tanzania has seen economic growth, it has mainly benefited modern sectors with limited employment opportunities for those in impoverished households.

"The pandemic has exacerbated poverty in Tanzania, pushing an additional 3 million people into hardship. This underscores the critical need for adequate healthcare and a robust social protection system," Mr Mungunasi was quoted by Tanzanian local media The Citizen .

According to the report , the situation only worsened over time, with an additional 300,000 individuals falling into poverty by December 2023, bringing the total to 17.3 million. Despite the presence of the pandemic and external tensions such as regional conflicts, Tanzania managed to sustain economic growth.

According to the Spokesperson of RBM, Mark Lungu, the drop in figures is a result of the implementation of financial initiatives through various digital platforms that have been introduced by the central bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

Agency Banking Directives are also being issued to allow banks to have agents perform banking activities on behalf of major banks and the central bank is implementing targeted financial literacy programmes on banking and services.

“We have also established the Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy Unit to coordinate the implementation of various financial literacy initiatives, including conducting awareness campaigns aimed at sensitising the general public to the importance of having a bank account.

“Recently the bank has embarked on raising awareness on adoption of digital financial services with a focus on the rural population which is marginalised,” he was quoted by local news outlet The Nation .

The Consumers Association of Malawi executive director John Kapito maintains that digital financial services are more accessible and convenient even in remote areas than with major banks which people have to locate.

“The urge to save with banks is there, but looking at the costs of saving and borrowing from banks, people shun borrowing from banks and opt for the traditional methods,” he is quoted by The Nation .

Malawi has committed to increasing access to financial services from forty-six point one percent (46.1%) to 75% of the adult population by 2027 to boost economic growth and wealth creation while reducing poverty.

According to the report , businesses are suffering the brunt of climate change which has affected revenue, cost and investments.

Côte d’Ivoire risks seeing key economic sectors, cocoa and energy sectors underperform and real GDP reducing to about 13% by 2050.

The World Bank notes that urban expansion in the country is leading to increasing climate change impact and affecting economic productivity.

The report further estimated the cost of climate change action for the country at $22 billion or an annual average cost of about 2%.

The international financial institution has therefore called for scaled-up efforts to address the growing pace of climate change in the country by tackling deforestation and reforming the cocoa value chain.

There’s also the need to reform regulatory, institutional and climate-related foundations to address the issue while mobilising the private sector to play a more significant role in climate adaptation and mitigation.

Amid this, Zimbabwe grapples with economic challenges. The 2023 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee’s Urban and Rural Livelihood recently in November estimated that 29% of the urban population in 2023 which is 1.5 million of the population are food insecure, 19% of people in rural areas which represents 1.9 million people are projected to be food insecure from October to December 2023, and 26% of the Zimbabwean population in the first quarter of 2024, local media NewsDay Zimbabwe reported.

In the same month, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency said the total consumption poverty line (TCPL) for the month of November increased 9.5% to ZWL$115,090.00 (about USD 357) for an individual from ZWL$105,071.98 (about USD 326) in October.

The food poverty line was also estimated at ZWL$87 756 (around USD 272), experiencing a 9% increase in November from October.

TCPL is the minimum total income needed for an individual not to be deemed poor while the food poverty line is the amount of money an individual requires to afford a daily minimum energy intake of 2,100 calories.

November’s Inflation rate has also experienced a 21.6% increase from the 17.8% in October.

Perhaps the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was right in its prediction of Zimbabwe’s economy in 2023. The IMF during a visit to Zimbabwe in December predicted a fall in GDP by 3.5 percent in 2023 due to renewed domestic and external shocks, inflation surge, erratic rainfall, electricity shortages, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

According to the World Bank’s assessment, persistent inflation, high dependence on low-productivity agriculture, slow structural transformation, and intermittent shocks like drought, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the high rate of poverty and vulnerability in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has strong foundations for accelerating future economic growth and improving living standards. The question remains: how soon can Zimbabwe revive its economy?

This growth only resulted in a marginal rise in the share of working-age individuals with wage jobs, increasing from 14% to 16%, according to the World Bank 2023 report.

Insufficient impact on poverty

The growth in the region has failed to significantly reduce extreme poverty or promote shared prosperity. SSA exhibits a lower responsiveness of poverty to growth spells compared to other regions.

The poverty headcount ratio at $2.15 per day declined slightly to 37.2% in 2023 from a COVID-19 peak of 37.6% in 2020. However, the number of people in poverty increased to 462 million, the World Bank reported.

Job creation lagging behind

Despite the need for the labour market in SSA to generate an estimated 18 million new jobs annually, only 9 million new jobs were created between 2000 and 2021, the IMF reported in 2023.

Population growth outpacing job creation

The IMF projects SSA's population to double from 1 billion to 2 billion by 2050, significantly intensifying the demand for jobs.

However, the current rate of job creation is insufficient, leading to higher unemployment rates. As of 2021, the average male and female unemployment rates in SSA were around 6.7% and 6.5%, respectively, slightly exceeding the global average of 6.36%, Statista reports. 

Imbalance fuels poverty

The imbalance between job creation and population growth contributes to high unemployment rates and poverty levels in the region.

The number of people in extreme poverty in Africa increased from 370 million in 2014 to 391 million in 2019, with projections indicating a further rise due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. Almost 60% of the world's extremely poor reside in Africa, and 40% of Africa's poor are concentrated in four SSA countries: The Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Tanzania, the World Bank reports.

In its latest Report on Least Developed Countries , the UN says at least 15 million more people in LDCs have fallen into extreme poverty since the pandemic.

The report noted that the fiscal space which is a government’s capacity to absorb drops in public revenue has been squeezed by global crises like COVID-19 in these countries. This limits their ability to implement development policies and forces tough choices such as choosing between paying their external debt or investing in health, education and climate action.

The decline of fiscal space in LDCs is evident in key indicators such as the debt-to-GDP ratio which grew from 45.5 percent in 2019 to 55.4 percent in 2022 (the highest since 2005) according to the report.

To manage the situation, these LDCs have borrowed and spent more to strengthen social safety nets and economic support.

“Their dependence on volatile commodities such as oil, copper and cotton, contributes to the problem. Between 2019 and 2021, a staggering 74% of LDCs relied on these raw materials for at least 60% of their merchandise export earnings. When prices drop, their fiscal space shrinks drastically,” parts of the report stated.

The UN is therefore urging bold action from the international community to ensure these countries have better access to affordable, long-term international financing, especially from public sources.

LDCs must also enhance domestic resource mobilization, the report further noted.

Least Developed countries are developing countries listed by the UN that exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development.

These countries, 46 in total include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Benin, Lesotho, and Ethiopia among others.

The United Nation’s Least Developed Countries Report explores LDC-specific development challenges annually.

The survey also revealed that 6.6 percent, or 1.8 million families, were considered "newly poor," meaning they were not in this category 1 to 4 years ago.

In comparison to the June 2023 figures, the percentage of families rating themselves as “poor” increased by 3 points from 45 percent, while borderline families decreased by 6 points from 33 percent, and non-poor families saw an increase of 3 points from 22 percent.

This equates to approximately 13.2 million “self-rated” poor families in September, compared to 12.5 million in June. SWS arrived at these estimates by applying the percentage of self-rated poor respondents to the Philippine Statistics Authority's medium-population projections for 2023.

The SWS poll was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults and had a margin of sampling error of ±2.8 percent for national percentages.