Analysis on the Threats Defense Argument

Assignment 3b: Analysis on the Threats Defense Argument

As a consultant for the United Nations, the purpose of this report is to address the issues raised by some of the member states of the United Nations during my last presentation. The subjects I will address are civil war, poor health of entire populations, lack of educational opportunities, and cultural taboos. One common thread that runs across all underdeveloped countries is their extreme vulnerability to shocks, including climate change, natural disasters, economic and social disturbances. These shocks severely affect these countries ability to achieve sustainable development and interject a financial impact in their homelands.

Threat I. Civil war

Considering the economic progress of other countries, the world is filled with international issues on crime, poverty, illness, and war. I will address the ten war-torn and poorest countries in the world to date. These countries have called for help from other nations, and action plans to assist them are still in progress. However, it is difficult to assess the level of effort required to address these issues, or address whether they can be resolved without the cooperation of the concerned governments and the citizens themselves. The relentless atrocities being taking against the people in these countries cannot go unjustified, but a clear solution remains unseen.

North Korea suffers at the hands of a dictatorship that care nothing about the people. Around one million people lack food and starve every year while resources and finances are utilized to build luxury buildings and nuclear weapons are manufactured. North Korea maintains a strong hand on its citizens, making escape and refuge close almost impossible. Regardless of the efforts of other countries to assist in the situation, the government does not respond to the needs of the people.

Somalia ranks neck-in-neck with North Korea because of the absence of a government or basic laws. The country is ruled by criminals, pirates and warlords. A vast amount of passing international vessels have fallen victims to capture. There is no economy established which leaves way for illegal marketing and drug distribution. Countries neighboring Somalia attempted to establish a government, but could not maintain it. There are no signs of recovery for the people of Somalia.

The other countries of note are Syria, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Myanmar, The Central African Republic, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Laos. Syria is the most war-ravaged country considering rankings by death tolls which are from both civil conflicts and official wars. War is an intentional action inevitably leading to death of a group of people pleading for help. This leads to destruction and the deprivation of resources. Countries such as Somalia and Syria are suffering and it’s time for developed countries to rise up and put a stop to this mad behavior.

Civil war in countries is not as important as climate change. Climate change will destroy many natural systems which are already under stress due to an overpopulation of humans which rely on these for their survival. Some areas which are experiencing civil war will become uninhabitable or capable of only providing for greatly diminished populations. Because of rising temperatures and the continuous droughts, the Sahara desert is now being transformed into an empty wasteland, which was once a grassland capable of sustaining many in the region. This is forcing locals off their ancestral lands. Many existing farmlands in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East will suffer the same fate. Rivers that once supplied water year-round will run dry up altogether, again leaving populations in dyer straights.

Threat 2. Poor Health of Entire Populations

There is no secret why poor people in low income countries suffer from high rates of illness. They suffer from infectious diseases and malnutrition; uncertain food patterns, unclean water, low level of sanitation and shelter, failure to deal with the environments that lead to high exposure to infectious agents and lack of appropriate medical care. There is a great deal of knowledge of the causes of non-communicable diseases that represent the major burden of disease for people at the lower end of the social gradient in middle income and high income countries. These health inequities are the result of a complex system operating at global, national and local levels which shapes the way society at the national and local levels organizes its affairs and embodies different forms of social position and social hierarchy.

Poor health care is influenced by a number of factors including income, employment, race, ethnicity, and disability. The risk increases when money to buy health care is limited or not available. Low-income households are most likely to be health insecure, when compared to other populations which may consist of middle class citizens. Unemployment can also negatively affect a household’s health status. High unemployment rates among low-income populations make it more difficult to meet basic health care needs.

Ensuring everyone has the descent heath care is a basic right of people and is one of the greatest challenges facing the world community.

I chose globalization over poor health of entire populations, however, globalization and health risk are intertwined. As borders disappear, people and goods have the freedom of moving sporadically, which create new challenges to global health. These challenges cannot be met by national or local governments alone, they require help from international organizations and agreements. The links between globalization and health are very complex, however globalization is a phenomenon that can affect health in multiple ways. It is directly associated with over population, healthcare delivery systems within a developing country, or through the economy that said country. Other factors such as education, sanitation and water supply contribute to the effect drastically. Given the enormous complexity of the issues, we cannot cover the entire range of topics that link globalization to health. But, what we can do is focus on those risks to health, health care, and other related central aspects of the globalization process. These consist of trade, travel, and exchange of information.

Conclusion.

The health impacts due to violence around the world is strongly ignored by the international community. While militias attempt to overthrow governments, women and children continue to bear the brunt of the lasting consequences of civil war. Raping of women and other forms of sexual violence are mostly common during armed conflict. This approach is often used as weapons of war intended not only to harm women, but also to tear apart the very fabric of that society. I recall reading an article which described rape victims in Darfur having to build their own huts outside of their family compound due to the associated stigma. Not to mention, sexual violence leads to lasting physical damage, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and intense psychological trauma.

We are living in a world characterized by mass displacement, which is a severely uncomfortable consequence due to the continued conflicts worldwide. To date, there are roughly 60 million people worldwide displaced in the fore mentioned countries. The vast majority of this population consist of internally displaced people within their home country. Let’s work together to bring change to these developing nations.

References:

FAO. Developing Countries – List for 2018.

Available at: http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/lifdc/en/