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Nicaragua - a Country in Crisis

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Nicaragua: A Nation in Crisis

Marbely L. Robison

Strayer University

Abstract

Nicaragua suffers from serious social problems, aggravated by warfare and economic crises. The economic crisis of the 1980s, coupled with the Contra War, has worsened the greatest social problems Nicaragua has faced in the past few decades, namely unemployment, poverty and starvation. Widespread poverty and unemployment have lead to housing shortages, malnutrition and rising crime and illiteracy. More than half of Nicaraguans live in poverty; the statistics for unemployment and underemployment are just as high.

Nicaragua – A Nation in Crisis

Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes. The country also boasts the longest rivers, vast coastal lagoons, and hundreds of miles of sea coast. Although a beautiful country, Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with Haiti being the first. Nicaragua faces three main social problems: unemployment, poverty, and starvation.

Unemployment

Nicaragua's unemployment hovers around 70 percent, the highest in Latin America. Because of the uneven distribution of wealth, as well as the economic and political commotions, the poor have even suffered during periods of economic growth. Nicaragua’s economic crisis left the country in terrible straits. After years of hyperinflation, salaries have become nonexistent. Many Nicaraguans are forced to supplement their so-called salaries by working in the black market or as street vendors and taxicab drivers. The economic situation in Nicaragua has been getting better. The country has been following an International Monetary Fund program, with the goal of creating more jobs, decreasing poverty and opening the economy to foreign trade. Many international organizations have also stepped in to help out. In 2011, the United Nation classified Nicaragua as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country, and forgave some of the country's foreign debt. Around the same time, Nicaragua also signed the DR-CAFTA (Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement). The agreement has arguably created thousands of jobs for those previously unemployed.

Poverty

Nicaragua is stricken with poverty. About 80 percent of Nicaraguans live in poverty. Rising unemployment and underemployment has led directly to the rise in crime, gangs, violence, and poverty. In the big cities in Nicaragua, the poor live in slums made of cardboard and sleep on dirt floors; many people do not have access to safe drinking water or sanitary plumbing systems. The cramped living conditions of the slums has allow for the rapid spread of diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea. Many Nicaraguan and international governmental and non-governmental organizations have work to help lift some of poverty's burdens. The Center for Development in Central America (CDCA) is just one of many. CDCA is a non-profit organization seeking to address human needs created by poverty by helping communities become self-sufficient, sustainable, democratic entities; by working with Nicaraguan communities to help them realize their own goals, rather than bringing in ready-made solutions. This involves community organization, a flexible approach to needs and priorities as they shift over time, identifying areas where the CDCA can be of service, and following through in those areas, while empowering Nicaraguans and gradually phasing out the need for the CDCA’s assistance.

Starvation

Nicaraguans are no strangers to hunger. Nicaraguans struggle to feed their families, provide for their children, and to simply survive. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), Nicaragua is one of 17 countries worldwide at "high risk" of failing food security as a result of high food prices. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations identifies 1.5 million people as undernourished.

Many organizations such as the Peace Corps and World Vision aim to end hunger in Nicaragua. The Peace Corp’s many projects includes constructing latrines and health clinics, and providing books and supplies to libraries and schools.World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision helps ensure that sponsored children in Nicaragua have access to things like basic healthcare, quality education, and nutritious food. World Vision also supports the education of sponsored children in Nicaragua by providing books and supplies to local schools.

Human Rights Watch

Nicaragua, like many developing countries, is affected with human rights problems. The principal human rights abuses were restrictions on citizens’ right to vote, violence against women, and police abuse of suspects during arrest and detention. Additional human rights abuses included occasional unlawful killings by security forces; harsh and overcrowded prison conditions; arbitrary and lengthy pretrial detention; widespread corruption; and loss of freedom of speech and press, including government intimidation and harassment of journalists and independent media. There were also reports of corrupt practices; government harassment; discrimination against ethnic minorities and indigenous persons and communities; societal discrimination against and abuse of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; and discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS. Nicaragua is a country with a population of 5.8 million. Nearly 70 percent of Nicaraguans are unemployed and 80 percent live in poverty. Rising unemployment and poverty has led directly to the rise in starvation. Nicaragua is surrounded by a number of Social Issues and Human Rights Issues which are the major problems faced by people of Nicaragua.

References

(2012) Nicaragua: A Country at a Glance. The World Bank Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/nicaragua (2012) Nicaragua: Country Specific Information. Travel State Gov. Retrieved from http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_985.html (2010). Nicaragua. The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2010. World Almanac Books. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com (2009). Nicaragua. Compton's by Britannica, v 6.0. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.co

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