5.

Governments around the world justifiably focus their resources on the education
of younger generations. However, the staggering high number of illiterate adults
in even arguably the most developed nations such as the US., has heightened
public interest in whether money should be spent on helping those people learn
to read and write. I strongly believe that this is a worth-while endeavor as it
benefits not only the recipients but also the country.
Firstly, since adults who are not able to read and write are faced with tremendous
difficulties in both personal and professional life. Literacy courses provide them
with necessary knowledge and skills to overcome such problems. For example,
participants of these classes will no longer feel helpless when they need to read a
story for their children before bedtime or write an email for their friends.
Similarly, they will no longer be deprived of promotion opportunities at work
solely based on their literacy skills, or the lack thereof. The provision of adult
education, thus, liberates individuals with low-literacy level and empowers them
to succeed both.
Beside this, countries deciding to invest more in adult education will also reap
financial rewards. This is because a better educated workforce can act as a
precursor to fostering economic growth, as seen in countries such as Vietnam,
where a causal link was found in the crusade to eradicate illiteracy and promote
economy. Furthermore, since literate parents are repeatedly found to be rearing
their children, investing in adult education will produce better-raised children.
The corollary of this investment would be a sustainable economy and a better
society.
In conclusion, the governments and authorities should invest more on education
for illiterate adults as it gives more chances for them to climb up the ladder and
fosters economic growth.

3.
 Food assistance for mothers and children faces funding shortfall. The
Agriculture Department has warned that millions of eligible pregnant and
postpartum women and their children could risk missing out on nutrition
assistance if Congress does not increase funding. The Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, a federally funded
program known as WIC, has traditionally received bipartisan support from
lawmakers. But the broader push for spending cuts among some House
Republicans has threatened the program’s ability to provide benefits to
every eligible person who applies. The impasse has raised concerns among
some state agencies, which are responsible for administering the program’s
funding. Kate Franken, Minnesota’s WIC director, said that if Congress did
not increase funding, the state would likely have to start putting applicants
on waiting lists in the coming months, which officials have not done in
about three decades. Pregnant women, infants and children with higher
nutritional risk would be prioritized, with postpartum women and children
over the age of 1 being the first to be placed on waiting lists, she said.

 America pulled children out of poverty. Now it’s set to reverse course with
a vengenance. The annual Census Bureau report released earlier this month
revealed that child poverty more than doubled in the United States last
year, the largest single-year increase on record. The news feels less like a
surprise and more like a confirmation, if not a deliberate choice . A
significant blow arrives on Sept. 30, when child care emergency-relief
funding terminates. According to a Century Foundation report 3.2 million
children are expected to lose access to care in the coming months. Seventy
thousand child care programs are likely to close, and more than 200,000
industry workers could lose their jobs. Child care and preschool costs have
been soaring faster than inflation, and the surviving centers could be
forced to raise their fees. The lack of accessible and affordable child care
could pull more women out of the work force, potentially leading to higher
inflation and a slower economic recovery.

 Syria and Russia forge new paths in social cooperation for women and
children’s welfare. In a move that marks a significant step towards
strengthening bilateral relations, Syria's Ministry of Social Affairs and
Labour has inked a pivotal agreement with the International Public
Organization 'Union of Orthodox Women' in Russia. This collaboration is set
to enrich social, humanitarian, and cultural initiatives focusing on the
 welfare of children and women while bolstering family awareness about
care and education amidst challenges posed by modern liberalism
ideologies. The agreement was ceremoniously signed by Minister Louay al-
Munjid and the organization’s coordinator in Syria, Hassan Nasrallah, laying
the groundwork for a series of projects aimed at enhancing the social
protection system for children and women's affairs. This partnership is not
just a testament to the enduring friendship between Syria and Russia but
also a strategic move to counteract the adverse effects of the terrorist war
on Syrian families. Syrian-Russian talks have highlighted the importance of
this cooperation in the wake of the challenges faced by families, particularly
the impact on children who form the cornerstone of societal structure.

1.

 I think it is crucial to clarify and understand the factors which contribute to

gender inequality in education as they help to develop effective strategies
to address the problem. Firstly, cultural and religious beliefs heavily affect
gender disparity in education. In many cultures, girls are expected to
prioritized caregiving responsibility over their education, which restrict
their opportunities. Early mariage practices, often rooted in the traditions
of many ethnic groups hinder the girls’ schooling. This can be seen in some
rural areas of Sub- Saharan Africa.Beside this, socioeconomic factors, such
as poverty play an important role in perpetuating gender discrimination in
education. Limited financial resources often result in families prioritizing
the education of male children over females. This preference stems from
the belief that investing in a son's education will yield better returns for the
family. Girls from disadvantaged background have to face up to countless
adversities, from the lack of clean water to child-labor and these render
them from pursuing education. While gender disparities in education are
less prevalent in developed countries, challenges still exist. Females
sometimes face barriers in accessing certain disciplines or pursuing
leadership roles within educational institutions. For instance, women are
underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM). This underrepresentation can be attributed to various factors,
including stereotypes, lack of female role models, and unconscious biases.
 These barriers limit women's opportunities to pursue careers in STEM fields
and contribute to a gender gap in these industries.

 The global economy can be detrimentally affected by geopolitical conflicts

even both directly and directly through financial, trade and commodity
price channels; therefore we can draw a logical conclusion that global
poverty rate may accelerate due to the impacts of geopolitical conflicts.
Increased restrictions due to tensions between countries can disrupt trade
flows and cause supply chain problems even in third-party countries.
Restrictions can also affect commodity prices and lead to shortages of key
resources such as oil and gas, affecting industrial production worldwide.
Also, we can see higher inflation, lower economic growth, significant
welfare losses and even increasing unemployment.
 I want to mention the reasons why developing countries are trapped in
debt crisis. The combination of the pandemic, the effects of Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine triggered debt crisis in many developing nations. The
Covid-19 pandemic caused massive deaths around the world, lockdowns
and the disruption of supply chain. The economies of countries whose
econimies relied heavily on tourism has been undermined, Cuba for
example. Moreover, the war between Russia and Ukraine have triggered
rises on the prices of wheat, grain and fossil fuels. Many people find it is
difficult to keep up with the growing costs. Those nuisances have had
devastating effects on the debt crisis in developing countries.

2.
As many as 71 million more people are reported to be in poverty as a result of
increased food and energy prices. These prices rose in the weeks following
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UNDP said in a recent report. The UNDP
estimates that 51.6 million more people may have fallen into a poverty level
defined as living off of $1.90 a day or less in the first three months after the war.
An additional 20 million people dropped to the poverty line of $3.20 a day. UNDP
Administrator Achim Steiner said at the launch of the report, “The cost of living
impact is almost without precedent in a generation... and that is why it is so
serious.” Precedent means a similar event that happened at an earlier time. The
speed at which this many people experienced poverty went beyond the economic
pain felt during the worst part of the pandemic. The UNDP noted that 125 million
additional people experienced poverty over about 18 months during lockdowns
and closures. In comparison, around 71 million hit poverty in just three months
after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. “The speed of this is very
quick,” said George Molina, UNDP chief economist and writer of the report.
Among the countries hit hardest by inflation are Haiti, Argentina, Egypt, Iraq,
Turkey and the Philippines. Rwanda, Sudan, Ghana, Kenya, Sri Lanka and
Uzbekistan are also in the group. More people in these countries, some of which
have had political problems like Sudan and Sri Lanka, are facing poverty, noted
the UNDP. In countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria and Yemen, the
effects of inflation are felt deeply by those already at the lowest poverty line. In
Ghana, where the daily minimum wage is $1.80 a day, people are struggling under
the weight of inflation. Albert Kowfie, a 27 year-old security guard in Accra,
Ghana, said a loaf of bread costs over $2 and travel to work costs another 20
cents. “It means that by the end of the first week, everything is gone,” he said.
Kowfie expressed frustration at the government for not doing more to deal with
the issue. “I don’t answer my mother’s calls anymore because I know she needs
help since she is not on any pension but what can l do?” Another U.N. report
released Wednesday said world hunger rose last year with 2.3 billion people
facing moderate or severe difficulty obtaining enough to eat — and that was
before the war in Ukraine. The UNDP’s Steiner said the world economy needs to
step up. There is enough wealth in the world to deal with the crisis, he argues.
“But,” he said, “our ability to act in unision and rapidly is a. constraint.” The UNDP
advises that governments spend more to reach the most affected people through
targeted direct payments to them. These payments are known as cash transfers.
For developing countries to do such transfers, the UNDP called for an extension of
debt payments that had been in place during the pandemic among the world’s
richest nations.

3.

1. Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia

2. To keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel.
3. In Pakistan, millions of workers who make cloth and clothing have lost their
jobs because the country has too much foreign debt. The AP said the government
cannot afford to keep the electricity on and machines running.

5. China says the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should
give better terms to borrowers. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that all the
lenders need to act under the idea of ”joint action, fair burden

4. First, the war in Ukraine has resulted in increased prices for grain and oil.
Second, the U.S. central bank has raised its interest rates 10 times since last year.