We live in a world of much and plenty, and yet, in many parts around this World - there are millions who live in slums: in Dharavi, Mumbai, which is on about 6% of Mumbai's land but holds about 50% of the city's population; in Kibera, Nairobi, which is approximately 2.5 square kilometers only - but has a population of about 1 million people, crammed and jammed together. In Cairo, there are the Zabaleens who live in slums around the city, and toil and try to make ends meet by collecting and selling garbage; in Brazil, Mexico and across Latin America, there are the favelas where millions of impoverished people live. And here in Yemen, there are the Akhdaams, most of whom live in abject poverty and misery.
23 February, 2009
22 February, 2009
20 February, 2009
Libya's Distribution of Wealth
"Libyans, this is your historic opportunity to take over your oil wealth, power and full freedom. Why do you want to let the chance slip away from you?': the Libyan Leader, Muammar Al Qaddafi, told his people a few days ago. And now, hundreds of thousands of emotionally charged Libyans are gathering to discuss this proposal of handing out oil revenues directly to them. Imagine 32 or so billion dollars or more - being dished out to about 6 million people; each year, the same process would be repeated. That is: the country's wealth would be dished out to every Libyan. Every one of them. With the poorest getting the most. That's how it will work out according to the proposed plan: the poorest will get the most share. And should the price of oil rise to its high level of 150 dollars a barrel as before, that would mean about 100 billion dollars or more being distributed for that year.
16 February, 2009
The Minimum Age For Marriage
This is great news: the Yemeni Parliament has just approved a new minimum age for marriage. It will be seventeen now. The law raises the minimum age for marriage - for both boys and girls - to 17, and provides for the right to alimony and recognition of the mother as the sole guardian of her children:
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