Deadly heatwaves are on the rise
It’ll only get hotter. New research reveals that almost a third of the world’s population now experiences high temperatures that can cause death. That’s about two billion people, or seven times the population of the United States. According to the study, 48% of the global population will face deadly heatwaves by the end of the century, even if greenhouse gas emissions are cut.
Across the world, the people taking the brunt of the effects of global warming are those who are experiencing poverty.
Water crisis in Niger hurts farmers
Of the 20 million people who live in Niger, nearly half are farmers. Yet none of them currently have access to safe drinking water, and severe water shortages have made it hard to grow crops. Some farmers say water reservoirs and dams would help mitigate their challenges, but they haven’t yet found investors willing to take up these projects.
Since 2012 ActionAid has been working with farmers in southern Niger to improve food security and incomes of small-scale food producers.
Girls in Nepalese village break down stigma around menstruation
A group of teenage girls in Nepal worked together to teach their community that menstruation was not a sin. In the Sindhuli district where they live, young women who are on their period are forbidden from daily activities such as reading, going to school or crossing a river. The girls put together an exhibit of photos they had taken of each other doing those very things, and they held a training on menstrual hygiene.
Many families have now loosened their restrictions on their daughters, who plan to continue raising awareness about the issue.
