The sights of lifeless and dirty refugee children gathering in the tents set up by the United Nation, or a girl whose face is covered in blood, are only seen on news and donations soliciting advertisements, and could never be seen in Hong Kong… or could they?
Continue reading Refugees in Hong Kong─The Sorrows of Asylum Seekers
With great expectation from the world, the Rio Olympics has just officially opened today, even though in the past year the society experienced various social problems, which strike the domestic stability of this BRICS member. From the government corruption scandal under the Rousseff administration, triggering massive demonstrations all over the country, which was followed by the outbreak of Zika virus. All these crises have badly affected to the world’s impression of this country and many have lost confidence towards the governance of the state. In fact in recent years, Brazil has constantly been criticized for building up all sort of “vanity projects”, such as hosting the World Cup and Olympic Games. Meanwhile the deep-rooted social problems and conflicts have been ignored, especially the problem of slums and related crimes.
Continue reading Evilness under the Mist: Slums in Rio de Janeiro
Thousands of children in Indonesia, some just 8 years old, are working in hazardous conditions on tobacco farms, as described in a report released by Human Rights Watch on 25 May. The report documents how child tobacco workers are exposed to nicotine, handle toxic chemicals, use sharp tools, lift heavy loads, and work in extreme heat. The work could have lasting consequences for their health and development.
Thailand is at Tier 3 of the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report. It is among the worst countries in human trafficking which often fail to protect their victims. The number of victims was speculated to be in the range of 3-4 million since accurate accounts of actual incidents were near impossible for both the Thailand authorities and foreign organizations. People were trafficked from Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, etc. to Thailand to work in the sex industry. Thailand also acts as the proxy of people trafficked from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, South Korea, etc., where they are either sold as sex workers or laborers (U.S. Department of State).
India is currently experiencing the worst drought in 40 years which greatly affects the daily lives of 330 million people. Firetrucks are constantly transporting water to citizens but the reservoirs are nearly emptied, and not everyone is helped [FOCUS].
Continue reading Abnormal Drought Affecting Hundreds of Millions Globally
“We used to think about being doctors or teachers. Now all we think about is how to feed our families. We’re carrying a heavy load on our shoulders. It’s beyond our age.” A 17-year-old Syrian refugee in Turkey said.
