Poverty Line Research Articles

Understanding Associations between Disasters and Sustainability, Resilience, and Poverty: An Empirical Study of the Last Two Decades

This study investigates the impact of disasters on sustainability, resilience, and poverty, using data from the “Sustainable Development Report” and the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) from 2000 to 2023. Regression models assessed the effects of disasters, deaths, injuries, affected individuals, and economic damage on normalized values of the dependent variables with lag periods of one, two, and three years of independent variables. The results reveal that disasters consistently negatively impact sustainability and resilience, highlighting the need for robust disaster risk reduction strategies and resilient infrastructure. Higher mortality rates significantly hindered development, emphasizing the importance of improving early warning systems, emergency preparedness, and healthcare infrastructure. While injuries and the number of affected individuals did not show significant associations, economic damage was positively associated with resilience, suggesting that financial losses might drive recovery investments. Additionally, disasters were found to exacerbate poverty levels over time with significant associations in the two and three-year lag models. This study also uncovered significant regional disparities with lower resilience, sustainability, and higher poverty levels in certain regions compared to others. Higher-income groups demonstrated better resilience and lower poverty levels. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted, region-specific strategies to enhance resilience, reduce poverty, and support sustainable development, leveraging post-disaster recovery phases for long-term improvement.

Treatment Needs of Patients With Severe Alcohol Use Disorders

Background: People with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) have varied needs while they seek treatment. Understanding and focusing on the needs will improve treatment outcomes. The objective of the study is to qualitatively assess the treatment-related needs of patients with AUDs admitted to a tertiary care treatment center. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire with anchor questions was developed based on a literature review and key informant interviews. All the interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and color-coded manually. Two reviewers reviewed the codes. Themes and subthemes were generated using thematic inductive analysis. Results: Among 15 patients interviewed, all the patients had severe AUD (100%), were married (100%), were primarily males (86.6%), and more than half below the poverty line (53.4%), with a mean age of 41.1 years (SD = 9.5). Four major themes of treatment needs were identified: (a) individual, (b) family-related, (c) hospital-related, and (d) community-related. Among individual needs-medication-related, psychological, and occupational were prominent. Addressing family conflict and supporting the family are the significant subthemes for family-related needs. The behavior of the treating team, environmental needs, and diverse services were significant hospital-related needs. Awareness, accessibility, availability, and affordability of treatment services were the major community-related needs. Conclusion: The study highlights diverse needs extending from individual to community among people with AUDs. A holistic treatment model to address these needs will improve the quality of care and treatment outcomes.

A closer examination of the "rural mortality penalty": Variability by race, region, and measurement.

Racial health disparities are well documented and pervasive across the United States. Evidence suggests there is a "rural mortality penalty" whereby rural residents experience poorer health outcomes than their urban counterparts. However, whether this penalty is uniform across demographic groups and U.S. regions is unknown. To assess how rural-urban differences in mortality differ by race (Black vs. White), U.S. region, poverty status, and how rural-urban status is measured. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs)/100,000 by U.S. county (2015-2019) were obtained by race (Black/White) from the CDC Wonder National Vital Statistics System (2015-2019) and were merged with county-level social determinants from the US Census Bureau and County Health Rankings. Multivariable generalized linear models assessed the associations between rurality (index of relative rurality [IRR] decile, rural-urban continuum codes, and population density) and race-specific ASMR, overall, and by Census region and poverty level. Overall, average ASMR was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas for both Black (rural ASMR = 949.1 per 100,000vs. urban ASMR = 857.7 per 100,000) and White (rural ASMR = 903.0 per 100,000vs. urban ASMR = 791.6 per 100,000) populations. The Black-White difference was substantially higher (p < 0.001) in urban than in rural counties (65.1 per 100,000vs. 46.1 per 100,000). Black-White differences and patterns in ASMR varied notably by poverty status and U.S. region. Policies and interventions designed to reduce racial health disparities should consider and address key contextual factors associated with geographic location, including rural-urban status and socioeconomic status.

20 years of choices: a fight for increased funding for graduate students.

After 20 years of stagnation, federal scholarships have finally been increased within the new budget of the Canadian government. Tuition fees, inflation, and costs of living kept rising, which has resulted a rising number of graduate students in the life sciences living below poverty line, despite working far more than 40 h a week on science research in Canada. This does not only negatively affect the students research projects and thus science and innovation in Canada, but also their downstream decisions on whether to continue a research career in Canada and what jobs and economic endeavors to pursue. Graduate students are not just a line item in the budgets of universities, but integral for science and innovation, as well as the future high-quality personnel of the country. This importance should be reflected in all stipends and salaries of graduate students, not just the ones with a government scholarship.

Public-Private Partnerships in driving Sustainable Agricultural Growth for Addressing Poverty and Food Insecurity in Nigeria

Poverty and food insecurity have become a concern in various parts of the world including Nigeria which are regarded as impediments for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Overwhelming studies have explored the roles and contributions of public-private partnerships (PPP) in driving various aspects of the economy in general and gross domestic product (GDP) in particular. However, less focus of attention is given to public-private partnerships (PPP) in fostering the sustainable agricultural growth in Nigeria in order to addressing poverty and food insecurity in Nigeria. Content and critical analysis is used in this study as a methodological approach. Secondary data were used which were sourced through academic databases such as journals from google scholar. The result demonstrated that the current hike in the price of commodities in the country contribute to the proliferation of poverty among the households and the challenges of kidnapping and banditry immensely contribute to the challenge of food security in the country. The challenge of funds identified among the farmers contribute immensely to high level of poverty and prevalence of food insecurity in the country. It is therefore suggested that the government should encourage provision of funds through an effective collaboration of public-private partnerships (PPP) in driving sustainable agriculture growth in the country. In so doing, it would strengthen the income of households through farming and sustainable agricultural productivity for poverty alleviation and food security will be achieved.

The Role of Interactional Processes in Mental Health Disparities: A Narrative Review of Existing Research and Recommendations for Providers.

Mental health disparities between racial/ethnic minority groups and non-Latinx Whites in the United States persist despite significant efforts aimed at decreasing these disparities. Efforts to address mental health disparities have largely focused on individual (e.g., stigma, help-seeking, health behaviors) and structural (e.g., public policy, interventions, addressing poverty) level factors. In contrast, this paper considers how processes at the interactional level (i.e., interactions between patients and providers) are also an important contributor to racial/ethnic disparities in mental health. Specifically, social psychological research has demonstrated how biases, including stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, can affect patient-provider interactions and contribute to mental health disparities. This narrative review of empirical studies that examine interactional processes between patients and mental health providers identified eleven studies to be included. Concepts represented in the studies are summarized and additional frameworks that can help explain how disparities are maintained are proposed. Last of all, practical suggestions for mitigating provider bias during patient-provider interactions are provided based on the findings from the narrative review.

Advances in smallholder large ruminant production and profitability in Southeast Asia over the past decade – lessons from the Mekong region: a review

The global demand for protein in the form of red meat is growing, especially in Southeast Asia, with income and population growth driving an increase in global beef consumption projected to continue from 2023 to 2032. This provides incentive for smallholder large-ruminant producers to build on production improvements obtained over the past decade to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability. This review aims to provide an update on advances in smallholder large-ruminant production and profitability in Southeast Asia over the past decade, as well as highlight ongoing challenges that require further investment from governments and the private sector to meet the growing regional and global demand for protein that is safe for human consumption. Improvements are discussed in detail across the areas of health, production and welfare, using outputs from research for development projects across Southeast Asia, specifically Cambodia and Laos which have high proportions of population living below the national poverty line. Areas covered include nutrition, disease control, diversification and farmer engagement. Ongoing challenges and opportunities are also considered. Key improvements in smallholder large-ruminant production, health and welfare in Southeast Asia over the past decade include the introduction of strategies to improve nutrition through forage utilisation and disease control through vaccination and biosecurity as well as farmer engagement and diversification. However, major challenges continue in the areas of disease control and eradication, training, climate variability, gender empowerment and policy. Increasing global demand for red meat places smallholder large-ruminant producers throughout Cambodia and Laos in an ideal position to capitalise. To do this and gain improved regional food security requires ongoing investment in stakeholder training and adoption of appropriate strategies to ensure greater productivity from existing numbers and resisting increasing numbers in an environment with limited resources. Although the challenges for large-ruminant smallholders are substantial, the rewards for continual investment to improve health and production include increased household incomes and profitability as well as greater regional food security.

Access to Decentralised Public Healthcare Service Delivery in Rural Areas of Lesotho

Despite being a basic right for all citizens of every country, access to healthcare has been a challenge for many people globally. However, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for improvedhealthcare service delivery and access to healthcare globally. The need for improved access to healthcare is especially critical for developing countries as theywere the worst affected in terms of healthcare service delivery by the pandemic. This study, which sought to assess healthcare accessibility in rural areas of Lesotho, is relevant because Lesotho is a country with high poverty levels, and most of the poor people in Lesotho live in the rural areas. The study employed a quantitative design and sampled 200 healthcare users from the rural areas of Lesotho to measure the dimensions of access to healthcare (which refer to the affordability, availability, acceptability and accessibility / accommodation of healthcare) on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The study’s findings showed that healthcare affordability remains a barrier to access in rural Lesotho. This was followed by accessibility and accommodation, then acceptability and availability of healthcare in rural Lesotho. The study then made recommendations to guide health policy makers in Lesotho.

Contribution of agroforestry practices to income and poverty status of households in Northwestern Ethiopia

Agroforestry practices (AFPs) play a critical role in enhancing income and reducing poverty. This study assessed the effect of AFPs on income and poverty status of farmers in Lay Armachiho (LA), Bahir Dar Zuria (BDR), and Banja districts of Northwestern Ethiopia. 387 households, and 63 key informants were interviewed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, FGT index, Gini coefficient, and multiple linear regression. About 49.35% of the respondents are categorized poor with a poverty gap of 18.93 and a poverty severity level of 9.7. Banja was the greatest with persons below poverty level (59.2%), followed by BDR (49.72%). Agroforestry practices contribute 28.43% to household income. Income from AFPs lowered the poverty ratio, poverty gap index, and poverty severity level of households by 13%, 9%, and 7%, respectively. Income from AFPs lowered the area between the line of equality and the Lorenz curve, as well as the Gini coefficient, by 7.97%. AFPs also lowered the income disparity of households in all districts. Age, AFPs land size, road accessibility, irrigation, AFPs experience, and AFPs types affect households AFPs income positively. Family size and membership to credit institutions had a negative effect. Thus, in order to lower poverty and raise household income, labor productivity, the credit service system, the road and irrigation infrastructure, and AFPs all need to be improved and scaled up.

Exploring The Implementation Challenges Faced By Healthcare Providers In Delivering Services Under Ayushman Bharat -Arogya Karnataka Health Scheme In Bengaluru, Karnataka-A Qualitative Study

Background: Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) is a flagship health insurance scheme of Karnataka started in Oct-2018. The integrated health assurance scheme of Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka is implemented by the State of Karnataka on an assurance/trust mode through the State Health Agency-Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST). AB-Ark is a Universal Health coverage scheme that provides a comprehensive healthcare to both Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families, covering a wide range of secondary and tertiary healthcare services. This scheme, part of the broader Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), seeks to offer financial protection against catastrophic health expenditures and improve access to quality healthcare services. Learning the experiences and insights from the scheme's implementers can enhance our understanding of how contextual factors impact a program's success. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the different contextual elements that can either support or obstruct the effective execution of a scheme. Objective: To understand the specific obstacles and barriers in effectively implementing the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka health scheme from a healthcare provider perspective. Methods: The study employed a qualitative approach involving 8 in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio recorded and were transcribed as per the reported verbatim. The transcripts were then analysed in Microsoft excel using thematic analysis for emerging patterns and insights leading to conclusions drawn from the analysis results. Results: Findings were depicted in broad themes and subthemes under individual, community, health system and policy levels. In brief, factors like infrastructure, patient load, awareness, affordability, quality of care and operational challenges were discussed. Conclusion: Study finding revealed various challenges faced by the health care provider, which needs to be addressed for the scheme’s long-term success and sustainability. Continuous monitoring, policy adjustments, and stakeholder engagement are essential to overcoming these hurdles and achieving the scheme's objectives.

Overnutrition and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Sub-Saharan Africa: A hierarchical analysis of 2019–2023 standard demographic and health survey data

ObjectivesOvernutrition, a leading cause of global mortality, has seen a significant rise in low- and middle-income countries, including sub-Saharan Africa. Despite emerging evidence linking overnutrition to non-communicable diseases, limited action has been taken to address this issue. While undernutrition studies have received more attention, research on overnutrition and women's health remains scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of overnutrition among reproductive women in this region MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of 2019–2023 Demographic and Health Survey datasets in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study included a weighted sample of 65,161 women aged 15–49 y. Using a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model, we identified factors associated with overnutrition. The adjusted odds ratio, along with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level of p < 0.05, determined the statistical significance of the explanatory variables. ResultsThe pooled prevalence of overnutrition among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa was 34.79% (95% CI: 34.42–35.16). Specifically, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 21.81% and 12.99%, respectively. Women's educational status, age, media use, household wealth, urbanization, community poverty, and country income level were significantly associated with higher odds of overnutrition. ConclusionsThe prevalence of overnutrition among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa is relatively high. Key factors associated with this issue include women's educational status, age, media utilization, household wealth, place of residence, community poverty level, and national income status. These multilevel determinants highlight the need for a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to address overnutrition in this population. Effective strategies should target individual behaviors while considering broader social, economic, and environmental contexts. Integrating overnutrition prevention into maternal and reproductive health services, as well as strengthening social protection measures, are recommended steps to tackle this growing challenge in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tren Sektor Unggulan dan Kualitas Pertumbuhan Ekonomi Kabupaten Brebes Tahun 2018-2022

The research aimed to identify the leading sectors that had the highest contribution to GRDP knows the growth trend of leading sectors, and economic growth quality in Brebes Regency. Analyzed data were collected from BPS, these were GRDP, income per capita, total population, economic growth, and poverty level. Analyse instruments used in the research were location quotient, shift share, Klassen tipology, simple linear regression, Duncan multiple range test, and Williamson index. The leading sector that had the highest contribution to Brebes Regency was agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; the growth trend of leading sectors in 2018-2022 was linear; and, the disparities in the value of income per capita in Brebes compared with neighbor regency/city approached the medium classification. Lastly, the quality of economic growth in the Brebes Regency was poor, measured by the high poverty level.

Using geographic effect measure modification to examine socioeconomic-related surface temperature disparities in New York City.

Lower socioeconomic (SES) communities are more likely to be situated in urban heat islands and have higher heat exposures than their higher SES counterparts, and this inequality is expected to intensify due to climate change. To examine the relationship between surface temperatures and SES in New York City (NYC) by employing a novel analytical approach. Through incorporating modifiable features, this study aims to identify potential locations where mitigation interventions can be implemented to reduce heat disparities associated with SES. Using the 2013-2017 American Community Survey, U.S Landsat-8 Analysis Ready Data surface temperatures (measured on 8/12/2016), and the NYC Land Cover Dataset at the census tract level (2098 tracts), this study examines the association between two components of tract-level SES (percentage of individuals living below the poverty line and the percentage of individuals without a high school degree) and summer day surface temperature in NYC. First, we examine this association with an unrestricted NYC linear regression, examining the city-wide association between the two SES facets and summer surface temperature, with additional models adjusting for altitude, shoreline, and nature-cover. Then, we assess geographic effect measure modification by employing the same models to three supplemental regression model strategies (borough-restricted and community district-restricted linear regressions, and geographically weighted regression (GWR)) that examined associations within smaller intra-city areas. All regression strategies identified areas where lower neighborhood SES composition is associated with higher summer day surface temperatures. The unrestricted NYC regressions revealed widespread disparities, while the borough-restricted and community district-restricted regressions identified specific political boundaries within which these disparities existed. The GWR, addressing spatial autocorrelation, identified significant socioeconomic heat disparities in locations such as northwest Bronx, central Brooklyn, and uptown Manhattan. These findings underscore the need for targeted policies and community interventions, including equitable urban planning and cooling strategies, to mitigate heat exposure in vulnerable neighborhoods. This study redefines previous research on urban socioeconomic disparities in heat exposure by investigating both modifiable (nature cover) and non-modifiable (altitude and shoreline) built environment factors affecting local temperatures at the census tract level in New York City. Through a novel analytical approach, the research aims to highlight intervention opportunities to mitigate heat disparities related to socioeconomic status. By examining the association between surface temperatures and socioeconomic status, as well as investigating different geographic and governmental scales, this study offers actionable insights for policymakers and community members to address heat exposure inequalities effectively across different administrative boundaries. The objective is to pinpoint potential sites for reducing socioeconomic heat exposure disparities at various geographic and political levels.

Development of temperament types from infancy to adolescence: Genetic and environmental influences with an economically and racially/ethnically diverse sample.

Kagan theorized biologically based temperament types that are present in infancy, stable across development, and essential for understanding individual differences. Despite evidence, temperament research remains focused on a few prominent dimensions of temperament, without adequately addressing covariance among dimensions and temperament types. Using longitudinal twin data, we took a person-centered statistical approach to identify temperament types and examined continuity and change across five developmental periods (Ninfancy = 602; Ntoddlerhood = 522; Nearly childhood = 390; Nlate childhood = 718; Nearly adolescence = 700). We then examined the genetic and environmental etiology of temperament types. Twins were boys and girls (51-53% female), primarily Hispanic/Latinx (23-30%) and non-Hispanic/Latinx White (56-63%), and from socioeconomically diverse families (28-38% near-or-below the poverty line). Using latent profile analysis, we identified three temperament types at each age characterized by negative reactivity and dysregulation, positive reactivity and strong self-regulation, and moderate reactivity and regulation. Latent transition analyses revealed considerable continuity in membership type for "negative dysregulated" beginning in infancy, log odds = 1.58 (SE = .65) to 3.16 (SE = .77), p < .01, of remaining relative to transitioning to "typical expressive", and "positive well-regulated" beginning in early childhood, log odds = 1.41 (SE = .56) to 2.25 (SE = .47), p < .05. Twin analyses revealed moderate heritability and a consistent role of the shared environment on positive well-regulated, with negative dysregulated and typical expressive also moderately heritable with the shared environment being important at some ages. Findings support the presence of theorized biologically based temperament types that develop rapidly in infancy and toddlerhood and provide a foundation for the study of individual differences and risk and resilience processes across the lifespan. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Investment and Human Development Index on Economic Growth and Poverty Level in Balikpapan City

This study aims to determine the relationship and influence of independent variables, namely investment and human development index, intervening variables, namely economic growth with dependent variables, namely the poverty rate in Balikpapan city in 2010-2023. The tool used in this study is path analysis. The results of this study indicate that investment and HDI are positive and do not have a significant effect on economic growth. While on the poverty rate, investment and HDI variables directly have a significant but positive effect and economic growth variables are negative but do not provide a mediating effect on the relationship between investment and poverty rates and between HDI and poverty rates in Balikpapan city.

On the consequences of climate change for the most vulnerable populations in the Central Asian region

The article reveals the problem of the impact of climate change in the Central Asian region on the most vulnerable segments of its population. The analysis identifies factors that negatively affect the level of poverty in the region, which include aging infrastructure and environmentally harmful economic activities in Central Asian countries. Climate change and its accompanying phenomena such as the increased incidence of natural disasters will lead to deterioration of the macroeconomic indicators of the Central Asian republics in the medium and long-term run and will increase in the number of people living below the international and national poverty lines. In this regard, the author proposes to attract the resources of the Eurasian Development Bank and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development already present in the region to assist the countries of Central Asia in overcoming the problems caused by climate change and adapting to this phenomenon.

The alleviating effect of household distributed photovoltaics on multidimensional relative poverty in rural areas

Relative poverty represents a major obstacle to China's rural revitalization efforts and necessitates enhanced policy support. This study aims to investigate the impact of household distributed photovoltaic (HDPV) on relative poverty conditions. Based on 337 questionnaire data from Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province in 2022, we construct a multidimensional relative poverty index using the Alkire-Foster method to assess the level of relative poverty. We employ fixed-effects models and mediation models to evaluate the effectiveness of HDPV in alleviating relative poverty. The results indicate that HDPV reduce the multidimensional relative poverty level of rural residents by approximately 0.058, demonstrating that installing HDPV can significantly alleviate multidimensional relative poverty. This effect is primarily achieved through increased investment in children's education. Additionally, we find that the alleviation effect varies by income level, with lower-income households experiencing greater improvements compared to higher-income households. Specifically, HDPV reduce the poverty level of the low-income group by approximately 0.0969, while the high-income group saw a reduction of about 0.0313. The findings of this study enrich the research on relative poverty in China by revealing the poverty-alleviating attributes of HDPV. It provides support for the development of renewable energy and regional development policies and has practical significance for advancing photovoltaic building integration.

Factors Affecting Health Care Utilization Associations Among Young Adolescents With Persistent or Recurrent Pain.

It is unclear how family factors affect health care utilization among youth with persistent or recurrent pain, despite potential relevance to interventions targeting treatment barriers. We aimed to examine health care utilization among young adolescents with persistent or recurrent pain and family factor influences toward higher health care utilization. We analyzed longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and coded pain as none, infrequent (present 1-2 years), or persistent/recurrent pain (present 3-4 years). Higher health care utilization was coded as nonroutine or emergency department visit at ≥2 years. Parent-reported education, pain status, family income, and insurance status were recorded. Logistic regression examined the contributions of the child's pain and family factors toward higher health care utilization. Among 5960 youth, 1908 (32%) had persistent/recurrent pain and 2199 (37%) had infrequent pain. Youth with persistent/recurrent pain were more likely to have higher health care utilization compared to those without pain (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.39) or those with infrequent pain (OR: 1.79). Higher health care utilization was associated with parents' pain (adjusted OR: 1.22) and higher education (adjusted OR: 1.44), and family income below the poverty line (adjusted OR: 1.26), controlling for child characteristics and pain status. Findings show how youths' persistent/recurrent pain, parental, and family socioeconomic factors affect health care utilization among young adolescents, emphasizing a need for family-centered care and economic policies.

The role of African extractive industries in the global energy transition: An analysis of barriers and strategies

Endowed with a significant proportion of the world’s petroleum and solid mineral resources, Africa is the location of a vibrant and dynamic extractive industries sector, which today, is its chief economic mainstay. The revenue generated from the extractive industries has been a significant source of finance for public infrastructure development and investments in education, health and the development of other economic sectors across the continent. However, the African extractive industries have faced massive setbacks in recent years, in particular due to the economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the global transition to a low carbon economy that has formed a central part of ongoing efforts to respond to the climate change emergency. These challenges have accentuated concerns on the current and future relevance of the African extractive industries in a low-carbon economy world order.This article examines the role played by the African extractive industries in the global energy transition, contextualising these concerns against a continuum of disruption arising as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergent efforts to redress the crisis posed by anthropogenic climate change. If well managed, extractive resources could play a crucial role in advancing energy security and transition in the African continent in the face of these challenges. In addition to its role in addressing current high levels of energy poverty across Africa in this disruptive setting, environmentally-responsible production of extractive resources can help sustain economic and social development across Africa in going forward. This article examines the current opportunities and challenges for cleaner and environmentally-responsible extractive investments in Africa in a low carbon world. It analyses the preconditions and barriers to environmentally-responsible fossil fuels developments in Africa and highlights the key considerations for African policymakers. Its analysis is informed by recognition of, and sensitivity towards, the extreme disruption to fossil fuel governance embodied by the twin concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current “climate emergency.” Through a qualitative analysis, this research has found that if well-managed, African resource-rich countries could utilise the revenues from the extractive industries to invest in low carbon technologies.

Who is being left behind in water security, where do they live, and why are they left behind towards the achievement of the 2030 agenda?

The study focuses on sustainable development goal (SDG) 6, target 6.1.1 examining the proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water (SM). The SDGs aim to leave no one behind (LNOB) in development by 2030, this paper investigates if anyone is being left behind in accessing SM. We use world regions, countries globally, and 23 countries identified globally as critically water insecure (CWIC). The results indicate none of the CWIC had over 50% of the population accessing SM, but had over 50% using improved water, and over 10% using surface water. Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest percentages using SM, and the highest using surface water in 2020. Pre-primary schools lag behind primary and secondary schools in accessing basic water services. Tanzania, Burundi, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands have below 50% of pre-primary schools with basic water. Households and schools using unimproved water sources are mostly from low-income and low climate resilience countries, fragile countries, and rural areas of CWICs characterized by high levels of poverty, food insecurity and illiterate women; subsequently exacerbating stunting and child mortality rates. These negative outcomes are largely consequences of poor institutional quality common to CWICs. Previous studies failed to highlight good governance, rigorously examine CWICs, and NOLB in water -health-food insecurity nexus. The stakeholders of the 2030 Agenda on water security can use these findings to accelerate the progress of leaving no one behind.