According to the United Nations, pre-pandemic levels of poverty were falling and had been since 2000. However, COVID-19 could increase global poverty by up to half a billion people (8% of the world population). The Guardian newspaper reported that an estimated 250 million jobs have been lost worldwide and that the number of people affected by acute food insecurity doubled to 272 million by the end of last year. To quote any more statistics will just overwhelm us.

Suffice to say that a lot of progress made on the fight against poverty, has been obliterated by this curse called COVID.

In the midst of this dire state of affairs, there have been two more big stories of catastrophic calamity that the international media has run with: another earthquake in Haiti and the lightning quick reintroduction of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. 

The 7.2 magnitude Haitian quake killed more than 2,200 people and destroyed 30,000 homes. Relief workers have still been unable to reach some areas. This disaster is another unwanted milestone in Haiti’s cruel and luckless history. 

In Afghanistan, there is again a ruling group whose modus operandi is brutality, injustice, oppression and discrimination. As Western powers debate what was the point of the last 20 years ‘occupation’ of the country, what about the people left; and not just those who helped the Western forces? Particularly Afghan women.

My television has presented Afghan women boldly proclaiming that they are different to 20 years ago and that they now have a voice. Women will not accept being demoted and trampled upon again. It is brave to say such things but also highly dangerous.

In the face of such statistics, unstoppable natural occurrences and situations where only a change in culture and politics can solve anything, what do we do? To simply hope, does little, although hope is certainly the starting point.

Over ten years ago, I was in the company of Suraya Pakzad, an Afghan women’s rights activist. She was visiting Ireland to share in some events as Irish Methodist World Development & Relief was funding her organisation, Voice of Women (VoW), at the time. VoW worked in secret for three years until 2001 and was involved in developing the Afghan constitution. Suraya, of course, had hope but she also displayed determination and grit and followed through with action. Possibly, at the time, I did not appreciate the privilege of sharing some time with her.

We are not all brave like Suraya (she is still very much active). We don’t all have the opportunity or skills to change terrible or unjust scenarios directly. That is when we must look for those courageous few who can effect change. We must support them through financial giving, through words of encouragement and by advocating and adding our voice to theirs.
The “courageous few” could be organisations or individuals. Sometimes it is okay not to be the star but a supporting actor. When we consider what it might cost to be the main player, most of us are understandably quite happy, and more suited, to play a supporting but vital role.  

We can each be involved in the rebuilding in Haiti and the demand for a just Afghanistan. So let us each find our cause and those who champion it well with effectiveness and integrity. Just as we need them, they also need us.