Policy Criticisms & Suggestions
the republic of the congo and germany each have personalized policies to suit their populations, however, are these policies effective?
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The
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I see so many people get so wrapped up in wanting to get a bigger SUV or a bigger house. But then I think, 'My God, I could have been born a woman in the Congo.' - Janine di Giovanni
ProjectsAs the Republic of the Congo's population steadily increases new projects for development have risen. For example to help support the new trend of rising population many programs have been focusing on the basic needs of the people in the Congo. The Urban Development and Neighborhood Upgrading Project is being set in place to improve access to infrastructure and other important services. While some projects are flourishing in the Congo others are not doing as well. The Population, Health and Nutrition Project was proposed with an investment of 11 million dollar but shortly after its beginning it was abruptly dropped.
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Health CareMany institutions have begun working in the Congo to support the growing population, specifically the women. In a study done in 2011 it was shown that most women in the Congo, living in rural or poor urban areas, are less likely to have their babies at a health facility. To combat this and other struggles the women of the Congo face, new programs are being developed to ensure their safety and health. For example the World Health Organization (WHO) has started the HRH strategic plan. This plan's main objective is to make health care more available to the Congolese people and improve the quality of the existing health care. Below is a layout of the steps that this plan involves.
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Germany
Germany, unlike the Congo, is experiencing a population decline as of late.
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The graph showcases the changes to Germany's population proportions. As depicted above, Germany has an increasingly large percentage of their population in the post-reproductive ages.
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Incentives and ResultsRecently Germany has been trying to encourage population growth in a variety of ways. A prevalent term used in Germany, sometimes as an insult, is "raven mother". This word is used to describe a working woman with a child/children. To help prevent the growing stigma associated with a working mother Germany has been increasing access to daycares. Some places offer 24 hour daycares and a new law guarantees women daycare for children older than 12 months.
In addition to child care the government has also given a financial incentive as well. Now families can expect 184 euros every month for their first and second child until they turn 18. German people will also be compensated 190 euros for a 3rd child and 215 euros for a fourth. |
ImmigrationAs Germany's population declines they face the threat of a declining economy as a result of labor shortages. This lacking factor in the German economy has led the country to guest-worker programs. While these projects to integrate foreign workers into the workforce seem effective the public sentiment has deterred many guest workers from entering or returning to the programs. In the near future Germany faces many difficult decisions to make on immigration, arguably the nation's most controversial topic at the moment.
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