Lebanon’s economy witnessed a significant downturn starting in 2018, with its GDP plummeting from $54.9 billion in 2018 to $23.1 billion in 2021. This sharp decline underscored the urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions to rejuvenate the nation’s economic framework.
The Crisis in Numbers
The financial crisis in Lebanon manifested in various alarming indicators. The country’s GDP annual growth rate took a nosedive from -1.88% in 2018 to a staggering -21.89% in 2020. This drastic reduction pointed towards a severe contraction in economic activities, investments, and consumption. Further exacerbating the situation was the soaring inflation rate, which reached 154.8% in 2020, eroding the purchasing power of the Lebanese people, destabilizing savings, and deepening economic hardships.
Agriculture: A Beacon of Hope
In the midst of this crisis, a potential solution emerged: leveraging Lebanon’s arable land, which constitutes 13.64% of the country’s total land area. Despite a slight increase in arable land over the past decade, the contribution of agriculture to Lebanon’s GDP witnessed a decline in 2020, signaling an underutilization of this vital resource.
Revitalizing Through Agricultural Enhancement
The proposed solution focuses on enhancing agricultural production. This can be achieved by diversifying crop production, adopting modern agricultural practices, and providing robust support to local farmers. Historically, the agricultural sector has received limited attention from credit bank managers due to perceived risks. Therefore, government incentives and subsidies could play a crucial role in encouraging agricultural growth and exports, thereby aiding in job creation and indirectly boosting the country’s GDP.
Sustainable Practices and Unique Opportunities
Lebanon’s diverse geography and microclimates offer a unique advantage for cultivating a variety of crops. The country’s rich agricultural heritage, featuring culturally significant crop varieties, coupled with sustainable farming practices, enhances the quality and marketability of its produce. The export potential of these unique crops holds promise for stimulating economic growth and fostering regional trade cooperation.
Concrete Steps Forward
Findings suggest that Lebanon’s agricultural sector harbors substantial growth potential, which remains largely untapped. Key recommendations include comprehensive agricultural policy reforms, investment in infrastructure, and promotion of sustainable practices. A collaborative approach involving the government, private sector, and international organizations is essential to effectively implement these recommendations.
Conclusion: A Vision for Recovery
Lebanon stands at a critical juncture where investing in agricultural production and harnessing the potential of its arable land can serve as a cornerstone for economic recovery. This strategy not only aims to enhance the country’s food exports and optimize resource use but also addresses the pressing issues of unemployment and GDP growth.
In essence, Lebanon’s journey towards economic resilience can be significantly bolstered by a strategic pivot to agriculture, tapping into the nation’s inherent strengths and fostering a sustainable and prosperous future.
In today’s world, where things are moving fast but some old ideas still stick around, let’s talk about something hopeful in the Arab world. More women are learning to read and write, which is amazing. But here’s the tricky part: even though women go to school a lot, they still have a hard time finding good jobs, while guys who didn’t study much do better. Is that fair? It’s like, why go to school more if people still think women should only do certain jobs at home?
In the quest for progress, Arab countries often look to others as role models, aspiring to match the development seen in more advanced nations. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about having the latest gadgets or the tallest buildings. Real progress means changing how people see and treat men and women. It’s like saying, “Hey, everyone should have the same chances, no matter if they’re a guy or a girl.” So, while having awesome things is cool, what makes a country strong is when everyone gets a fair shot and people’s attitudes about men and women start to change for the better.
To make things fair for everyone in the Arab world, we need to do a few important things. First off, let’s promise to give both men and women the same chances at work, not just in how much money they make but also in getting jobs and balancing work with the rest of life. We also need to change how people think. The Changing Attitudes Advocate is there to show everyone that women are great at lots of different jobs, breaking old ideas. And let’s make workplaces more interesting by welcoming everyone, no matter how they’re different, with the Inclusion Supporter. Lastly, ensure women have an equal say and leadership chances in politics, business, and public life, in line with Sustainable Development Goal #5. All these efforts, with the Fair Rule Adjuster, aim to create a fair, inclusive, and equal work environment for everyone.
Do you know Angela Merkel? She is a Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021, who played a crucial role in navigating Germany through economic challenges, fostering international cooperation, and providing steadfast guidance during critical times like the Eurozone and refugee crises. Merkel’s influence extends beyond Germany, making her one of the most influential political figures of her time.
So, the big question isn’t just about going to school; it’s about changing old ideas that hold women back. Imagine a world where Fatima, and others like her, can be engineers, leaders, or whatever they dream of, without anyone saying they should only stick to traditional roles. That’s the kind of world we’re aiming for – where everyone, no matter their gender, gets a fair shot at making their dreams come true.
Many Arab countries have been through a string of tough wars including World War 1, World War 2, the Gulf War, the Israeli War, and Franco-Syrian War, and many others. These Wars have left a brutal mark on all aspects of life in these countries, making life tough for all the people living there.
Effect of War on Education in the Arab World:
One big area that was affected badly is education. According to the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which aims to ensure that everyone gets a fair shot of education and lifelong learning opportunities. The following map tracks how many kids were going to school in the Arab countries from 1960 until today.
Analyzing this data:
Education was in short supply from the get-go in 1960. It wasn’t until 1971 that we saw a slow increase in the number of kids going to primary school in some countries. But, it’s important to note that in other places, the numbers stayed way too low. This shows that even though things got a bit better in some spots, there are still serious challenges in making sure every kid gets a good education.
This bar graph indicates a notable pattern concerning primary school enrollment. Rather than having a consistent upward pattern or stable change, the data reflects an oscillation, characterized by fluctuating values each year. It is important to note that the decrease in enrollment coincides with periods of conflict and war in the Arab world, specifically during 1982, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2006, 2010, 2015…These periods represent the war struggles that these Arab countries were witnessing. This correlation highlights the impact of war on educational accessibility.
War in Syria
Syria has a long history of war. It played a role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, participating in the Six-Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Additionally, Syria was also involved in the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990 as part of the broader regional dynamics.
The most recent and prolonged war is the Syrian Civil War, which began in March 2011 and involved various internal and external factors contributing to these challenges. Due to this significant crisis, millions of Syrians were displaced internally, and others were refugees in neighboring countries and beyond.
Effect of War on Education
The war in Syria has had a bad impact on education. Many schools have been damaged, and ongoing violence has forced closures. Countless students, both internally displaced and refugees, face difficulties continuing their education. Host countries were under pressure in their educational systems because they had to deal with an unexpectedly large arrival of refugees. Students’ educational experiences were disrupted by the conflict, which had a huge impact on their current and future opportunities.
The presented line chart shows the average enrollment trends in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools over the years.
The pre-primary line chart indicates low enrollment, remaining below 10 students throughout the observed period, which emphasizes challenges in early education access.
The secondary school enrollment line exhibits moderate fluctuations, ranging between 30 and 77 students over the years suggesting the varying levels of access or interest over the years.
The primary school enrollment line stands out with higher average numbers, consistently surpassing 81 students and reaching a peak of 128. These high and more stable enrollment values reflect a more robust foundation in the primary education system.
The three areas witnessed notable and dramatic decreases following the Syrian Civil War highlighting the huge impact of the War on education.
Looking at just primary education tells a powerful story. Even though primary schools consistently had a lot of students, showing how important they are, the graph takes a heartbreaking turn after the Syrian Civil War in 2011. Schools were destroyed, people lost their lives, and families had to leave their homes – some inside Syria and others in different countries. The numbers on the graph don’t just represent students; they tell a story of how the war shook the very foundation of education in Syria. The sharp drop in primary school enrollment is like a reflection of the tough times people went through. It’s not just about rebuilding schools; it’s about rebuilding the support systems and hope that education brings.
Government Expenditure
This line graph illustrates the percentage of government expenditure allocated to primary education in Syria over the years. In 1972, the commitment to primary education stood at 41%, reflecting an investment in this foundational aspect of the educational system. This dedication continued to rise, reaching its maximum at 48% in 1989, indicative of a sustained prioritization of primary education during that period.
However, the subsequent years after 1989 witnessed a notable shift, marked by a huge decrease in expenditure. This decrease in government expenditure on primary education aligns with the broader challenges faced by the country during this period. Conflicts have a significant impact on financing priorities, making it difficult to continue providing the same amount of cash for education.
The Power of External Support
External support, particularly through Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), plays a major role in reducing the educational challenges that people who are affected by war are facing. NGOs often step in to provide vital assistance, especially for displaced children, ensuring they have access to necessary educational resources.
In the context of the Syrian conflict, NGOs have been supporting children who have been forced to leave their homes. These organizations work tirelessly to address the educational needs of displaced children in the countries they seek refuge in.
Example: GHATA schools in Lebanon
Zooming in on Lebanon, an initiative that resembles the impact of external support is the Ghata School. This project is a collaborative effort between the American University of Beirut (AUB) Center of Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) and Kayany Foundation.
The Ghata School exemplifies the power of partnerships between academic institutions and NGOs in providing comprehensive educational support. Through this initiative, Syrian refugees in Lebanon receive not only access to accredited education but also benefit from several digital and soft skills, vocational training, as well as health care.
This shows that due to the help of external support, out-of-school children can join schools for accredited education and improved mental and educational well-being.
Having the opportunity to pursue higher education is considered a luxury in some countries, as educational opportunities are not equal in all countries. Education has a huge impact on all life aspects; it increases the awareness, betters health, leads to higher life expectancy, progresses economy and many other life aspects would develop.
Education is one of the forces that shape the development and growth of the countries. It has a huge impact on many aspects; it shifts the nation towards more productivity and advancement. The impact of tertiary education will be visualized and discussed below.
1. Awareness and Empowerment:
Education provides knowledge to the public; advancing their thoughts and grows ambitions. This has been proven by the bar chart as it reflects the positive relation between tertiary education and human development.
2. Health and wellbeing:
Providing better and further opportunities for nations to education, making it accessible to everyone has proven the positive correlation on the development of a country’s population. It enhances the health aspect of the country as we can see in the charts; more developed countries seem to have lower infant and maternal mortality due to the high percentage of enrolled students in tertiary education and less out of pocket expenditures on health, in addition to a noticeable positive correlation with life expectancy. As education is one of the main influences on a country’s development, it impacts the health sector. We can also see that a higher number of physicians are available per thousand in contrast with less developed countries.
Economy and development:
The economy of a country is built on the willingness of the population to work and achieve, having the drive and purpose to reach. We can see that developed and educated countries tend to have higher workforce percentage, higher gross domestic income (GDP) than that of undeveloped countries. Additionally, the minimum wage is much higher.
By acknowledging education as the main foundation to development and enhancement, it will be possible to foster a perfect environment for empowering, flourishing, and competitive country, one which strives for enhancement and development.
