As part of Global Pulse’s “Rapid Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Fund,” United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) conducted three case studies in Colombia, Jordan and Ethiopia with a focus on how the global economic crisis impacts health and poverty.
In Jordan, while government expenditures to reproductive health services had not changed, focus group discussions indicated that increases in transportation costs, food, and education impacted the ability of lower-income groups to access maternal and reproductive health. In Ethiopia, household surveys showed that the global economic crisis did not have an effect on sexual and reproductive health, although decreased aid may lead to an adverse effect on people living with HIV/AIDS. Finally, in Colombia, despite the fact that most impacts were invisible at the aggregated statistical level, interviews showed that particular regions were affected. In particular, Eje Cafetero, a region highly dependent on remittances, experienced higher unemployment rates as more people sought work in response to decreased remittances from abroad. In addition, social impacts such as rising numbers of divorces in Eje Cafetero were acute.
Download or view the three case study summary reports below:
