21st Century Health, Education, Development, and Global Security

Author:
Eliot Sorel

Health and education are essential for sustainable development across low-, middle-, and high-income economies. Health, education, and development in a well-integrated cluster are the sine qua non building blocks of global security.

Huge economic, health, and educational disparities abound among nations. These are accompanied by poverty that is catalytic to the seeds of disaffection, exclusion, and anger, and decreasing the threshold for violent, antisocial behavior globally.

The World Bank initiatives on (i) the role of education as one of the tools of poverty eradication, and (ii) the role of nutrition in brain development are commendable. These noteworthy initiatives must be accompanied by similar projects focusing on closing the health gap, a challenge well documented by Sir Michael Marmot, the President of the World Medical Association, in his most recent book, The Health Gap. The health gap, regrettably prevails in the world, decreases life expectancy, the quality of life, and undermines the countries' economies. The educational gap affecting girls mostly in low-income countries, has been well documented by both UNICEF and UNESCO. As a result of it there are dire consequences for the girls affected but also affecting the countries’ economies.

The article's full-text is available here.

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