Worlds Top Worst Countries For Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar business and one of the fastest-growing illegal industries.

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and it’s one of the fastest-growing illicit industries in the world. Each year, the U.N. marks World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which falls on July 30 this year, to help raise awareness. The U.S. State Department annually investigates more than 100 countries for its Trafficking in Persons report. In the 2017 report, 23 countries were classified as Tier 3, the lowest classification for countries that “do not fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.” Here’s a look at five of the countries that are classified among the worst human trafficking offenders.

Four countries have appeared on the annual Trafficking in Persons report as Tier 3 countries consistently from 2011 to 2018. These countries are Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, and North Korea. Central African Republic, Mauritania, and Syria have featured in the Tier 3 category in seven out of the eight years. Algeria, DR Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, Russia, and Venezuela have been listed as Tier 3 in six out of eight years.

Worst Countries for Human Trafficking

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea has consistently featured on this list from 2011 to 2018. Women in Equatorial Guinea are highly vulnerable to sex trafficking. The practice of using forced labor is also common in the country. A large number of immigrant and local women are often exploited for sex while men are forced to work in oil mines.

Eritrea

Eritrea is a major source of human trafficking. The victims are subjected to forced labor. Thousands of Eritreans who have fled their country in search of better living conditions and economic opportunities have fallen prey to human traffickers. The government of Eritrea also requires persons between 18 and 40 years to take part in forced labor as part of national service for at least 18 months. Most people are, however, made to serve indefinitely under unfavorable conditions such as torture and detention.

Iran

Iranian citizens are vulnerable to trafficking both within and outside the country. Reports have surfaced about a rise in the number of young Iranians as sex workers in the UAE. Passports of these victims are often confiscated leaving them completely helpless in a foreign country. Many Iranian women living along the Iran-Turkey border are also vulnerable to cross-border sex trafficking.

North Korea

North Korea is a source country for victims who are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Within the country, forced labor is part of political repression and one of the pillars of the economic system. The citizens are subjected to forced labor through assigned work. Approximately 120,000 people are held in camps in the country. Government oppression has forced thousands to flee the country, making them vulnerable to trafficking.

The Central African Republic

CAR is both a source and transit country for persons, especially children, subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Most victims of human trafficking in the Central African Republic are citizens exploited within the country. Other victims are transported to neighboring countries such as Nigeria, DRC, Chad, and Cameroon. The political instability and displacement of over one million people have increased the vulnerability of children, men, and women to trafficking.

Mauritania

The majority of the people subjected to slavery practices in Mauritania are children and adults from the Afro-Mauritanian and Black Moor communities. The victims are forced to work without pay. Mauritanian girls and women who are recruited by foreign agencies as domestic workers are often subjected to sex trafficking in the Gulf and Saudi Arabia. Some are forced into marriages by travel agencies and brokers both in the country and in the Middle East.

Syria

Human trafficking in Syria continues to deteriorate due to the ongoing civil war in the country. More than half of the Syrian population has been displaced and thousands killed since the beginning of the protest. Syrians who are in refugee camps are extremely vulnerable to trafficking, especially children who have been forced to early marriage and forced labor.

Algeria

Algeria act as a transit route for people subjected to trafficking. It is also, to a lesser extent, a destination for the trafficked persons. Most often, men and women enter Algeria voluntarily and with the help of smugglers with the hope of traveling to Europe. However, some of these people become victims of trafficking and are forced into prostitution and unskilled labor. At least 10,000 people in Algeria are at risk of trafficking.

Guinea-Bissau

Trafficked persons from Guinea-Bissau are subjected to prostitution and forced labor. The country is both a source and destination for West African boys who are subjected to forced labor. Most of the boys in Guinea-Bissau attend Quranic schools. Some of the marabouts who teach these boys force them to beg around the school and in the neighborhood. Most traffickers are men from the regions of Gabu and Bafata.

Russia

Over 5 million migrants in Russia are working in conditions of slavery in factories and as public drivers. These workers are vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labor. The entry of migrants into the country is facilitated by the Russian officials. Other officials are even bribed not to investigate or give a false report on human trafficking crimes. As a destination, source, and transit country for victims of trafficking, Russia has not done much to protect human trafficking.

Venezuela

More than half the people trafficked out of Venezuela are adults, 26% are young girls, and boys are 19%. The victims are lured by the promise of well-paying jobs and better working conditions but end up in countries where traffickers force them into prostitution and forced labor. Venezuela has done very little to punish or prevent trafficking despite having strict laws against it. Since 2013, only three people have been convicted under the human trafficking law.

Kuwait

Kuwait is a destination country for trafficked persons who are mainly subjected to forced labor. Men and women who migrate to Kuwait voluntarily from other parts of the world such as Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia to look for employment are often vulnerable to sexual abuse and forced labor. Because of the perilous conditions in Kuwait, several countries have restricted their women from moving to Kuwait.

Libya

Libya is a destination and transit country for trafficked persons, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a source country for Libyan children subjected to an armed militia within the country. These armed militias recruit and use children as young as below 18 years old. The children are also exposed to sexual violence. The human trafficking crimes in the country are promoted by the political instability and lack of government oversight.

Yemen

Yemen is a source country for children and adults subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Human trafficking has been promoted by violent conflicts and lack of rule of law. Yemeni boys have been subjected to forced labor after migrating to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Here, they are forced into sex trafficking and drug smuggling activities.

Zimbabwe

Women and young girls living in Zimbabwean towns close to the borders are subjected to sex trafficking. The men are also subjected to forced labor in domestic service and agriculture, especially in rural areas. Children and relatives from rural areas are recruited by their family members living in the cities and subjected to domestic servitude. Many Zimbabweans migrate to South Africa with the help of taxi drivers in search of a better life. Unfortunately, many are later subjected to forced labor and prostitution.

Trafficking in Person Report (TIP)

Trafficking in Person Report (TIP) focuses on the ways in which the communities and countries can collectively and proactively address the problem of human trafficking. TIP is a diplomatic tool used by the government of the US to engage foreign governments on issues surrounding human trafficking. In the report, each country is placed onto one of the three tiers based on the effort by the government to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Which Country Has the Most Human Trafficking?

Four countries are singled out as the nation’s most susceptible to human trafficking. They are Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, and North Korea.

Worst Countries For Human Trafficking Today

Rank	Country	Years on the Tier 3 List of the Trafficking in Persons Report
1	Equatorial Guinea	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
2	Eritrea	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
3	Iran	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
4	North Korea	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
5	Central African Republic	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
6	Mauritania	2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
7	Syria	2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
8	Algeria	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
9	DR Congo	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
10	Guinea-Bissau	2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
11	Papua New Guinea	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
12	Russia	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
13	Venezuela	2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
14	Kuwait	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
15	Libya	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
16	Sudan	2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017
17	Yemen	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
18	Zimbabwe	2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
19	Belarus	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
20	Belize	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
21	Burundi	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
22	Comoros	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
23	Cuba	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
24	Saudia Arabia	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
25	South Sudan	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
26	Turkmenistan	2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
27	Uzbekistan	2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
28	China	2013, 2017, 2018, 2019
29	Gambia	2014, 2015, 2016
30	Congo	2017, 2018, 2019
31	Madagascar	2011, 2012
32	Marshall Islands	2015, 2016
33	Thailand	2014, 2015
34	Bolivia	2018, 2019
35	Burma	2011
36	Djibouti	2016
37	Dominican Republic	2011
38	Gabon	2018, 2019
39	Guinea	2017
40	Haiti	2016
41	Laos	2018, 2019
42	Lebanon	2011
43	Malaysia	2014
44	Mali	2017
45	Micronesia	2011
46	Suriname	2016

source https://fourteen.online/worlds-top-worst-countries-for-human-trafficking/

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Countries With Most Female Inventors In The World

The proportion of female inventors in all fields was between 2% to 3% before 1965. However, since then, the number of women inventors has been growing at an accelerated pace.

A study published by the UK’s Intellectual Property Office has explored gender profiles in worldwide patenting, finding that the overwhelming majority of patents are filed by men. Over the past decade, things have started to change, though progress is slow. Last year, female inventors were only associated with 13.07 percent of all global patent applications.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, the proportion of female inventors in patent applications stood at 10.04 and 9.44 percent in the period between 1998 and 2017. Some countries do boast a far higher female share, however, particularly in Africa. The study found that Togo had the highest proportion of female involvement at 57.14 prercent, ahead of Uganda’s 44.55 percent.

Historically, women have been underrepresented in the list of patented inventors. The proportion of female inventors in all fields was between 2% to 3% before 1965. However, since then, the number of women inventors has been growing at an accelerated pace. The proportion of women inventors on the planet almost doubled from 1998 (6.8%) to 2017 (12.7%). A study conducted by the Institute-for-women’s-Policy-Research estimated that by 2010 less than 20% of all the patents listed at least 1 female inventor. In 2018, women inventors were associated with about 13.07% of all patent applications. Regardless of the growth, the number of female inventors on the planet still lagged behind the number of women who graduated with math, engineering, technology, and science degrees in 2015.

Russia stood out among the countries with the most patent applications in the last 20 years, with about 17% of all the patent applications in the country featuring a female inventor. Conversely, less than 1 application in every 20 applications included a woman inventor. The imbalance is caused by the low number of women interested in careers in mathematics, engineering, science, and technology fields. Despite the many campaigns to attract women in these fields, the number of women working in these fields is still very low.

Fields With The Highest Number Of Female Inventors

Over two-thirds of the patents, applications come from individual male inventors or a team of male inventors, while only 6% of the total patent applications come from individual female inventors. Female teams own about 0.3% of the global patent applications. Most women inventors are the only females in predominantly male-teams. Some of the fields with the highest number of female inventors include Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical patents. About 53% of the biotechnological patents and 52% of all the pharmaceutical patents have at least one female inventor. In electrical engineering, only 10% of the patents feature a woman inventor.

Challenges Faced By Women Inventors Before The Mid-20th Century

Before the twentieth century, women, particularly married women, were denied rights to enter into contracts, earn salaries, own properties (including patents), and learn the knowledge and technical skills that would lead to successful inventions. These restrictions made it impossible for women to invent anything or if they did, be credited for their inventions. In the United States, most patented inventors were men until 1809 when Mary Kies Dixon became the first American woman to get a patent. Dixon invented a new way of weaving straws using thread and silk to create hats. However, most female inventors like Margaret Knight had to rely on the court to prove that she was indeed the one who invented the machine for manufacturing 1,000flat-bottomed grocery bags per day. Apparently, Charles Annan obtained a patent after seeing Knight’s prototype. Margaret had to produce copious drawings and designs for her prototype before the court could award her the patents for the invention.

Another female inventor who turned to the court to get her patent is Susan Hibbard. In 1874 Hibbard invented the feather duster; however, she had to turn to the court to stop her husband from obtaining a patent for her invention. Even though the details of the case are quite vague, reports show that Susan’s husband was unable to recite the critical features of Susan’s design before the court. Susan was awarded her patent on May 30, 1876. An excellent example of a woman inventor who was not recognized for her inventions was Catharine Greene. Catharine did not get proper recognition for her contribution to the design of cotton-gin, which was patented in 1794 by Eli Whitney.

Women Inventors After The Mid-20th Century

Everything changed in the mid-twentieth century when new professional and educational opportunities for females emerged. Before the mid-1900s, females were excluded from studying science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Women had few opportunities to get employment in the fields that could result in patentable inventions. If obtaining a patent was almost impossible, then commercializing their invention was also quite difficult. Several banks denied women loans before the mid-twentieth century. Without capital to commercialize their inventions, the patent was just a piece of paper. Several women struggled to overcome the stigma of females in businesses before the mid-twentieth century and win over retailers, manufacturers, and investors.

Despite the challenges, there are several successful female inventors in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Bette Graham Nesmith managed to invent and commercialize Liquid-Paper-correction fluid in the 1950s. Bette’s invention was a solution to the issue of retyping an entire page just because of typos. After observing painters covering their mistake with another layer of paint, she decided to create a paint-based mixture that she could use to cover her typing mistakes. Graham managed to set up her company, which she sold in 1980 to Gillette Corporation.

Another successful female inventor who was listed as one of the most influential people in 2012 by Time magazine was Sara Blakely. Sarah is famous for her pantyhose-undergarment invention, which is known as Spanx. Sarah’s idea was turned down by most hosiery mills based in North California since they did not see any value in her invention. Blakely’s invention became popular after Oprah Winfrey named it as a ‘’Favorite-Thing’’ in November 2000. Blakely earned $4million from sales during the first year. She signed a contract with QVC (a home-shopping channel) in 2001 and managed to sell 8,000spanx within the first 6minutes of operation. Forbes Magazine named Blakely and the youngest, self-made female-billionaire in 2012. In 2014, Forbes listed her as the ninety-third most powerful woman on the planet.

Countries With The Highest Proportion Of Female Inventors

According to research published by the United Kingdom’s Intellectual-Property-Office, a huge percentage of the patents on the planet are filled by male inventors. The study focused on the gender profiles in a global patent filing from 1998 to 2017. The research confirmed that over the last 20years, the number of female patent applicants has started improving. In the U.K. and the U.S., the proportion of women inventors who applied for patents between 1998 and 2017 stood at 9.44% and 10.04%. However, some nations, particularly from Africa, have a higher proportion of female patented inventors. Africa was represented by 5 countries in the top-10 list. Togo (57.14%) had the highest percentage of female patent inventors on the planet, followed by Uganda (44.55%). According to the United Kingdom’s Intellectual-Property Office, there were more patented women inventors than men in Togo from 1998 to 2017. Other African countries with the most women inventors include Liberia (38.89%), Rwanda (37.5%), and Botswana (35.71%). The United States and the UK did not feature in the top-100 list of nations with the most female inventors.

The Future Of Women Inventors

There is no doubt that all inventions that advance the production of new technologies from any gender are crucial. Conversely, women have been underrepresented in this area for the last few centuries. However, with technology ever-changing, obtaining patents has become more critical than ever. By instilling women with confidence and advising them to take credit for their idea, the number of women inventors can continue growing. With the number of female students pursuing STEM-centered education increasing, most women are exposed to fields with patent-worthy inventions that can benefit them in the future. Therefore, the number of female inventors will increase. Unlike in the past, when the world did not appreciate women inventors, modern inventors are recognized. It is easier for female inventors to get patents for their inventions and also sell their products or get an investor. Technology has made it possible for inventors to be recognized globally.

10 Countries With Most Female Inventors In The World

Rank	Country	Proportion of female inventors in patent applications from 1998 to 2020
1	Togo	57.14%
2	Uganda	44.55%
3	Latvia	39.05%
4	Liberia	38.89%
5	Rwanda	37.50%
6	Cuba	36.73%
7	Botswana	35.71%
8	Sri Lanka	34.22%
9	Papua New Guinea	29.63%
10	Georgia	29.56%

source https://fourteen.online/countries-with-most-female-inventors-in-the-world/

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Top 10 Worst Countries For Child Labor

Maplecroft’s Child Labor Index has pinpointed these worst countries for child labor as being the worst of the worst, with children being forced into backbreaking labor, war, and sex trades.

Where in the world are children toiling dangerous and dirty conditions, missing out on education and other basic rights?
A new report by risk analysis firm Maplecroft, which ranks 197 countries, identifies Eritrea, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Yemen as the 10 places where child labor is most prevalent.

Countries with high poverty rates fare badly in the index due to the need for children to supplement their family income, the report said, but economically important countries like China, India, Russia and Brazil were also found to have extreme risks because child labor laws are often poorly enforced.

Trafficking of children into forced labor or sexual exploitation remains a big problem, the report added.
Despite its fast-growing economy, China has witnessed a substantial increase in child labor risks over the past year, ranking 20th compared with 53rd a year earlier.

The report said that unofficial estimates suggested that 100,000 children are employed in the country’s manufacturing sector.

Despite centuries of efforts against forcing children to enter the workforce, child labor remains a major problem internationally. In many countries, children are made to work in such dangerous jobs as logging, mining, and fighting in wars, as well as exploiting them as beggars, household servants, and even for sexual purposes. To help pinpoint which countries are the worst offenders in the realm of child labor, the international consulting firm Maplecroft has compiled a Child Labor Index to rank them. As you will see, the most horrific and widespread child labor practices today are seen in Africa and Southern and Western Asia. Here are the countries where children are deemed to be at “extreme risk” of exploitative labor according to Maplecroft.

10. Somalia

39.8% of children between the ages of 5 to 14, numbering around 1,012,863, are child laborers in Somalia. Only half of children within this age range attend school. Fishing, threshing grain, and livestock raising are just some of the agricultural activities where Somali children are employed to work as labor. Construction and mining industries operating within the country also use children as part of the workforce. Children are also seen begging on the streets, hawking, and minibus conducting. Children are also engaged in armed conflicts, illegal and anti-national activities. The human trafficking of children is also not uncommon. The high rates of poverty prevailing in Somalia often force parents to surrender their children to the labor world. The education system in the country is poorly developed due to the high social, economic and political insecurity prevailing in the country.

9. Pakistan

As per the United States Department of Labor report, nearly 13% of Pakistani children accounting for 2,449,480 individuals between the ages of 10 to 14 are child laborers. 76% of these children work in the agricultural sector involving activities like working in crop fields, fishing and shrimp harvesting and processing. A large number of children are also engaged in restaurants, tea stalls, transportation, and garbage scavenging. The glass bangle industry, carpet weaving, coal mining, brick kilns, and the automotive industry also employ Pakistani children. According to ILO, poverty is the single major factor responsible for the high prevalence of child labor in the country. With 17.2% of the population living below poverty line, families are often forced to send their children to work to sustain the family.

8. Nigeria

An African country on the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria suffers from widespread poverty leading to a large number of cases of child labor within the country. According to data from International Labor Organization, over 15 million children in the country below the age of 14 are child laborers. Girls enter the labor world at an earlier age than boys and are primarily employed as domestic helps in households. Boys and girls are also engaged in agricultural work, street hawking and street begging, mining and construction work, shoe shining, car washing, auto repair, conducting minibuses, and numerous other activities. In Nigeria, child labor forms an important source of income for a child’s family. Many children involved in labor miss classes in schools, drop out from schools, suffer from exploitation and malnutrition and face various forms of adverse situations.

7. Myanmar

In Myanmar, around 1.5 million school age children between the ages of 10 to 17 are forced to work as laborers. The agricultural sector in the country employs the greatest number of children while construction and small-scale industries also involve children as part of their workforce. Poverty is considered to be the prime factor leading to the involvement of children in the work-force to supplement the low household income in the country.

6. Liberia

According to the US Department of Labor, 358,179 children in Liberia work. This represents over 30% of the country’s total child population. Many of these children are involved in jobs in agriculture that leaves them exposed to hazardous chemicals and dangerous activities. The country’s lack of labor laws have been blamed for making children vulnerable to these kinds of labor. An insufficient justice system and widespread poverty have also been blamed.

5. India

India, the world’s second most populated country, has as many as 33 million child laborers. Some of the places that children in India work include in mines, on farms, and in garment factories. Unfortunately, although the economy has grown over the past several decades, not everyone in the population has benefited evenly. Despite legislative efforts, the number of child workers has increased over recent years, particularly in the country’s major cities, where many children move to for work.

4. Ethiopia

Despite more and more recent government efforts, underage working remains a problem in Ethiopia. 41.5% of the country’s population that is aged between 7 and 14 is employed in some form of work. Just over half of the country’s children ever finish primary school. Many children are brought from underdeveloped regions of the country into Addis Ababa where they are forced into areas of work such as shoe shining, vending, mining, and even unpaid labor.

3. The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are often forced to work in gold, wolframite, and coltan mines, as well as being engaged in the armed conflicts prevalent in the region. 3,327,806 children in the country are child laborers working in various sectors like agriculture, industry and services. Children are often hindered from going to school, especially in eastern Congo, and they are also forcibly recruited into armed forces while attending schools. Sexual exploitation of children is also common here. Inability to provide valid birth registration certificates and proof of citizenship often leaves children no choice but to enter the labor markets, toiling hard to make money for their poor families. Use of children as slaves is also practiced by the non-national armed groups.

2. Chad

Most of the work that children are engaged in in Chad is agricultural. Most are employed in the informal sector. Some children in the country may be sold or trafficked against their will to work in areas of the country related to oil production. Sadly, it is not unheard of for children to be forced to be child soldiers. More than half of the country’s children is working as per UNICEF data.

1. Bangladesh

In the South Asian country of Bangladesh, children work in garment factories, farming, and in various types of manufacturing. However, the exact nature of their employment is hard to track as it is informal. Like all of the other countries on this list, poverty is the main cause of underaged work in Bangladesh. Despite there being some legislation in place in Bangladesh to protect children, the country will have challenges ahead as it is very susceptible to climate change.

What are the Worst Countries For Child Labor?

Some of the countries where child labor is common includes Nigeria, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Liberia.

source https://fourteen.online/top-10-worst-countries-for-child-labor/

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Leaders Who Created a Cult of Personality in the World

Leaders who created a cult of personality is often created through the means of propaganda, where a political leader is heavily glorified.

A cult of personality, or cult of the leader, arises when a country’s regime – or, more rarely, an individual – uses the techniques of mass media, propaganda, the big lie, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies to create an idealized, heroic, and worshipful image of a leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. A cult of personality is similar to apotheosis, except that it is established by modern social engineering techniques, usually by the state or the party in one-party states and dominant-party states. It is often seen in totalitarian or authoritarian countries.

A cult of personality is often created through the means of propaganda, where a political leader is heavily glorified. Though the term itself is not inherently good or bad, it often has negative connotations as it is commonly used in dictatorships or totalitarian regimes. Here is a list of world leaders who have been accused of harboring a cult of personality.

10. Turkmenistan – Saparmurat Niyazov

The central Asian country of Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union until gaining its independence in 1991. Politician Saparmurat Niyazov began his term as First Secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party in 1985. Years later, in 1999, he was appointed president for life which garnered him a place in history as the leader of one of the world’s most notable personality cults. Under his totalitarian rule political opponents were routinely jailed or confined to psychiatric hospitals, the media was closely controlled by the state, and Niyazov enacted various
bizarre policies such as outlawing ballet and opera and banning young men from having long hair or beards. The leader also renamed months of the year in honor of his family members and had a revolving golden statue of himself constructed atop a building in the capital city of Ashgabat.

9. Iraq – Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein ruled his homeland of Iraq as its fifth president from July 1979 to April 2003. Hussein was a believer in socialism and Arab nationalism. Hussein’s cult of personality arises from his absolute rule of law of which the consequences of breaking such laws usually had fatal consequences. Hussein achieved in closely tying the military to the work of the government. Economically the Iraqi leader nationalized industries such as oil production and was given control over the national banks. Hussein’s regime was characterized by violence and repression. It’s been estimated that Hussein’s security force was responsible for the murder of approximately 250,000 people.The end of Saddam Hussein’s personality cult came with the invasion of American forces in 2003. After his capture, the ex-leader was jailed, put on trial, convicted of numerous crimes against humanity, and executed in 2006.

8. North Korea – Kim II-Sung and Kim Jong-il

 

Personality cults rely on the use of propaganda to create an idealized portrait of a leader or regime. Known as the Great Leader King Jong-il (the elder) imposed strict rules on every aspect of life in North Korea. Citizens were grouped into five strata in the “songbun” system. Placement was determined by the actions of one’s father’s ancestors. In 1967, Jong-il imposed his “Monolithic Ideological System” which forbid any form of contradiction. King Jong-il, Kim II- sung’s son, took over after his father’s death in 1994. Recently, the dictator has been in the international spotlight for his aggressive attempts to create an atomic weapon powerful enough to reach the U.S.

7. Haiti – Francois Duvalier

The Caribbean island of country of Haiti was once a Spanish and then French colony. Francois Duvalier rose to power in 1957 when he became the nation’s president. In keeping with the inner workings of personality cults, Duvalier, also known as “Papa Doc”, relied on the violent organization called “Tontons Macoutes” or “Bogeymen” to terrorize opponents and undesirable members of the public. Among the most outlandish claims made by the dictator was that he believed himself to be the physical embodiment of his country. He was also convinced that he had a special relationship with God and thought of himself as being immaterial as opposed to an ordinary human being. Duvalier went so far as adding a section to the Lord’s Prayer in his honor.

6. Russia – Joseph Stalin

 

Joseph Stalin is considered to be one of the most ruthless, powerful, and blood thirsty dictators in world history. The Russian leader combined his Marxist and Leninist beliefs into his own political theory known as “Stalinism”. His domestic agenda reflected his desire to move the Soviet Union from being reliant on agriculture to a more industrialized nation. The dictator’s repressive policies were a key factor in the devastating famine of 1933-34. Stalin also systematically disposed of his enemies in operations such as the Great Purge in which countless Russians were imprisoned, exiled, or killed. Although at the beginning of World War II Stalin entered into a pact with the Nazi regime, Hitler invaded Russia in 1941 thus beginning a long and bloody conflict between the two powers.

5. Albania – Enver Hoxha

The authoritative regime of communist dictator Enver Hoxha lasted over forty years from 1944 until his death in 1985. Politically Hoxha subscribed to an anti-revisionist Marxism–Leninism ideology. The leader wielded his power by maintaining an image of charismatic authority over the country’s citizens. Hoxha ran the government without respect for the rule of law, democracy, and personal freedoms. Imprisonment, court trails merely for show, and torture were all routine practices. Any dissent was subject to severe punishment including being sentenced to a forced labor camp or execution. Hoxha’s policies included repressive control of the media, a clamp down on traveling abroad, and, in an effort to discourage the influence of Islam, beards were banned.

4. Equatorial Guinea – Francisco Macias Nguema

Equatorial Guinea is a small nation located on the western coast of Africa. Francisco Macias Nguema held the position as the country’s first Prime Minister in 1968. His regime lasted until a political coup in 1979. Nguema became an orphan at a young age when his father, an alleged witch doctor, was murdered by Spanish authorities. Shortly afterward, he lost his mother to suicide. After Nguema embarked on a political career he served in a variety of positions including as mayor, territorial member of parliament, and deputy prime minister. Free elections were held in 1968 and Nguema then rose to the rank of head of state. From this point onward the leader moved to afford himself extensive political power over all branches of government. In 1972, after merging all of the country’s political parties into the United National Party, Nguema was given the distinction of President for Life and was afforded absolute power over the nation. Violence played an important role in Nguema’s regime and he is said to have ordered countless families killed and entire villages destroyed. A factor which might’ve influenced Nguema and help explain some of his strangest edicts was his steady consumption of cannabis and other various psychedelic substances.

3. Vietnam – Hồ Chí Minh

 

Hồ Chí Minh was a communist leader who began his career as the Chairman and First secretary of the Worker’s Party of Vietnam. As a young man, Hồ Chí Minh studied and worked in numerous foreign countries including France, the U.S., the U.K., the Soviet Union, and China. Various military campaigns and frequent violence marked the rule of Hồ Chí Minh and his efforts to secure Vietnam’s quest for independence. After the leader’s death in 1976, the Vietnamese city of Saigon was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City in his honor. The late leader also has a museum dedicated to his life and achievements and appears on the nation’s currency.

2. China – Mao Zedong

 

Chairman Mao Zedong played a major role in shaping China into the super power it has become today. The communist revolutionary/poet/political theorist/ military strategist served as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China from 1949 until his death in 1976. Early on in his rule, he ordered the mass killing of his political enemies whom he referred to as “counterrevolutionaries”. It’s estimated that during this 1949 purge, between two and six million people lost their lives. Zedong’s attempts to move China’s economy away from being an agriculturally based one toward the development of various industries contributed to a devastating country wide famine which cost some fifteen to fifty five million citizens their lives.

1. Venezeula – Hugo Chávez

 

Hugo Chávez ruled the South American nation of Venezeula as its President from 1999 to 2013. A former member of the nation’s military, Chavez went on to found the “Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200”. After a failed coup he received a prison sentence but was released after two years. Chavez then went on to form the Fifth Republic Movement and in 1998 was elected for the first time as Venezuela’s president. Politically the leader implemented an array of anti-imperialist policies which were often at odds with U.S. interests. During his time in office, society in Venezeula was characterized by high rates of crime, prison overcrowding, corruption, a booming drug trade, and widespread crippling poverty.

The post Leaders Who Created a Cult of Personality in the World appeared first on Gradaxis.

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Left- Or Right-Handedness Influence in Personality And Behavior?

According to some researchers, handedness can have marked effects on the abilities and behavior of humans and wildlife alike. Left- Or Right-Handedness can Influence in Personality And Behavior.

Hand preference is often viewed as a troublesome variable in psychological research, with left-handers routinely excluded from studies. Contrary to this, a body of evidence has shown hand preference to be a useful variable when examining human behavior. A recent review argues that the most effective way of using handedness as a variable, is a comparison between individuals who use their dominant hand for virtually all manual activities (consistent handers) versus those who use their other hand for at least one activity (inconsistent handers). The authors contend that researchers should only focus on degree of handedness rather than direction of preference (left versus right). However, we argue that the field suffers from a number of methodological and empirical issues. These include a lack of consensus in choice of cut-off point to divide consistent and inconsistent categories and importantly a paucity of data from left-handers. Consequentially, researchers predominantly compare inconsistent versus consistent right-handers, largely linked to memory, cognition and language. Other research on response style and personality measures shows robust direction of handedness effects. The present study examines both strength and direction of handedness on self-reported behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) scores, using evidence from a large (N = 689) dataset including more than 200 left-handers. There were degree of handedness effects on BIS and BAS-Fun Seeking, but effects are largely driven by differences between consistent left-handers and other groups. Choice of cut-off point substantively influenced results, and suggests that unless a suitable sample of left-handers is included, researchers clarify that their degree of handedness effects are applicable only to right-handers. We concur that strength of hand preference is an important variable but caution that differences related to consistency may not be identical in right and left-handers.

Notable Lefties (“Southpaws”)

All that unites the great personalities from the list below is their preference to use their left hands in cases many of us would have used to work with our rights.

Military Commanders: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Charlemagne, Napoleon was also heft-hander, it is clearly seen in the paintings.

Scientists: Einstein, Isaac Newton, James Maxwell and Ivan Pavlov. The students watching as Pavlov makes surgeries, had to turn everything upside down using the mirror.

Musicians: contemporary – Paul McCartney, and of the classics – Mozart and Beethoven.

Artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rafael, Rubens and Picasso.

Politicians: Benjamin Franklin and the British Queen Victoria. Since 1981, all of the American presidents have been “southpaws” – Reagan, Bush the junior and Clinton. The current president Barack Obama is also in the club.

Athletes: One of the most brilliant association football (soccer) players of the 20th Century, Diego Maradona, and best-known tennis players, Martina Navratilova.

Actors: Here you have almost all of Hollywood. Historically, Charlie Chaplin was southpaw, while among the existing are Robert de Niro, Julia Roberts, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Whoopi Goldberg, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Mila Jovovich.

Businessmen: John Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates.

Writers: The famous children’s writers Hans Christian Andersen, and Lewis Carroll who wrote Alice in Wonderland. In the book, he describes the feelings left-handed experience in the ordinary, right-handed world. Nikolai Leskov, who wrote “The Southpaw”, was a southpaw himself.

What Causes One Hand To Dominate Over The Other?

Ed Wright published a book, Left-handed History of the World, wherein he says that left-handed individuals account for about 10% of the population of the Earth. In childhood, left-handed people often differ from their peers by exhibiting prolonged periods of stubbornness. But usually they are artistically gifted and very emotional children. Starting from the age of 3, in drawing and the molding of clay and plasticine art they are much more proficient than the other, right-handed kids. In adolescence, southpaws may more quickly develop musical abilities, and often go about with absolute hearing. The ability to speak blesses them later in comparison with other children, and it happens that, throughout life, they may experience difficulties in pronouncing certain sounds. Often, math causes certain difficulties, but the ability to find extraordinary solutions removes the problem in later years. By nature, left-handed people have a tendency for frequent mood change, to become whimsical, and to exhibit rage and anger, as well as show perseverance in the fulfillment of their objectives.

Influence on Behavior and Achievement

Left-handed people often tend to have a dreamy nature, possess a good memory, and excel in dimensional orientation. The left-handed could at times be said to be “slowpokes”, although the results of their long-term thinking processes are often original masterpieces. Many of the genetic southpaws, under the greater society’s pressures, were forced to “re-learn” to become right-handed. Men are almost 2 times more predisposed to left-handiness than women. Among the male population, left-handed people comprise 12%, and among females the rate drops to 8%. In one theory, this is due to the fact that left-handiness is a consequence of an excess of the male hormone testosterone during the intrauterine maturation of the fetus.

Handedness In Other Animals

Among the animal kingdom, the kangaroo often preferentially uses the left paw, while only one in ten humans are southpaw. The latest hypothesis says that the capability for bipedalism (walking on two feet rather than four) influenced the distribution of functions between the right and left hemispheres of the brain for both humans and other bipedal animals (such as kangaroos). The centers associated with speech are located in the left hemisphere of the brain, which means you likely came out well and fine with speech most certainly if you are right-handed. While in the process of evolution, being left-handed ensured better survival due to the effect of surprises, receiving the serious advantage of unexpectedness in fights.

Social Perceptions Of Left- and Right-Handed People

In English there is an expression: “Only the left-handed are in their right minds”. Indeed, the left side of the body is controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, and left-handers have their right hemispheres as the dominant ones. At the same time, studies have shown that the right and left hemispheres of the brain perform various functions. The Right Hemisphere is largely responsible for visual and spatial perception. There are plenty of left-handers among architects and sculptors. For example, in the cases of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Rafael, their left-handiness likely helped make it possible for them to achieve such accomplishments in the fine arts. Henry Ford, in the industrial design field, Babe Ruth, Martina Navratilova, and John McEnroe in sports, and Napoleon, who possessed a phenomenal gift to mentally restore maps of areas in all military fields, were all left-handed. Visual-spatial perception is also connected with the ability of abstract thinking. Being a minority group in such sports as tennis, baseball, and cricket, the success of left-handed athletes is remarkable. The trajectory of the ball, sent by southpaws to the side of the counterpart, is almost impossible to predict, since the attacks carried out under non-standard angles. Conversely, the fact that “lefties” must often play against “righties” acclimates them to such, and takes away the same prospective advantage for right-handers over left-handers. The ability of left-handed individuals to catch enemies by surprise is not limited to the realm of sport alone. We may look in a brilliant military career of other left-handers, such as Alexander the Great and Napoleon, who were genius commanders largely due to the ability to encounter their enemies in misleading situations and their knacks for unexpected strategic decisions.

Ambidexterity and Cross-Dominance

Another special case is those people who are “ambidextrous” or “cross-dominant”. Ambidexterity refers to essentially equal capabilities of either hand, while cross-dominance refers to being more proficient at certain tasks with one hand and other tasks with the other. These rare people exhibit high levels of proficiencies with either of their hands, whether separately or in collaboration. Given the unique advantages of left- and right-handed individuals, respectively, in a number of fields, ambidextrous and cross-dominant individuals may have some of the greatest physical and cognitive advantages of all.

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Countries That Drive on the Left Side of the Road

This is a summary of countries that drive on the left side of the road.

One of the biggest concerns for road-trippers venturing abroad is which side of the road to drive on.

While most people know that the UK drives on the left and the US drives on the right, beyond that, it can sometimes get a little confusing.

Obviously, it makes sense for one territory to choose a direction and stick to it, so as to avoid the inevitable crashes and confusion between countries.

But oddly, it isn’t always quite so straightforward.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that Britain and most former British colonies – including India, Australia and South Africa – drive on the left, while continental Europe and the USA drive on the right. There are, however, a handful of exceptions to that rule that may surprise you.

Nearly 75% of countries in the world require drivers to drive on the right side of traffic. Although the majority drive on the right, there is no global standard driving system which causes some countries to require driving on the left. Left side drivers include the majority of former British colonies and the right drivers include US, Latin America and most European nations. The following is a summary of countries who drive on the left.

List of Countries Who Drive on the Left

Asia

15 Asian nations drive on the left. These countries include Hong Kong, India, Brunei, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. The history of driving on the left in Japan began during the Edo Period (1603-1867). In 1872, the British laid out the first railway line in the country. It was left-sided and laid the foundation for left-sided driving in Japan. East Timor started driving on the left in 1976 under Indonesian rule and continues to do so today.Macau and Hong Kong, unlike Mainland China, drive on the left. Thailand was never colonized but also drives on the left.

Africa

African countries have left-sided traffic including the former British colonies of Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda, and Tanzania. Other former British colonies including Sierra Leone and Nigeria changed to right-sided driving because they border former French colonies. Mozambique, having been colonized by the Portuguese, drives on the left even though its former European power switched to right-sided traffic in the 1920s. Mozambique borders nations which drive on the left as well. Mauritius also adheres to left-handed traffic.

Australia and Oceania

Australia and its territories (including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island) all drive on the left. New Zealand and its territories (The Cook Islands and Tokelau) are also included in the list of left-handed drivers. Other territories that drive on the left include the former British colonies of Fiji, Pitcairn Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Niue. Nauru, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Solomon Islands also have left-sided traffic.

Europe

The first legislation to make traffic left-sided in the UK was made in 18th century in London. This law required that traffic on the London Bridge keep left. The Highway Act of 1835 made this law applicable in the British Empire. Although most European countries switched to right-sided traffic in the 20th century, the UK still continues to drive on the left. Guernsey, the Isle of Man in addition to Jersey, being Crown Dependencies of the UK, also keep left. Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus have left-sided traffic as well.

West Indies

The UK Overseas Territories in the West Indies keep left which are Anguilla, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Countries formerly part of the British Empire that drive on the left side include Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada. The U.S. Virgin Islands also have left-sided traffic.

History of Left-Sided Traffic

Historically, the majority of the human population has always been right-handed. It is theorized that left-handed traffic began in the days of horse travel. The left-sided position but them at the advantage of having easy access to their sword with their right-handed in case of an enemy encounter.

Which Countries Drive on the Left Side?

Some of the countries that drive on the left side of the road include the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

List of Countries Who Drive on the Left

Places With Left-Hand Drive
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bermuda
Bhutan
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Cayman Islands
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cook Islands
Cyprus
Dominica
East Timor
Eswatini
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Grenada
Guernsey
Guyana
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Isle of Man
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Macau
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Niue
Norfolk Island
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Pitcairn Islands
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Seychelles
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Tanzania
Thailand
The Bahamas
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos
Tuvalu
U. S. Virgin Islands
Uganda
United Kingdom
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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The Most Drought Prone Countries in the World

The most drought prone countries in the world than others, due to a variety of environmental factors.

Water covers seventy-one percent of the earth; the remaining 29% is land. However, a third of the land mass is considered desert. The two largest deserts in the world occupy the coldest places on earth, the Arctic, and the Antarctic. The Sahara Desert remains the largest hot desert in the world. Global warming is accelerating desertification, and by 2050 a large part of the earth would have limited access to fresh water. African and Asian countries are the most affected by desertification. The 3,500,000 Square-Mile Sahara Desert spans across the entire North Africa region and is quickly encroaching into east Africa.

Countries such as Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Panama, and Columbia are considered some of the luckiest, as they receive the most rainfall.

Those who don’t receive enough, however, are prone to experiencing difficult living conditions and are at risk of facing drought.

There may be many causes that lead to drought. This includes reduced rainfall, experiencing more than one dry season, the impact of human activities or an over-usage of resources, due to over-populated countries.

One of the longest droughts in the world, lasted about 400 years, in Chile, which will hopefully, never happen again, but the future odds might just have a few surprises in store for the world too.

10. Morocco

The Sahara Desert covers a large part of Morocco. About 18.22% of the country’s arable land is under vegetation, 12.62% is forest cover while the rest is desert. The southern part of the country experiences rainfall of between 100 mm and 200 mm in a year. Although the country is prone to drought, it is Africa’s 5th largest economy. The government has set up a $633 million contingency plan to mitigate the effects of the recurrent droughts.

9. Uganda

The Republic of Uganda lies within the Equator. It is a relatively small country but with a population of 41 million. About 71.89% of Uganda is agricultural land, 34.41% is arable land and 10.36% is under forest cover. The Congo forest covers eastern Uganda, but the northern part bordering South Sudan is exposed to the encroaching Sahara. The area experiences constant drought that leaves half a million people with very little food and water. Despite years of government interventions, the situation in northern Uganda remains critical.

8. Somalia

Unfortunately, food security is a widespread concern in Somalia. One reality affecting this is the fact that only 1.75% of Somalia is arable land. A majority of Somalians depend on international food donations by the United Nations organizations and the International Red Cross. Up to a million people are threatened by starvation, most of whom are children and women.

7. Iran

Desert coves a large part of Iran. 73% of the country is considered desert land, leaving 27% as agricultural land. About 6.5% of the land is under forest cover while a mere 1.1% is considered permanent cropland. The food situation in the country is so dire that the government has notified the UN that it requires international aid. The country has spent about US $1.7 billion to mitigate recurrent droughts in the country, including US $200 million spent on water pumps and water purification systems.

6. Pakistan

Between 1998-2002, Pakistan experienced the worst drought in 50 years. Today, the situation has gotten worse. The government states that a shortage of food and water threatens nearly three million people. The Thar Desert in the southern part of the country has been abandoned as thousands of people and millions of livestock migrate in search of humane conditions. It is anticipated that by 2025 Pakistan will face an absolute scarcity of water as country’s largest supplier of fresh water; the Indus River basin, continues to dry up.

5. China

In recent times, the northern and southwest regions of China have been facing persistent drought that leaves millions of people on the verge of starvation. Crops wilt while farmers and herders are in desperate need of water for their farmlands and animals. About three million people in Shanxi Province in northern China are in dire need of water while a third of the wheat crop in the area dry up due to lack of irrigation or rainwater. The deserts of China are spreading at an annual average of 1,300 square miles a situation that has seen the government deploy soldiers to plant trees.

4. Afghanistan

Afghanistan is among the driest and most barren countries in the world. About 2.5 million people have been affected and need help for the government and the international aid. The southern parts of the country lose about 60-80% of animals whenever a drought occurs. Crops that depend on rain in several provinces including Balkh, Herat, Sar-e-Pul, jawzjan, and Faryab dry up, resulting in starvation and migration of people.

3. Eritrea

Eritrea is facing a series of terrible crises which includes a recurrent border clash war with Ethiopia, poverty, famine, political instability, migration, diseases, and drought. The country is currently facing a major food shortage that has exposed 1.3 million people to starvation. Children are the most affected as UNICEF and international donor organizations rush to mitigate malnutrition and food-related diseases. About half of the children in the country are facing malnutrition while two of three people survive on two or fewer meals a day.

2. Sudan

About 2.8 million people in Sudan are affected by drought every year. Severe effects are felt in southern Sudan where a combination of drought and a civil war is rampaging across the country. Sudan is largely a desert, and the country, like Egypt, depends on the Nile River for water. Arable land is found along the banks of the river. The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile threatens to reduce the flow of water on the Nile, consequentially escalating the drought in Sudan.

1. Ethiopia

Poor harvests and recurrent insecurity in some regions of Ethiopia has led to food instability and falling food reserves across the country. Approximately one million people including children below the age of five require government and international intervention every year. Torrential rains and flash floods, poverty, and diseases worsen the situation.

Which Countries Are The Most Drought Prone in the World?

Some of the countries that are most prone to drought include Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan.

The post The Most Drought Prone Countries in the World appeared first on Gradaxis.

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