 |
    |
 
Mali Why children in Mali need your helpMali is one of the poorest countries in the world, with one-third of the population suffering from malnutrition, and over 70 per cent surviving on less than $1 a day. The extreme poverty has a terrible impact on children in the region, resulting in high infant mortality rates. Less than half of all women are attended by skilled personnel during childbirth, and immunisation coverage is low. Infrastructure is also poor, with schools overcrowded and lacking eduational materials. Due to poor family incomes, school enrolments are low, with girls in particular less likely to attend. Female genital mutilation is still common in some regions of the country, and many girls suffer lifelong physical problems as a result. Country factsPreviously a French colony, land-locked Mali achieved its independence in 1960. Over twenty years of military dictatorship followed, with the country finally holding democratic elections in 2002. Over 60 per cent of Mali's land area is desert, and agricultural activity is confined to the region irrigated by the Niger river. The majority of the population is reliant on subsistence agriculture, and 10 per cent of the population remain nomadic. Mali is one of Africa's largest cotton producers, and exporters have lobbied for subsidies for wealthier nations to be lifted, in order to improve earnings from this resource. The country also exports gold, but remains largely dependent on foreign aid.
|
