See link for additional information: http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm#1
A really fascinating study published by the Inter-Parliamentary Union sheds light on the proportion of women serving in national parliaments across the world. The data from this study reveals some surprising statistics--Rwanda has the highest proportion of women serving in national government compared to any other country. In case you were wondering, the United States is ranked #102, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan scored higher in this area. In order to promote gender equality in government, many countries have imposed Gender Quotas, which require political parties to set aside a certain number of seats for female representatives. South Africa has successfully become a leader on this issue since over 40% of MP's are female. Other countries that have similar Gender Quotas include: Norway, Sweden, Australia, and Canada.
See link for additional information: http://archive.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm#1
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This cool map illustrates where Americans can travel without a visa. As of February 2018, holders of U.S. passports can travel to 176 countries without a visa or visa on arrival. According to the Henley & Partners passport index, the U.S. passport is the 5th most powerful passport when it comes to freedom of movement across the globe. The United States is tied with Canada, Ireland, and Switzerland. In case you were wondering, Japan and Singapore have the most powerful passports. Citizens in those countries are able to visit 180 countries without a visa.
Last February I received my Global Entry card from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection center at JFK Airport in New York City. I highly recommend signing up for Global Entry if you are a U.S. passport holder because it saves you a lot of time whenever you arrive in the United States after an international flight. Here is the link to the Global Entry website. The South African Department of Home Affairs has announced that they will be implementing a new eVisa program for immigrants and tourists beginning in March 2019. Many countries across the world including Turkey and India operate an eVisa program. The current visa system in South Africa has become riddled with bureaucratic and complex hurdles. In 2009 the British government decided to require that all South African citizens apply for a UK visa before entering the country (even if they were in transit at an airport). The British government made this decision due to corruption within the Department of Home Affairs. In addition, this department has been criticized for its inefficiency, particularly in regard to processing documents. The Democratic Alliance, which is the official opposition party in South Africa supports the rollout of an eVisa program in order to streamline the current visa and immigration process into South Africa.
In January 2017 the South African government retaliated against New Zealand by imposing additional visa restrictions against their citizens. The South African government claims that it's moving toward a reciprocal visa system. I know it's been a while since I've last contributed -- but here I am again! Over the past few months I have been paying close attention to the issue of South Africa's brain drain. This map published by the Code For South Africa Data Journalism Academy illustrates where South Africans are moving to. The top recipients of skilled South Africans according to this study include the: United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Ireland. Aside from those countries, it's also important to note that many skilled South Africans are moving to the United States and New Zealand. Although data from this map is from 2015, it sheds light on a critical issue the South African government must face.
Last February Cyril Ramaphosa became South Africa's 5th President. His administration faces many critical challenges such as tackling the nation's high unemployment, handling the high influx of Zimbabwean refugees, violent crime, and reversing the ongoing brain drain. Instead of discussing land reform, the African National Congress and Economic Freedom Fighters must examine what "they" can do to prevent more young and talented South Africans from leaving their country. |
Gabriel FilerThis blog started as a place to dump my thoughts as I tried to wade through the complexity of this world. It also serves as a platform to put my ideas out into the ethers. Archives
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