By: Jade Wagner & Piera Fraser

We have chosen to compare our countries on this goal by using GNI. GNI, gross national income, is the amount of money earned per person, on average, in one year. To put this in retrospect, an American, on average, makes $50,610 a year. Lebanon’s GNI is $9,1900, whereas Angola’s GNI is $4,580. Thinking of the average American, a Lebanese man/woman is far behind. With that in mind, Angola’s citizens are even farther behind. Angola has been and will continue to struggle with feeding the hungry. Lebanon doesn’t seem to be doing as well as the US, but it’s enough to keep poverty to a minimum.

With this goal, we decided to compare our countries based on the gross enrollment ratio of children, male and female, in primary or secondary school education. The ratio is calculated by taking the number of children enrolled in a level, regardless of age, divided by the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the same level. In Lebanon, the number of females enrolled in school is The number of males enrolled in school is It doesn’t seem too bad, but then Angola has females and males enrolled in school. Angola puts focus on education for all more than Lebanon does.

For this goal, we compared our countries using the percentage of women employed in agricultural sectors and women holding seats in parliament. In Lebanon, only 14% of all the employees in agricultural sectors are women. In Angola, 24% are women. It’s not too big of difference, but in parliament only 3% of women hold seats in Lebanon. In Angola, 34% hold seats in parliament. Lebanon has strictly enforced the role of a woman to only be a mother and a home-maker, whereas Angola is going more toward the direction of equality.

For this goal, we compared our countries using the mortality rate of children under 5 years of age. In Lebanon, 9 children in every 1,000 births die within a year. In Angola, 164 children in every 1,000 births die within a year. To put that into perspective, within a year, 7 children in every 1,000 births die in the United States. Lebanon’s death rate isn’t much greater than that of the United States. Angola, however, has 155 more children die in every 1,000 births.

For this goal, we compared our countries using the maternal mortality ratio and the overall lifetime risk of maternal death. The ratio measures the amount of pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births. For Lebanon, the number was 45. So, 45 women out of 100,000 die during or after birth. In Angola, every 450 women out of 100,000 die. To put that into perspective, in the United States, only 21 out of every 100,000 die. Lebanon and the United States are close in numbers. Angola is far above them, leaving every 1 out of 39 women at risk. With Lebanon, only every 1 out of 2,100 are at risk.

For this goal, there wasn’t much comparing. Lebanon doesn’t have enough of a problem with these diseases to create statistics for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, or other diseases. Angola, on the other hand, does. An estimated 250,000 people, of all ages, are living with AIDS as of As for Malaria, only 28.3% of children ages 0- 4, with a malaria-related fever, were given antimalarial medicine. Malaria is caused by being bitten by a specific mosquito infected with the parasite. A preventative measure they use is nets. They cover beds and living spaces to keep mosquitos out. Only 34.5% of the people in Angola have at least 1 bed net. So, while Lebanon is doing great with this goal, Angola is pretty far behind.

For this goal, we compared our countries using what happens with the solid waste accumulated in large cities. In Beirut, Lebanon, only 17% of the waste is either recycled or composted. 51% is sent to a landfill, but 32% of waste is open-dumped. Open- dumped means waste is thrown in the city and trashed on the streets. In Angola, the population has increased by 470% over the last 20 years in the capital city of Luanda. With this population increase, solid waste has become even bigger of an issue. A solution has not been found because it would require a % increase in collection capacity of the already under-funded sanitation companies.

ANGOLA: The only goal that’s almost been completed is the achieving of universal primary education. All other goals are far behind and a year isn’t enough time to complete them. LEBANON: About 3 or 4 of these goals have been almost completed or are working towards completion. However, maternal health and infant mortality are going to continue to grow as long as Lebanon treats its women with continual disrespect.