AVERAGE, MINIMUM AND LIVING WAGES

The Zambian Government has recently raised the minimum wage. This is not before time, as the cost of living continues to rise, making Zambia one of the most expensive countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is good, too, that this rise appears to be non-negotiable. There have been the predictable complaints about stifling investment and threats of redundancy from the usual suspects - agri-business, construction, the mines and the Employers’ Federation.

Annual inflation is around 10%. According to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, the JCTR’s Basic Needs Basket’s (BNB) for June 2012 total amounts to K3, 395,660 for an average family of five living in Lusaka. See www.jctr.org.zm

The new basic wage, although an improvement, is woefully inadequate. Another JCTR survey shows that low incomes and high living costs make it impossible for people to save any money. In fact, it is even worse, as families all over the country are reducing the number of meals they eat, to eke out family income, so that they can reach pay-day. By raising the tax threshold to K2m or $400, the Government has helped to take many low-wage earners out of the tax bracket.

The minimum monthly wage for domestic workers has increased from K256 000 ($50) to about $105 (K525 000). The wages of other workers - such as shop assistants, farmworkers, and construction workers, will increase from $50 to $220 (K1 100 000).

Almost two thirds of the Zambian population of 13 million people live on a dollar or less a day, and only around 500,000 people are employed by the formal sector, according to the country's Central Statistical Office.

However, with these recent measures, Zambia seems to be giving a nod in the direction of the post-war Beveridge ideal of full-employment, something that was the political consensus here in Britain until the 70s, when tackling inflation became more important than decent jobs for the working population. Now, casualisation, short-term contracts and minimum-waged jobs are the norm.

Since inflation reduces the value of money, neo-liberal governments and the financial sector wish to control it tightly. As a result, we are now beginning to see: greater poverty, a wider gulf between the rich and poor, and the smallest amount of disposable income for many since the 1930s, as people lose their jobs and have their pensions cut.

  Here in Scotland, Members of the Scottish Parliament, MSPs, are trying to ensure that private companies who work for public organisations pay their staff a "living wage" to help those many families who suffer from “in-work poverty”. Child poverty campaigners reckon that 60% of Scottish children live in such households.

The lowest paid worker for the Scottish government now earns at least £7.20 an hour. MSPs want this to be the case for all workers from private firms on contract to the government. £9 billion is spent by Scottish authorities to pay for services provided by private companies, but between a quarter and third of these workers earn less than the living wage.

To make the living wage a condition of any government contract, may breach European Union law some complain. However, European Law is not the Law of the Medes and Persians yet, and should not be used as an excuse to stop doing what is right.

  The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports that a couple with two children now need to earn £36,800 a year to have a "socially acceptable" standard of living in Britain. This has increased by one third in 4 years, due to rising childcare costs, food prices, utility bills and transport costs, combined with cuts to benefits.

The minimum income standard (MIS) study was commissioned by the Foundation and undertaken by Loughborough University. Its main finding was that increasing numbers of people in Britain live below what is an acceptable standard of living. This MIS standard includes earning enough to eat a balanced diet, run a car and heat a house.

A couple with two children each need £18,400 a year.
Single people need £16,400 a year.
A single parent with a child needs £23,900 a year.
A pensioner couple need £12,000 each.

Like the JCTR basket, the breadline is not being considered, but instead a level of income that is required for an acceptable standard of living.

Childcare has risen by nearly a third since 2008.

Travel:
Bus fares have doubled in 10 years.
Public transport has been cut, so for a family with children, a car has become essential.

The minimum weekly amounts for “socially acceptable” life essentials are listed below.

Childcare: £147.85
Beds and bedding: £3.29
Garden equipment: £0.66

Meat: £18.08
Vegetables: £11.27
Snacks: £3.65

Parent social activities: £30.00
UK holiday: £18.52
Birthday gifts: £8.42

Car: £60.25
Public transport: £12.38
Cycling: £1.40

(Based on a couple with two young children with a weekly income of £685).


All this talk about minimum wages, living wages, MIS or BNBs in Scotland, Britain and Zambia leads on to the question: "What is the world's average wage?". The United Nations' International Labour Organization (ILO) recently had a go at working it out.
First, they worked out the total wage bill for every country in the world. To do that, they took the average salary from each central statistics office, and multiplied that amount by the number of earners in each country. Unfortunately, the data covered only 72 countries and only formal wage earners were counted - not the self-employed or people on benefits, so in some countries the data is incomplete. Then they added the total wage bill for each country, and divided that by the total number of earners in the world. That gave an average salary of $1,480 (£928) a month, which is almost $18,000 (£11,291) a year.

The ILO then used a specially adjusted exchange rate called Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) dollars. One PPP dollar is equal to $1 spent in the US. This is because it is cheaper to live in some countries than others. In other words, it takes account of what dollars can buy in each particular country, compared with the United States.

Some Average Salaries in PPP$:

Luxembourg:  $4,000 Monthly; $48,000 Yearly
US & UK: $3,000 Monthly; $37,000 Yearly
Bulgaria: $1,500 Monthly; $18,000 Yearly
Tajikistan: $225 Monthly; $2,700 Yearly

The world average comes to $75 a day for a 20-day working month - but a third of the world's population lives on less than $2 a day, and no account has been taken of child labour, pensioners, children and stay-at-home parents, and the self-employed. The number of self-employed is also huge. In developed countries, about 90% of working people are paid employees, but that figure is much lower in many developing countries.

In Zambia, most people are self-employed or work as independent farmers, and less than 20% of workers are salaried. In the same report, ILO Global Wage Report 2010/11, the PPP$ minimum wage for Zambia was given as $77 per month or $924 per annum, which is not the same as the average, but nonetheless it gives a good idea of the starting threshold. In 2011, Zambia was surprisingly awarded middle income status by the World Bank, with an annual Gross National Income per capita of $1160, even though the average national wage remains under $100 per month.

GREGOR & SARAH’S WEDDING

We have been out of circulation recently.

Last Wednesday, we set out as the vanguard of the Waddell Clan’s outing to North Wales and Chester, for Gregor and Sarah’s wedding.

We took over 2 holiday houses near Wrexham for a week. Ruairidh and Lucy had arrived on the Tuesday from Zambia, and caught up with Gregor overnight in Chester before moving to be with us. Fiona had already flown home to Australia. Their second baby is due on 19 September.

Keith, Ida and Mubita left Edinburgh and went through to Catriona’s and Kirsten’s to pick up some of their katundu. They would be travelling down the next day with Stuart and baby Iona and what with prams and other infant impedimenta, their boot would be packed tight.

We continued comfortably down the M6, then M52, and finally to the North Wales Expressway to Rossett. We took a short break at a service station outside Lancaster, where Keith was bombed by a gob of guano from a low flying bird of the air. This we took as a good augury for the forthcoming nuptials!

We met up with Sarah, Gregor, Ruairidh and Lucy, and had a convivial family supper at a local inn that evening.

On Thursday, we got ready for the Glasgow contingent who arrived in the afternoon. Another expedition that afternoon was taking Lucy and Mubita shopping for shoes without the benefit of reins, or the pushchair, which was still to arrive from Dubai. Ida suffered a similar misfortune with her luggage both on the way to Washington and on the way back. So it is not just on the Jo’burg – Livingstone run these things happen.

On Friday, Gregor had the day off, so he came to join us for his last day and night of bachelorhood. It was good spending time in the Church, Northgate in Chester, seeing the creative and artistic way Sarah and Gregor had decorated the sanctuary. We helped to decorate and prepare the hall for the reception. That evening we organized a braai for both families.

On the Saturday, the maids of honour withdrew to Chester to visit the hairdressers and to dress, while the groomsmen and lady arrived at our house to get ready. Ruairidh was best man and Kathy and Anthony, both from Auchencruive student days, were together with Sarah’s sister’s husband, Paul, and the others. It was a kilted affair, reflecting the groom’s Scottish extraction. Other than a thunderstorm over lunchtime and the non-arrival of the groom’s family taxi, the wedding was a relaxed and laid-back event. The Church was full of family, friends and their children, including the confetti elves; Mubita, Leo, Nancy and Lucy.

The service was made especially personal and memorable through the warm message delivered by Brian, the vows led by Dave, the readings by Sally and Keith, and the prayer offered by Laurence and Bethan. This was followed by canapés and champagne while the photos were underway. The Bride and Groom then arrived at the reception for the vegetarian buffet. An English Country Dance Band provided the music for the ceilidh, held in the Church building, after the meal. The cake was cut and served during the interval. The last dance took place, the bride and groom left and those remaining returned the seating in the sanctuary to order for the Sunday Service.

We had a good family time on Sunday, with various comings and goings. After breakfast, Stuart, Kirsten, Iona and Catriona all left for Glasgow. We had Mum and Dad around for lunch, and Gregor and Sarah for supper. The newly-weds left on honeymoon on Monday. We drove Ruairidh and Lucy to Manchester airport on Tuesday evening. They are now safely back in Australia. We arrived back in Edinburgh, a week after leaving.

On Friday we had an interesting lunchtime spot at St John’s Episcopal Church, as part of the Festival of Spirituality and Peace. As part of the World Church in Action, we were invited to take part in a conversation about our work in health and education at Mwandi, sharing about our faith and how this was connected to social justice, development and peace. The Convener of the World Mission Africa & Caribbean Committee, Rev Dr Russell Barr, chaired the discussion. We appreciated seeing some friendly faces from World Mission as well.

On Sunday we were invited back to Callendar Kirk. We took part in the service and had the opportunity to let the congregation see how important teamwork was in our work, and the commitment it required to work together with others at Mwandi, in the Church, the hospital, schools and wider community. We were able to show a PowerPoint simultaneously, to reinforce this. It was good to meet up with old friends there afterwards, and enjoy some special fellowship over lunch.

TURNING THE TIDE TOGETHER

XIX International AIDS Conference

With over 20,000 other participants, Marjorie, Chrisie and Ida gathered in Washington at the XIX International AIDS Conference, for a series of meetings, speeches and other sessions which told of the challenges and successes, the questions and responses in both the lab and in the field. We should be proud that the Church of Scotland, as part of its Mission, has a programme that focuses on HIV prevention, that is working to end discrimination against HIV patients, and that advocates research and investment to make treatment available to all those who need it.

Sunday 22 & Monday 23 July 2012

The M&E Session before the opening was useful in showcasing a solar powered laptop, used for collecting and processing data in remote rural areas.

At the opening, we learned that Zambia’s infection rate has decreased and that more people are able to access ARVs than previously. These are new infections being treated and we are not just treating those waiting in the queue. Proper adherence should ensure people living with HIV can enjoy a more normal, fulfilling and longer quality of life.

Treatment is a form of prevention. This is especially true in the case of PMTCT. If all HIV+ mothers receive ARVs, then the risk of transmission to the child is minimal. Malawi has already gone down this road with good results (Option B+). Zambia is being encouraged by WHO to follow suit. In doing this, the 2015 goal mentioned at the faith-based conference should be reached.

Related to this, is the necessity to upscale our outreach to youth. Too many do not know their status, this is not helped by their exclusion from adult programmes. That is why, at Mwandi, our provision of a Youth-Friendly Corner (and the appointment of a Youth Co-ordinator) has been so important. It will continue to provide quality care, education, testing and easy access to ARVs, for this important segment of the population in the catchment area. Only through this, can stigma be addressed and help offered by peer educators.

The Food Security Session showed how hospitals can work closely with nutritionists to improve the diet of patients. The Nutrition Department prescribe donated food to patients based on their BMI.

However, a significant challenge to be faced is ‘leakage’, ie. the numbers tested and found positive amongst babies, children, youth and adults are far greater than those who actually commence treatment.

On the Sunday afternoon, a large crowd gathered near the Washington Monument as part of the Washington ‘Keep the Promise’ March. Andrew Young and Rev Al Sharpton gave inspiring speeches, setting the stage for some further introspection.

It was also good to see the AIDS Memorial Quilt, that was started by gay rights activists who wanted to make certain that their friends who had died of AIDS would not be forgotten. The quilt is now the largest community art project in the world, and is a poignant testimony to love, peace, and hope.  There are men, women and children from every continent, remembered in the panels. It is a wonderful and moving memorial to those who have died, but also a celebration of life.

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Hilary Clinton addressed the plenary session on Tuesday. The first item after that was entitled ‘Science to Public Health’, and discussed the tools necessary to end the epidemic. An AIDS-free generation was the ultimate goal. There was a moral responsibility to ensure this.

Tuesday also saw the opening of the Global Village, which is the focal point for science, medicine, civil society and the wider community. It is a noisy, vibrant and colourful area, with an eclectic array of fringe events and activities.

In the afternoon, an interesting session took place, on the critical and growing role of the faith community in treatment and advocacy, to increase the political will to fight AIDS locally, nationally and internationally. Access, dignity and inclusion are all part of our work for justice. Other meetings Ida attended dealt with developing community support and capacity, remuneration for Home-Based Care workers, and finally Prevention, which brought Tuesday to a close.

Wednesday 25 July

The Wednesday Plenary opened with research on the HIV vaccine and highlighted the effect of the epidemic on children, adolescents and women in particular. Women account for over half the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide, and the rate of infection is twice the male rate in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ida spent a lot of time learning about finances and the efficient use of funding. She listened to DFID and Global Fund discuss the effect the present financial crisis was having on funding. Other areas of interest were scaling up PMTCT, and learning about the demand and supply side of pharmaceuticals. Ida was honoured to be able to speak about how policy-makers' decisions, and their implementation, affect people at the grassroots level.

Thursday 26 July

The plenary dealt with the dynamics of the epidemic, in particular, contexts with groups most vulnerable to infection, including sex-workers. Expanding testing and treatment, while at the same time ensuring greater adherence and prevention, were some of the approaches suggested. The Global Fund held more public sessions on:  political commitment, resources and pricing; a sub-Saharan session on the cancellation of Round 11 grants, and finally a meeting called "The Next Five Years", which outlined the strategic direction and future hopes.

Friday 27 July

The final day’s plenary was concerned with co-infections, including TB and other non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. We heard that the cost of treating a patient in Zambia is $200 per year. The closing session was addressed by a series of politicians and international worthies, and ended with a keynote address by Bill Clinton.

The XX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) will convene in Melbourne 20-25 July 2014.

One especially memorable highlight for Ida was greeting Kenneth Kaunda on the escalator. He was going down as Ida was going up. We don’t know who was more surprised - Ida, seeing the First President, or Kenneth, being greeted by Ida so far away from home, in a Washington DC Conference Centre in the Lozi manner (Kukandalela)!


Ida Waddell and Marjorie Clark

Thanks to the Church of Scotland for their financial and logistical help to make attendance at this conference possible for Ida. Thanks, too, to her old friend, Megan. It was a good time of spiritual, personal and professional development. It was useful and enjoyable spending time with colleagues, and also meeting and speaking with other people from the diverse communities involved in the fight against the epidemic – science, advocacy, faith, politicians and vulnerable populations.

Faith and HIV

Friday, 20 July 2012

The Interfaith Pre-Conference on HIV took place at Howard University in Washington from the 20 and 21 July. Howard University is historically a black college whose graduates played a large part in the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement. Famous alumni include Justice Thurgood Marshall, Stokely Carmichael and Andrew Young, former Ambassador to the UN.
The conference brought together hundreds of religious and community leaders, faith-based representatives, young people and people living with HIV from all over the world under the common theme of health, dignity and justice. I attended this with Marjorie Clark, the Church of Scotland HIV/AIDS Programme Coordinator and Chrisie Morrison, the Communications Officer, from Signposts International.

The first session outlined the faith community’s challenges and opportunities in their work and how to address issues such as stigma,  the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and global funding both during the main conference and on our return home.

From the wide choice of follow-up workshops I chose one on Faith & Stigma organized by the Lutheran Evangelical Church on best practices for building a radically-inclusive faith community. A panel discussed how to help end stigmatization and to develop a welcoming, knowledgeable Church supportive of PLWHA. Stigma needs to be continually challenged in churches and congregations as well as in government and the work-place. Education of lay leaders and the clergy and counselling and conversations around policies that fuel stigma is vital. We, in the UCZ, have needlessly lost too many Church workers through stigma already.

The Lutheran Church invited the Church of Scotland delegates to a reception that was addressed by a Representative from the Global Fund who outlined briefly the new procedures to be undertaken for applying for funds and how they would be disbursed in the future. I commented on how difficult it was to be efficient and effective stewards in the present system, when funding came late and had to be spent quickly.

Later in the afternoon I attended the Catholic Relief Services workshop on addressing the nutritional needs of malnourished clients in HIV programs and making the best use of limited resources. This was useful as we have been recipients of the Guild’s New Hunger Programme. Our response to the unprecedented numbers of malnourished, chronically ill adults was with food assistance programs to affected households through community-based targeting. This was done by supporting the hospital feeding programme and needy patients after discharged, similar to a ‘Food by Prescription’ (FBP) model that focuses on the individual’s nutritional needs as part of their HIV care and treatment program.

The latest development is the nutrition assessment, counseling and support (“NACS”) framework which promotes the “nutrition assessment and counselling for all HIV clients, supported by specialized commodities for rehabilitation as required.” For the integration of NACS into HIV care and treatment services and for it to work, it will require careful consideration of our budget, clients, staffing capacities and infrastructure. The workshop gave an overview of the components of NACS, the thinking behind NACS and a useful look at a more cost-effective design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.


Saturday 21 July 2012

Today at the morning plenary we were reminded that universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support was supposed to be realized by the end of 2010. However, presently only 50% of people needing anti-retroviral treatment (ART) have access to it. Studies have shown that successful treatment can prevent new HIV infections and the UN pledged to end vertical transmission of HIV by 2015.

The further scale-up of ART and access to affordable ARVs for adults and children still seems to be a challenge especially as regards long-term funding. There appear also to be patent and trade-related issues. A possible solution mentioned was the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) as one concrete way to facilitate long-term treatment in resource-poor settings in the future.

As was mentioned above there is an exciting plan to eliminate new HIV infections in children and to keep these mothers alive. This was the final workshop I went to. Mission Hospitals are in the frontline in the battle to eliminate new HIV infections in children as well as reducing maternal mortality. Our program for prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) have good practices that provide comprehensive services according to the 4-pronged approach as outlined in the UNAIDS Global Report. Only if our doctors, midwives and other health workers continue to provide good antenatal, obstetric and post-natal care will maternal mortality be reduced.

Finally, in the closing sessions speakers made it is clear that more needs to be done to address the social injustices exposed by HIV and AIDS, including poverty and gender inequality. Faith communities and faith-based organizations can reach most easily those most affected by HIV. In addition to spiritual guidance, we also provide community-wide health, education and social services inspired by our faith that seeks equality, dignity and justice for all.