Presence

Our Franciscan family is present in several countries and places. Many of our brothers are in Spain, others  in Korea, in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Bolivia, Paraguay ... etc.

It would be pretentious and impossible for TAU to cooperate and to be employed jointly at all these places. Because of it, at the moment, we limit ourselves to Bolivia, Paraguay, Dominican Republic and Cuba.

To learn about the different situations we have developed a number of dossiers containing information of the general and specific issues identified as: Human Rights, Social Development and Sustainable Development. It also presents some "indicators" with links to documents and websites that expand data, so many of different Spanish autonomous communities as Southern countries.

Bolivia

Bolivia is a poor country with a large surface area and small population. Of its eight million inhabitants, 62.4% live in urban areas and 37.6% in rural areas.

Over 58% of the population live below the poverty line and not have the proper housing and services. They also have low education and have gaps in health and healthcare.

In the area of Beni, where we are present, poverty is at 76% just after Potosí, in the first place. The Bolivian National Institute of Statistics offers further information about the reality of Social Development and reflects the situation of poverty in Bolivia as does the document of Human Development  PNUD Report 2002.

For Human Rights consult the following documents: Fed. of Human Rights, Report 2002  and Amnisty International 2003.

About the situation of environment and ecology of the country consult the bulletin of the  World Movement for tropical forests (WRM) that offers a wide diversity of articles and interesting documents.

Cuba

Cuba can be considered as an area of political conspiracies and external aggression, social achievements and political mistakes, rectifiers attempts,  commercial blockades, space of economic and human difficulties.

Cuba is an island that knows the taste of colonization, which received thousands of enslaved Africans as cheap labor, which has much to say about the differences between social classes because people lived in miserable conditions... etc

Data are available on the Human Development Research UNDP (1999), as well as the human development index (UNDP 2003).

To know the current situation regarding human rights can analyze the contributions of the Amnesty International Report 2003 and Human Rights Watch, that highlight that the government does not allow entry to international human rights observers since 1989, such as International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

The environmental situation can be accessed via the Environment Agency of Cuba. There are several improvement projects through the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund by the Technical-OTOZ Cuba. There TAIMEN projects that address the use of solar energy in rural communities through the United Nations Program for Development.

The future is day to day, so what are Cubans to determine how to build the future!

At the same time we are close and solidarity with all people on the island and beyond, seeking a better, more just, humane society, where everyone can see their most basic rights recognized.

Paraguay

A country of “Guarani enchantment”, where there is currently the highest rate of deforestation in South America and whose indigenous habitat is being decimated by latifundia interests. 
Its political history has been very hectic and marked by corruption and human rights violations.

Our presence is in both urban and rural. In Asuncion streets is easy to see the contrasts between the people living in poverty and those living comfortably.

Moreover, the country has to face the brunt of the reorganization of their corrupt and negotiation of its high external debt.

The indigenous population has been generally ignored in the areas of power and decision. The index of Human Development and Social placed Paraguay in 2004 at the world ranking was the 89, indicating the decrease of five positions from the previous year.

Two of its five million inhabitants are living below the poverty line and half of them live in extreme poverty (income below $1 a day). The situation of rural poverty in the world is estimated to be 50% of its population.

Human Development presents advances and setbacks as shown in the UNDP 2003 Human Rights Report, within the areas of education and health.

 About the reality in terms of Human Rights is interesting to consider the report of Amnesty International (2003) and reports of the World Organization Against Torture (2002/03).

The situation of the country's environment is influenced by over-exploitation of natural resources, as you can see through the data and information bulletin of the World Movement for tropical forests (WRM).

Dominican Republic

Beautiful country whose social, political and economic, is far from the image that is offered to international tourists.

 Its 9 million people are submerged in a major economic crisis and in various processes of demographic and social transformations. The population is increasingly concentrated in urban areas, to which we must add the migration to other countries and continents.

 Recent government reforms have brought a sharp cut in public spending, and health and education have suffered their consequences.

According to official estimates, 52% of Dominican households are in poverty (income less than $2 per person per day) or extreme poverty (less than $1 a day).

The poorest provinces are Del Valle with 78% of poor households and Enriquillo with 76% of poor families, along with 43% in extreme poor.

In this situation we must add the situation of people from Haiti, who have not granted the status of citizenship, thus increasing the problems of widespread poverty that already exists.

The Index of Human and Social Development continue to indicate a deterioration and decrease of six from 2002, data that can be expanded in the UNDP report (2002).

 Along with this information you can see the plan developed by the Dominican government for poverty reduction.

 Regarding Human Rights Report is available on AI 2003 OMCT against allegations of torture.

As far as ecology is concerned, one can say that this country has the highest biodiversity in the Caribbean area, with more species per square kilometer.

Data are available on ecotourism in the island, and on UNEP by United Nations.

Spain

The Spanish State is a reality of diversity of peoples and cultures as well as expressing different Autonomies, where we are incorporated as Franciscans.

We are located in the north, in a welfare society, which does not mean that everyone can enjoy. Inequalities still exist, pockets of urban poverty striking, depopulation of rural areas and a growing group of people excluded and "undocumented".

The called "fourth world" challenges us and demand our attention, insecurity and loss of jobs do not leave us indifferent, but also increase the cost of living and benefit cuts for the most disadvantaged ... All these tell us of the fragility of the system and the crisis that affects all of us.

Regarding the Human Development, according to Index of UNDP Spain is at No. 19 after France and Germany. Some interesting facts can be seen in figures in Spain, INE 2002 and 2003 UNDP Indicators. 
There are denunciations by Amnisty International-Report 2003 or what has been pointed out by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in the Report 2003 Human Rights Commission  also reflected in the World Organization against Torture 2002/2003
Although our joining the European Union has meant greater environmental awareness, there is still a precarious situation in which they refer to ecology. Still remains that the State is far from the goals set in Kyoto. You can see details of the Environment Report 2002 Ministry or in the database of ecology NGO’s in Spain.