Colombia-EmilyCastro

Women in Colombia are constantly having their human rights violated, from sexual violence to physical abuse. 5.3% of women have been victim to sexual violence and a large percentage of these women knew their rapist and/or molester. Very few women report rape, and victims are also stigmatized because the family’s honor is often linked to a woman’s sexuality, and many blame women for provoking such activity. A staggering 41% of women are victims of domestic violence from their husbands or partners. Although Colombia has ratified major international and regional human rights treaties in order to stop discrimination against women and promote equality, gender-based violence continues. Domestic abuse is seen as a “private matter” and the woman’s primary role is mother and caretaker. Women are seen as sex objects and encouraged to be compliant and submissive to the demands of men. Although many women have been attempting to break the barrier and assume leadership roles, there has been a surplus of political killings, physical abuse, threats, and torture in the form of rape directed towards them because of this.
 * HDI Rank:** 58 in 2002, Score- .773
 * GDP:** $320.4 billion
 * Primary Sector Jobs:** mining, cattle farming, fishing, logging
 * Secondary Sector Jobs:** building and construction, energy industry, food processing, clothing, oil refinery
 * Tertiary Sector Jobs:** teaching, real estate, lawyer, advertising, and entertainment
 * Raw Materials**: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds
 * Consumer Goods:** cell phones, computers, clothing, wine, coffee
 * Education:** Formal education includes nursery, elementary, high school, technical instruction and college education but basic goal for average citizen is to complete 11 grades.
 * Literacy:** 92.8%
 * Life Expectancy:** total population- 72.27 years, male- 68.44 years, female- 76.24 years
 * Infant Mortality Rate:** 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births
 * Natural Increase Rate:**1.433%
 * Crude Birth Rate:** 20.16 births/1,000 population
 * GDI Rank:** 66/157 in 2005

> **Situational factors for industry**: > > > **Types of energy used by the country:** Hydropower, gas, coal is used most often, with some energy provided by cogeneration and wind. > **Problems associated with energy in the country:** Most of Colombia's energy sources rely on nonrenewable resources. Colombia has great untapped potential for energy through renewable resources like wind, solar and biomass. The Ministry of the Environment, Housing and Territorial Development is responsible for Colombia's environment and is working towards creating a sustainable environment through energy use. > **Pollution issues:** As far as pollution is concerned in Colombia, the condensed population results in a collection of urban-oriented problems, air pollution being the most concerning. Bogota experiences the worst air pollution problems because of the high altitude and all the automobiles. In the non-urban areas, logging, cattle grazing, mining, and coffee production all cause deforestation and soil erosion. Also, there is a dwindling of biodiversity due to logging and cocaine trafficking. > **What your country is doing to stave off pollution:** Many treaties have been signed, including the Antarctic Treaty and the Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol. Moves are being made to protect wetlands, endangered species, marine life and the ozone layer. Desertification, hazardous wasttes and ship and air pollution are also main concerns that are being dealt with. > > > **China** A major similarity is the treatment of a woman by her spouse. Women are often victim to domestic violence and within the household men are typically dominant over the woman. Another similarity is the surplus of air pollution and the dwindling biodiversity due to all the pollution. The last similarity is that in both countries, about 90% of people can read, with the less literate sex being female. Differences include more education in China, a much higher increase rate in Colombia and a difference in raw materials. > Australia Similarities include a large amount of income brought in by tourists and many tourist hot spots. Another similarity is the popularity of tobacco and illicit drugs. Also, situational factors depend mostly on transportation through water. A difference is that Colombia has raw materials such as petroleum, natural gas, coal and iron ore, whereas Australia has what, barley, fruits and cattle. Also, Australia is much farther from the U.S. but receives a lot of their customs from them, whereas Colombia is within close proximity but maintains its own cultural diversity and adopts a small amount of American culture. The third difference is the nearly 15 infant difference in the infant mortality rate. > **France** One similarity is the large amount of air pollution released from automobiles and industry. Also, tertiary jobs and life expectancy of both countries is very similar.Differences include a 48 rank difference in HDI, and a 56 rank difference in GDI due to the nearly absolute equality of men and women. A third difference is that France is a large producer of nuclear energy whereas Colombia uses hydropower, gas and coal. > **Australia** > Similarities include love of tobacco and illicit drugs, a large amount of tourism and tourist hot spots, and similar primary jobs. Differences are that Australia is far from the U.S., yet its customs are largely influenced by it, and Colombia is close to the U.S. but maintains its own customs and relatively little American influence. Another difference is a 3% difference in natural increase rate, Australia increasing more rapidly. Lastly, Colombia has raw materials like petroleum, natural gas, coal and iron ore, while Australia has raw materials like cattle, barley and fruits. > > > Colombia is on its way to becoming a moderately successful country, except for a few important issues that could prevent that from ever happening. The first is the treatment of women. One thing that solidifies a country as successful is the equal and humane treatment of women. If women continue to be raped, beaten and politically plotted against, Colombia will never be truly developed. Another issue is the schooling expectations. The basic goal is the completion of eleven grades, which is not nearly the amount of average education in developed countries around the world. Finally, the infant mortality rate of 20.13 death/ 1,000 infants is higher than most all countries and medical bounds must be made. Colombia has the potential to be successful because of the useful raw materials and tourist economy in places like Bogota and Cartagena. Also, the use of hydroelectric power and wind power is intelligent and will help the economy and prevent pollution in the long run. Furthermore, proximity to the United States and many bodies of water useful for transportation, Colombia has many beneficial situational factors for industry and trade. > > Colombia will never be a world power, but despite the size and past struggles of the country, it should be a relatively developed and functioning country. Laws and acts are being passed to provide and demand equal treatment of women, which will most likely lead to increased education, if not of everyone, at least of women. Acts are also being passed to prevent pollution, and as mentioned above, the energy sources being employed now will most likely bring profit. If the profit from visiting tourists and raw materials are used to their full potential, there could be the makings of a decent economy, as well as trade market. Natural increase rate has slowed, which is also a positive, and it will most likely continue to slow in the next 50 years. I predict that Colombia will continue to grow as a country and be the most successful is has ever been in the next 50 years. > > > http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/Colombia/OMCT2003.html > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_Colombia > https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/co.html > http://members.microsoft.com/careers/international/default.aspx?lang=EN&loc=col
 * Types of industry found in the country:** textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement, gold, coal, emeralds
 * Site factors for industry:**
 * Close to North Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea (fish and transportation),
 * Bogotá- lots of industry, very densely populated, restaurants
 * Barranquilla- Country's Golden Port, Capital of Atlantico Department
 * Cartagena- Tourist hot spot
 * near mines
 * cities with workers and tourists
 * near water sources so hydroelectric power can be used
 * cheaper land outside of cities
 * cheaper workers inside of cities