Global politics

Engagement Activity

Topic: Discrimination and Unemployment

Research question: To what extent has discrimination led to poor economic development in

the Central Africa Republic (CAR)?

Section 1.Introduction

Section 2. Engagement Activit

Section 3. Engagement Activities and Analysis of the political issue

Section 4. Discrimination and Economic Development in CAR

Section 5. Conclusion

Introduction
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a country that is located in central Africa, known for

its multiple cultural diversity and complex history of conflict and instability. Even if the

country is very rich and abundant with natural resources such as: Diamonds, uranium, timber,

oil, hydropower.Despite its abundance of natural resources,the Central African Republic is

one of the least developed countries and at the same time also a failed state. Today,among

the 5 poorest countries in Africa with a GNI PPP that is $980, With high rates of poverty and

inequality (Poorest Countries in the World 2023, n.d.). One of the major problems

contributing to the underdevelopment is discrimination, which takes different forms in the

country in which we have: Gender, race, and religious discrimination. The Central African

Republic (CAR) was colonized by France in the 19 th century and remained a French colony

until 1960, when it had its independence thanks to David Dacko, Boganda’s nephew, as

president (Central African Republic Profile - Timeline, 2018). During the colonial period,

the French administration mostly focused on extracting and exploiting natural resources and

did almost nothing to develop the country’s infrastructure or education system. As a result,

Central African Republic was one of the least developed countries in the world .This legacy

of underdevelopment has made it difficult for the country to catch up to its more developed

neighbors such as (Cameroon, Congo, Chad etc…) in the decades since independence

(Central African Republic - Colonial History, French Rule, Civil War, n.d.). There have been

several conflicts, including a civil war in the 1960s, “a coup d’état” in 1979,and a series of

armed conflicts between various rebel groups in the 1990s and 2000s.These various conflicts

have made the country’s economy and infrastructure to take damage and have made it

difficult for the government to provide basic services like education and healthcare to its

people.

Engagement Activity
Concerning my engagement Activity, I have interviewed two important figures that both

worked at some significant NGOs in the Central African Republic. So, before I started the

interview, I wrote a letter explaining to the two peoples why I need their cooperation, why it

is significant and the role of that interviewed briefly, and also at the same time, agreed to

meet face to face. But the moment I need to meet with both of them, there is a surge of

problems arrive, the first man that I need to interviewed went to a very small village where

internet connexion is not even working and for the second man, he went abroad for a

business, So because we agreed on meeting face to face, we cannot perform the meeting

using internet so I was must wait for them to come before start the interviewed. I decide to

interview just those two people because first they are working in humanitarian NGOs that is

where the discrimination is mostly common because they went to different rural areas within

the country and discover many things that some other person cannot do, secondly these

person are very crucial for their NGOs for example the first person I have interviewed is

“Coordonnateur du programme urgence humanitaire” and also they both have a higher

position in their different NGOs , and thirdly because I cannot interviewed someone or

somebody out of the country because, it will make my work to not be accurate as I want and

that is why I only focus on those peoples. And for my engagement activity, I ended up doing

phone interviews and recording their voices. And due to that, I have learned that there is more

than one type of discrimination within the country even after the creation of so many NGOs

in CAR and the most common are the religious discrimination and the gender discrimination

and for the religious discrimination, it is due to the civil war that happened in the country in

2012 (Baptiste, 2014). In addition, I have done interviews in French not English because

CAR is a monolingual country (only French) and it has the effect of making the work more

difficult because I need first to translate the interview in English before using it in the essay.
Analysis of the Engagement Activity

First Interview with first civil (mister Matungu)

At the end of my first interview, Mr. Matungu enlightened me about the origins of

discrimination, which stems from the Latin word meaning to separate or divide.

Discrimination has plagued the country since gaining independence and continues to hinder

economic development due to the numerous problems it entails. In the Central African

Republic (CAR), there is discrimination in all its forms, with discrimination being

particularly devastating. It triggered a civil war between Christians and Muslims roughly a

decade ago (2012), leading to a decline in GDP and a shattered economy (Cadman, 2015).

The investigations reveal that many people engage in discriminatory practices due to

retaliation or personal gain, perpetuating this phenomenon. The act of treating one group

differently from another is an injustice that demoralizes those rejected and hampers their

employment prospects. This discrimination negatively affects the economy, hindering

progress and perpetuating backwardness or stagnation. During the civil war, the country

endured religious discrimination in schools, hospitals, and various other aspects of daily life.

Although completely eradicating this scourge may be challenging, it can certainly slow down

its prevalence through creating awareness about its detrimental impact. They must educate

individuals about the grave problems caused by discrimination. By striving for a system that

values skills and competence over ethnicity, religion, or creed, we can promote inclusive

economic growth in the CAR.

In summary, discrimination has had a profound impact on the economic development of the

Central African Republic. From religious conflicts leading to a declining GDP, to hindering

equal opportunities for marginalized groups, the consequences are far-reaching. However, by

raising awareness and embracing a merit-based society that recognizes everyone's potential,

disregarding their background, ethnicity, or faith, we can foster inclusive economic progress.

Second interview with second civil

For my second interview, i learned that discrimination "is the act of separating or treating

one group of people differently from another." This phenomenon is a real scourge for the

economic development of a country because it does not promote meritocracy, that is to say,

putting the right person in the right place,but rather promotes nepotism. In CAR we find

several types of discrimination and at all stages of society, we can mention among other

things gender discrimination, ethnic discrimination and religious discrimination.

we can conclude that all these types of discrimination do not promote the economic

development of the country, which means that for several decades we have known a security

instability that is hardly advantageous for the development of a nation.Among all these types

of discrimination, the most dangerous and pervasive are religious and ethnic discrimination

which are everywhere even in the workplace causing several conflicts, the latest of which in

2012 led the country into a civil war, because of these conflicts we have lost several

businessmen as well as investors, because of their religion or ethnicity, which hinders the

progress of the economy. People resort to this phenomenon for several reasons, out of

complacency, out of acquaintance or to make their relatives or their village work or even for

their own interests. Discrimination can have a positive or negative impact on a country's

development.If it is done in the interest of all and meritocracy is promoted, it is an important

phase in development, but if it is negative, it can only drag the country and its economy

down, so it depends on the context in which it is applied. We have all been discriminated

against one or more times in our lives, whether in the workplace, in our own environment or

in a foreign country, for a variety of reasons. Without negative discrimination, our economy

could not but develop because it is the mother of all social ills and leads to problems,

cheating, corruption, conflict, segregation and many other scourges. We can with certainty

that without negative discrimination our economy or our country, the CAR, could not but do

well and develop because it is because of this phenomenon that it struggles to take off and get

out of poverty.

Discrimination and Economic Development in CAR

1. Economic Development and Gender Discrimination

Women's limited prospects and discrimination against them in the Central African Republic

(CAR) perpetuate poverty cycles and inhibit economic growth. The CAR's negative social

norms, violence, and instability all pose challenges for women. They face extreme inequality

and are among the most marginalized social groups in the country. The Central African

Republic does not score well on measures of gender equality due to its high rates of maternal

death and limited representation of women in bodies that make decisions. Despite these

obstacles, Central African women put forth a lot of effort to overcome barriers, take on a

range of tasks, and assist their communities and families. After losing her husband and

moving, Brigitte spends her time on the farm, selling veggies, and volunteering at a children's

center. Ella is a disabled single mother who advocates for the rights and welfare of other

disabled women. Through those examples, we can see their effort to overcome the challenges

(Central African Republic - Overcoming Challenges to Give Their Best | Digital Situation

Reports, 2022).
 2. Economic Development and Ethnic Discrimination

The Central African Republic's (CAR) economic progress is significantly hampered by

discrimination. The mistreatment and marginalization of particular groups in the nation—like

pygmies—contributes to the cycle of inequality and poverty. Discrimination prevents these

excluded communities from having equal access to opportunities, resources, and basic

services. Pygmies are economically exploited when they are forcibly removed from their

territories; their customary sources of subsistence, such as hunting and gathering, are also

disrupted. In the Central African Republic, the cycle of poverty and economic

underdevelopment is sustained by the absence of protection and equal rights for pygmies and

other marginalized communities. Fostering inclusive policies and opportunities for all

individuals, along with addressing discrimination, is essential to the nation's sustainable

economic success (Herve & Hervé, 2018).

3. Economic Development and Religious Discrimination

Social tensions, violence, and economic instability have been exacerbated by religious

discrimination in the Central African Republic (CAR), especially between the Muslim and

Christian groups. Religious wars that have come back again and again have caused

infrastructural damage, disruptions to the economy, and mass relocation of people. Sectarian

conflicts make it difficult for businesses to function, and the ensuing humanitarian problems

take resources away from efforts aimed at economic growth. Thus, discrimination based on

religion serves as a major impediment to creating the kind of calm and prosperity that is

essential for economic advancement.

Conclusion
In conclusion, this study examined the degree to which discrimination has impeded the

Central African Republic's (CAR) economic growth. It is clear from a review of several

sources and data that discrimination especially along racial, and religious lines, has hampered

the nation's ability to expand economically and develop professionally.

The results show that discriminatory actions have caused social and political instability in

Central African society by creating profound divisions throughout the population. Because of

these divisions, it has been more difficult for the country to become cohesive and inclusive

since marginalized groups find it difficult to access chances for work, education, basic

services, and entrepreneurship. Discrimination has further hampered economic growth and

activity by escalating tensions and disputes that have resulted in bloodshed and displacement.

Moreover, discrimination has contributed to the Central African Republic's poverty cycle.

Economic advancement as a whole has been hampered by marginalized groups' restricted

access to opportunities and resources, which has prevented them from developing their

human capital. Discriminatory actions have also hampered international collaboration and

deterred foreign investment, which has added to the nation's economic isolation.

Prioritizing measures to eliminate prejudice and promote inclusion is imperative for the CAR

government, civil society groups, and foreign partners to effectively tackle these concerns. It

is important to put into practice policies and initiatives that aim to lessen inequality, promote

social cohesion, and provide every person equal chances. Furthermore, entrepreneurial

promotion, economic diversification, and investments in education and skill-building may all

lead to equitable and sustainable economic growth.

References
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