Why did USA bomb the Syrian Arab Republican which caused more killing

of innocent people rather than the rebels?

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Ten days ago, the world watched in
horror as men, women and children were massacred in Syria in the worst chemical
weapons attack of the 21st century.  Yesterday the United States presented a
powerful case that the Syrian government was responsible for this attack on its own
people.

Our intelligence shows the Assad regime and its forces preparing to use chemical
weapons, launching rockets in the highly populated suburbs of Damascus, and
acknowledging that a chemical weapons attack took place.  And all of this
corroborates what the world can plainly see -- hospitals overflowing with victims;
terrible images of the dead.  All told, well over 1,000 people were murdered.  Several
hundred of them were children -- young girls and boys gassed to death by their own
government.

This attack is an assault on human dignity.  It also presents a serious danger to our
national security.  It risks making a mockery of the global prohibition on the use of
chemical weapons.  It endangers our friends and our partners along Syria’s borders,
including Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.  It could lead to escalating use of
chemical weapons, or their proliferation to terrorist groups who would do our people
harm.

In a world with many dangers, this menace must be confronted.

Now, after careful deliberation, I have decided that the United States should take
military action against Syrian regime targets.  This would not be an open-ended
intervention.  We would not put boots on the ground.  Instead, our action would be
designed to be limited in duration and scope.  But I'm confident we can hold the Assad
regime accountable for their use of chemical weapons, deter this kind of behavior, and
degrade their capacity to carry it out.

Our military has positioned assets in the region.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has
informed me that we are prepared to strike whenever we choose.  Moreover, the
Chairman has indicated to me that our capacity to execute this mission is not time-
sensitive; it will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month from now.  And I'm
prepared to give that order.
But having made my decision as Commander-in-Chief based on what I am convinced
is our national security interests, I'm also mindful that I'm the President of the world's
oldest constitutional democracy.  I've long believed that our power is rooted not just in
our military might, but in our example as a government of the people, by the people,
and for the people.  And that’s why I've made a second decision:  I will seek
authorization for the use of force from the American people's representatives in
Congress. 

Over the last several days, we've heard from members of Congress who want their
voices to be heard.  I absolutely agree. So this morning, I spoke with all four
congressional leaders, and they've agreed to schedule a debate and then a vote as
soon as Congress comes back into session. 

In the coming days, my administration stands ready to provide every member with the
information they need to understand what happened in Syria and why it has such
profound implications for America's national security.  And all of us should be
accountable as we move forward, and that can only be accomplished with a vote. 

I'm confident in the case our government has made without waiting for U.N.
inspectors.  I'm comfortable going forward without the approval of a United Nations
Security Council that, so far, has been completely paralyzed and unwilling to hold
Assad accountable.  As a consequence, many people have advised against taking this
decision to Congress, and undoubtedly, they were impacted by what we saw happen
in the United Kingdom this week when the Parliament of our closest ally failed to pass
a resolution with a similar goal, even as the Prime Minister supported taking action.

Yet, while I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific
congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this
course, and our actions will be even more effective.  We should have this debate,
because the issues are too big for business as usual.  And this morning, John
Boehner, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell agreed that this is the right
thing to do for our democracy. 

A country faces few decisions as grave as using military force, even when that force is
limited.  I respect the views of those who call for caution, particularly as our country
emerges from a time of war that I was elected in part to end.  But if we really do want
to turn away from taking appropriate action in the face of such an unspeakable
outrage, then we must acknowledge the costs of doing nothing.

Here's my question for every member of Congress and every member of the global
community:  What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to
death in plain sight and pay no price?  What's the purpose of the international system
that we've built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed
to by the governments of 98 percent of the world's people and approved
overwhelmingly by the Congress of the United States is not enforced? 

Make no mistake -- this has implications beyond chemical warfare.  If we won't enforce
accountability in the face of this heinous act, what does it say about our resolve to
stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules?  To governments who
would choose to build nuclear arms?  To terrorist who would spread biological
weapons?  To armies who carry out genocide? 

We cannot raise our children in a world where we will not follow through on the things
we say, the accords we sign, the values that define us. 

So just as I will take this case to Congress, I will also deliver this message to the
world.  While the U.N. investigation has some time to report on its findings, we will
insist that an atrocity committed with chemical weapons is not simply investigated, it
must be confronted.

I don't expect every nation to agree with the decision we have made.  Privately we’ve
heard many expressions of support from our friends.  But I will ask those who care
about the writ of the international community to stand publicly behind our action.

And finally, let me say this to the American people:  I know well that we are weary of
war.  We’ve ended one war in Iraq.  We’re ending another in Afghanistan.  And the
American people have the good sense to know we cannot resolve the underlying
conflict in Syria with our military.  In that part of the world, there are ancient sectarian
differences, and the hopes of the Arab Spring have unleashed forces of change that
are going to take many years to resolve.  And that's why we’re not contemplating
putting our troops in the middle of someone else’s war. 

Instead, we’ll continue to support the Syrian people through our pressure on the
Assad regime, our commitment to the opposition, our care for the displaced, and our
pursuit of a political resolution that achieves a government that respects the dignity of
its people.

But we are the United States of America, and we cannot and must not turn a blind eye
to what happened in Damascus.  Out of the ashes of world war, we built an
international order and enforced the rules that gave it meaning.  And we did so
because we believe that the rights of individuals to live in peace and dignity depends
on the responsibilities of nations.  We aren’t perfect, but this nation more than any
other has been willing to meet those responsibilities.

So to all members of Congress of both parties, I ask you to take this vote for our
national security.  I am looking forward to the debate.  And in doing so, I ask you,
members of Congress, to consider that some things are more important than partisan
differences or the politics of the moment. 

Ultimately, this is not about who occupies this office at any given time; it’s about who
we are as a country.  I believe that the people’s representatives must be invested in
what America does abroad, and now is the time to show the world that America keeps
our commitments.  We do what we say.  And we lead with the belief that right makes
might -- not the other way around.

We all know there are no easy options.  But I wasn’t elected to avoid hard decisions. 
And neither were the members of the House and the Senate.  I’ve told you what I
believe, that our security and our values demand that we cannot turn away from the
massacre of countless civilians with chemical weapons.  And our democracy is
stronger when the President and the people’s representatives stand together.

I’m ready to act in the face of this outrage.  Today I’m asking Congress to send a
message to the world that we are ready to move forward together as one nation.

Thanks very much.

whitehouse.archieves.gov
The USA bombed Afghanistan and has killed 75,000+ children. How will the
American Government compensate the lives of such young people?
First of all, the bomb carried a message that was heard well beyond its blast
zone, and “sends a signal to Islamic state globally that the US is resolved and
is willing to employ some fairly extreme measures in order to succeed” in the
fight against terrorists.
Secondly, according to Rebecca Zimmerman, Afghanistan was chosen for the
first use of the bomb Thursday for what may seem like a counterintuitive
reason: to avoid civilian casualties, because the target was in such a remote
place. www.voanews.com
Now, USAID has been helping in Afghanistan in many ways. USAID is
helping Afghanistan become a more responsible and integrated member of
the region and the world. Great strides have been made in health and
education, bringing more Afghans back into economic and civic life.
Institutions that can accountably respond to people’s needs and
aspirations are being restored. Investments in infrastructure and human
capital are making the country less vulnerable to insurgents and illicit
business and more attractive for private-sector enterprise.
Through its work, the Agency has boosted incomes, created jobs and
reduced poverty. At the same time, we have improved how we work in
Afghanistan. These reforms are core to our mission to accomplish results
sustainably and cost-effectively.
USAID and its partners will continue to build upon this foundation. Our
focus includes investing in energy, industries and capacities that will
generate broad-based and inclusive economic growth and improve
security. We are working with the Afghan people to lay the foundation that
enables a successful transition from a donor-supported economy to one
driven by Afghan growth and ingenuity. www.usaid.gov
HELPING AFGHANISTAN:

USAID is helping Afghanistan become a more responsible and integrated member of the region and the
world. Great strides have been made in health and education, bringing more Afghans back into economic
and civic life.

Institutions that can accountably respond to people’s needs and aspirations are being restored. Investments
in infrastructure and human capital are making the country less vulnerable to insurgents and illicit business
and more attractive for private-sector enterprise.

Through its work, the Agency has boosted incomes, created jobs and reduced poverty. At the same time, we
have improved how we work in Afghanistan. These reforms are core to our mission to accomplish results
sustainably and cost-effectively.

USAID and its partners will continue to build upon this foundation. Our focus includes investing in energy,
industries and capacities that will generate broad-based and inclusive economic growth and improve
security. We are working with the Afghan people to lay the foundation that enables a successful transition
from a donor-supported economy to one driven by Afghan growth and ingenuity
USAID/Afghanistan’s 2015 Plan for Transition 1.1. Development Objectives USAID/Afghanistan’s 2015
plan for transition is based on the premise that private sector-led economic growth will become the
main source of increases in government revenue to replace donor assistance and provide resources for
quality service delivery. Sustainable economic growth and a favorable regulatory environment for
business and trade, combined with strengthened Government of Afghanistan (GoA) ability to govern,
control corruption and collect payments owed, will generate increased public revenue. As public
revenues increase, and as GoA improves its ability to transfer and use funds, it will be able to take
increasing responsibility for key services currently supported solely by donor funding. These key services
— particularly in health and education — are the most highly-rated elements of government
effectiveness. Delivery of these key services, along with security and the equitable rule of law, will
ultimately generate increased confidence in the legitimacy and effectiveness of the government and, in
turn, will foster stability. Based on analysis of Afghanistan’s stability and development challenges, USAID
has developed a Results Framework encompassing three Development Objectives: Goal: Afghan-led,
Sustainable Development 1: Sustainable Agriculture-led Economic Growth Expanded 2: Gains in Health,
Education, and the Empowerment of Women Maintained and Enhanced 3: Performance and Legitimacy
of GoA Improved 1.2. Critical Assumptions Below are the critical assumptions underpinning
USAID/Afghanistan’s programming during the Transformation Decade: • GoA will remain committed to
development initiatives and reforms as detailed in the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF)/
Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF), National Priority Programs (NPPs), and
the Realizing Self-Reliance paper; • The security environment around project areas will allow for activity
implementation and monitoring; • The political environment will allow continual partnership with GoA
institutions, independent agencies, the private sector, and civil society; • Neighboring countries
harmonize trade and transit policies with Afghanistan; • USG and other donors, as well as the GoA and
Afghan security forces, will fulfill security and civilian assistance commitments; • Donors and private
investors make large-scale investments in transit infrastructure (ports, roads, rail, storage) and logistics
services which are linked to Afghanistan;

USAID resources do not substantially decline beyond envisioned reductions, nor decline in a manner
that does not provide a reasonably smooth glide path. 2. Country Context and Programmatic Evolution
for USAID/Afghanistan Even after the successful formation of the GoA in September 2014, USAID faces
uncertainty regarding the political, economic and security context in which projects are implemented.
Uncertainty regarding the timing both of upcoming parliamentary elections and pending electoral
reforms may delay or adversely affect the degree to which USAID programming can be tailored to local
needs and problems. Furthermore, the drawdown of international military forces combined with
reductions in international aid will likely have repercussions on security, physical access to project sites
and economic development across the country. Such factors, together with the current decline in
economic growth, could result in an increase in unemployment and underemployment, which are major
drivers of instability.1 Afghanistan’s Transition therefore entails unique circumstances that necessitate
changes in the Mission’s strategic direction to better respond to future uncertainty and to achieve the
Development Objectives set forth in this document. Recent Drivers of and Trends in the Evolution of
USAID Programming in Afghanistan Due to the ongoing war in Afghanistan over the last 14 years,
development funding was, to a large extent, driven to meet the most immediate needs of the country.
As a result, much of USAID’s portfolio was dedicated to stabilization projects consisting of quick-impact
activities meant to provide immediate employment and income in insecure areas, promote alternative
livelihoods to poppy production and insurgent activities, and address grievances and sources of conflict
within communities. The Mission wrapped up the last of its stabilization activities in 2015 and is now
placing greater emphasis on building sub-national government institutions’ capacity and strengthening
the linkages between communities and the government. In agriculture, projects have already shifted to
strengthening value chains for high-value crops and supporting longterm growth and diversification of
the agricultural base. The Mission will likely complete its existing large infrastructure activities over the
next three years and shift the emphasis of its portfolio away from large-scale construction to improving
GoA’s and the private sector’s capacity to maintain existing infrastructure. Departing from past practice,
the Mission’s support to the country’s health system now emphasizes a more harmonized approach
across donors, relying on the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund to strengthen the GoA’s ability to
meet ongoing primary health care service delivery needs.

produce and present a “Portfolio Review” of current and planned development assistance programs.
One purpose of the Portfolio Review was to take stock of the degree of alignment between donor
programs and Afghan government development priorities set forth in the GoA’s Realizing Self-Reliance
paper2 prepared for the December 2014 London Conference on Afghanistan. The Review confirmed that
USAID’s current programming aligns closely with the GoA’s development priorities. 2.2 Constraints
USAID faces staffing reductions that will likely affect its programming. During 2014, the number of U.S.
Direct-Hire positions fell by over 40%, while a substantial number of the Mission’s Foreign Service
Nationals have applied for the Special Immigrant Visa program. These developments imply a significantly
shrinking footprint, and losses in institutional knowledge and delays to program implementation and
management. Furthermore, tighter restrictions on travel for all Chief of Mission staff continue to create
challenges for the Mission in designing, managing and monitoring programs. Recognizing the effects of
staffing and ease of movement constraints on project implementation, the Mission has already taken
steps to ensure that development programs achieve their intended results in an efficient and cost-
effective manner. To ensure existing staff positions remain filled, the Mission has streamlined hiring
processes using Washington support, and sought ways to retain experienced Foreign Service Limited
staff in Afghanistan and in support positions in Washington, DC via the Afghan Hands Program.
Furthermore, the Mission is exploring other options to off-shore certain positions. To reduce overall
management burden, and to compensate for limited GoA capacity to oversee donor funds, USAID may
explore increased use of multi-donor trust fund mechanisms managed by multilateral partners.

Programming to Achieve USAID/Afghanistan’s Three Development Objectives The following section

details the programmatic interventions that support Afghanistan’s transition to sustainable, Afghan-led
growth. 3.1.Development Objective 1: Sustainable Agriculture-led Economic Growth Expanded
Afghanistan has experienced robust growth in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the last decade,
averaging 9% per year. Economic growth, however, has slowed considerably and is projected to rebound
only to about 5% per annum from 2016–2020.3 Decreased growth, along with declining donor funds,
will tend to raise unemployment in the country and strain GoA’s ability to raise sufficient revenue to
fund services. These trends have the potential to threaten the legitimacy of the government and the
country’s stability. GoA relies heavily on external funds for service delivery — 60% of the government’s
budget is funded by donors — and the future financing gap is projected by 2018 to be nearly $550
million (or 2.7% of 2013 GDP).4 It is imperative that donors fulfill Tokyo commitments to ensure that
essential needs are met. Moreover, donor funds will be critical for continued economic growth to
provide jobs and income in a country with high under-employment (48%) and a 3 International
Monetary Fund. 2015. Uneven Growth: Short- and Long-Term Factors (World Economic Outlook -April).
4 World Bank. 2014. “Afghanistan Economic Update” (Presentation – October).

Infrastructure The Mission will prioritize completion of four large-scale infrastructure projects—
primarily in the power sector — and developing capacity to maintain and sustain the country’s road,
power and water supply infrastructure. Broader access to these services is critical to economic and
social development. While past projects have put critical infrastructure in place, the government has
struggled to maintain these assets in face of budgetary and capacity shortfalls. Specifically, the Mission
will complete the third turbine of the Kajaki dam, the Gardez-Khost Road, the northern to southern
power transmission network and the development of the Sheberghan gas field. Future initiatives will
focus on improving the sustainability, management and commercial viability of the country’s
infrastructure through technical assistance to the Afghan national power company, the Ministry of
Energy and Water and the Ministry of Public Works.

Education Inculcating a culture of peace, tolerance and diversity and preparing Afghan youth for global
cooperation are critical for nation-building, and are accomplished through education. Education permits
structural and cultural processes to unfold that allow young people to gain the ability and authority to
make decisions and implement change. Widespread education of youth enables them to contribute
significantly to economic, social, and political life, helps lift countries out of poverty and fosters greater
stability. Conversely, when countries are unable to meet the basic educational needs of their youth,
peace, progress and prosperity are held back. Although there has been a dramatic increase in access to
education since the end of the Taliban’s rule, quality remains low. In 2001, around one million students
were enrolled in primary, secondary and higher education; enrollment increased to more than nine
million by 2013.11 However, improvement in the country’s literacy rate has been more modest,
improving from 26% in 2007-08 to 34% in 2013-14. The youth literacy rate in 2013-14 was 51.7%, which
indicates a positive trend and demonstrates the impact of education programming.12 Males are rural
areas. The sector generally lacks adequate human and material resources to provide quality education:
nearly half of primary-aged children—mainly females—are still estimated to be out of school despite the
tremendous gains in access thus far.13 Low enrollment and poor quality may result in a growing cohort
of youth that lacks the skills needed to prosper and find employment: two-thirds of Afghanistan’s
population is estimated to be under age 25 and almost one-half are under the age of 15.14 USAID basic
education programs will continue to support increased access to education services while also seeking
to improve the quality of learning outcomes. In order to expand access to primary education, USAID will
work with the MoE to build its capacity to better manage the education system and increase financial
accountability, thereby improving access to quality basic education. USAID activities will help the MoE to
expand access to quality basic education by supporting the production and distribution of textbooks to
ensure students in schools have the textbooks they need to learn. USAID programs will strengthen in-
service continuing education of teachers, and targeted interventions in pre-service education, including
training of teachers in pedagogy, course content, early grade reading, and measuring student learning.
USAID will continue to strengthen the overall MoE management capacity (particularly human resources,
procurement, planning and policy, financial management, and monitoring and evaluation) to advance
reforms within the education sector. USAID has a long standing history of empowering adolescent girls -
specifically through education, livelihood and non-formal education programs. In support of the larger
Let Girls Learn initiative, USAID will contribute funds to advance ongoing activities, with the objective of
providing improved access to quality education, health and leadership opportunities for adolescent girls
across Afghanistan. USAID’s higher education interventions strengthen higher education systems to
better prepare Afghans for employment. Enrollment at higher education institutions has risen from less
than 8,000 students in 2001 to more than 132,000 students in 2013.15 To that end, USAID is assisting 11
public universities to establish new academic degrees and enhance existing offerings to better align
these with labor market demand. Additionally, the Ministry of Higher Education is receiving technical
assistance to implement new reforms advancing financial autonomy of universities and quality
assurance standards ending in full national Accreditation. USAID also supports the American University
of Afghanistan to provide a high-quality American-style scholarship program that assists female staff
from different ministries in the Afghan government to pursue college degrees part-time. USAID will
introduce a new Technical Vocational Training and Education (TVET) and Positive Youth Development
activity aiming to help reduce youth unemployment by matching apprenticeship and vocational training
with current skills shortages coupled services and opportunities to support young people in developing a
sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and empowerment in the Afghan economy. USAID works
collaboratively with other USG Partners, the donor community and the GoA to achieve impact and move
these efforts forward. In a post-conflict environment the relationships with other USG agencies evolves.
The Department of Defense’s United States Forces Afghanistan acknowledges USAID’s leading role for
education for the USG in Afghanistan. Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) project
managers are familiar with USAID’s education strategy, and are not in conflict with this approach.
Military commanders execute CERP projects to achieve specific effects within their area of responsibility.
CERP projects are characterized as grass-roots, urgent, small in scale, and designed for near term
impact. While advancing the cause of education is often a secondary benefit, the primary purpose of
CERP activities is not principally designed for education per se, and therefore should not be considered a
primary tool for advancing the strategic education goals for Afghanistan. The U.S. Embassy in
Afghanistan, through the Public Affairs Section (PAS) provides limited support to the basic education
sector in Afghanistan. The U.S. Embassy acknowledges USAID’s lead role for defining U.S. basic
education development strategy in Afghanistan. USAID and PAS will work together to ensure any
Department of State basic education programs are planned and implemented in a manner that supports
the overall U.S. basic education strategy for Afghanistan. USAID provides funds, and work collaboratively
with PAS to offer opportunities to Afghan students, particularly women, to study at educational
institutions elsewhere in the region, such as the American University of Central Asia. and Fulbright
scholarships to the U.S. In 2005, the United States endorsed the Paris Declaration’s five partnership
principles: ownership, harmonization, alignment, results, and mutual accountability. The Declaration
also directs alignment with host country priorities, joint technical assistance, use of country financial and
procurement systems, and avoiding parallel implementation structures. USAID/Afghanistan has been,
and will remain, significantly involved in strengthening donor coordination of development partners,
implementing partners and multilateral organizations working in education sector in Afghanistan;
playing a critical role in donor coordination and engagement with the Ministry of Education. Overall,
USAID serves as a focal point for all donors, hosting regular donors meetings to coordinate the support
of community-based education projects, textbooks support, and design of the anticipated modality for
the second GPE Education Sector. Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG). OED will continue to
collaborate with a number of principal stakeholders and partners, including Afghan government officials,
USG agencies, and international donors, advocating for a results-oriented approach focused on mutual
accountability. USAID/Afghanistan played the leading role in coordination of the National Education
Strategy Plan (NESP) III Working Group, that included participation of MoE officials, donors, civil society
representatives, and development partners working in the education sector in Afghanistan and will
continue to provide leadership. The working group works to finalize the strategy document, logic model,
and the simulation model, which will help to determine trade-offs and ways forward for the education
sector. The finalized strategy determines future policies and priorities, and will frame all financing in the
education sector of Afghanistan for the next five years and is a principal guiding document for USAID
educational assistance.

Portfolio Highlights and Projected Results—Education Given that an estimated two-thirds of the Afghan
population is under 25 years of age, providing educational opportunities to the country’s youth is crucial
for long-term development. Through projects in primary education, tertiary education and technical and
vocational education worth over $400 million, the Mission is providing teacher trainings, scholarships,
pedagogical materials and capacity development to the government to preserve and enhance gains
achieved over the last decade. Over 5 million primary grade students benefited from USAID assistance in
2013 in support of the Millennium Development Goal of 100% primary education enrollment by 2020. In
higher education, 1310 USAID-funded scholarships are projected from 2015-2018. With USAID’s
assistance, 30% of students enrolled at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) are females, one
of the highest percentages of female enrollment in Afghanistan. Finally, Mission-supported workforce
development programs will result in new or better employment for an expected 360 beneficiaries in
2015.

WWW.USAID.GOV
WASHINGTON — 
President Donald Trump praised the U.S. military for successfully blasting an Islamic
State stronghold in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province with a Massive Ordinance Air
Bomb (MOAB), the biggest non-nuclear explosive in the American arsenal.

“It was another successful event,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “If you look
at what’s happened over the last eight weeks and compare that really to what’s
happened over the past eight years, you’ll see there’s a tremendous difference,
tremendous difference.”

The Islamic State group has made inroads in Afghanistan in recent years and has
claimed responsibility for deadly attacks, including last month’s assault on a military
hospital in Kabul that killed more than 30 people and injured 80 others.

But compared with Iraq and Syria, where the IS extremists first became notorious in
2014, the group’s branch in Afghanistan is not as potent. That raises some questions
about why Afghanistan was chosen for the first use of the 10,000-kilogram MOAB,
known informally as “the mother of all bombs.”

No civilians where bomb fell

Rebecca Zimmerman, a policy researcher for the Rand Corp., thinks eastern
Afghanistan was chosen for the first use of the bomb Thursday for what may seem like a
counterintuitive reason: to avoid civilian casualties, because the target was in such a
remote place.

“It is impossible to use a weapon like this in Syria, Iraq and most other places, because
they are heavily populated, and Afghanistan less so,” Zimmerman said.

The MOAB device was not merely a bomb, in this case, Zimmerman added. It carried a
message that was heard well beyond its blast zone, and “sends a signal to Islamic State
globally that the U.S is resolved and is willing to employ some fairly extreme measures
in order to succeed” in the fight against terrorists.

Lawrence Korb, a former assistant secretary of defense in Washington and currently a

senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, agrees that the bomb was a message
for Islamic State, but he also notes that the bunker and tunnel complex the U.S. forces
were targeting required the use of the huge bomb, which detonates above the surface
and creates a shock wave that destroys everything and kills anyone in its path over a
wide area.
Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan, “in the area where they are along the Pakistani
border, have dug a lot of tunnels, and there was no way that traditional bombs would be
able to impact them,” Korb said.

Illustrating U.S. military might

Other analysts suggest that the MOAB device was employed on the IS hideout because
that target was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate overwhelming U.S. military might.

“The area was what they call a civilian-free zone, so they could really go in and use a big,
indiscriminate weapon, which, God forbid, if you dropped it in a place like Raqqa
[Islamic State’s headquarters in Syria], you would have lots of civilian deaths,” said
Brian G. Williams, author of Counter Jihad: America’s Military Experience in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

“This is a unique enemy position” in Nangarhar province, Williams said. “It is

entrenched and away from civilians. The attack killed around 36 IS fighters, according
to the Afghan government; it was a perfect opportunity for demonstration of might.”

Thomas Johnson, director of the Naval Postgraduate School’s program for cultural and
conflict studies, believes MOAB will not have a major impact on IS.

“I think this will have minimum impact on IS-Khorasan,” Johnson said, using the title
that distinguishes Islamic State in Afghanistan from the branches of the group in Iraq
and Syria.

“The attack yesterday was more symbolic,” Johnson added, “and actually had more
domestic political implications [in the U.S.] than implications in Afghanistan.”

Taliban switched sides to IS

While Islamic State’s ranks in Afghanistan do include foreign fighters, Johnson said
most of the extremist group’s recruits are former Taliban members who joined for
financial reasons.

“Many Taliban foot soldiers joined IS because it was offering $700 a month, which was a
lot more money than the Taliban could offer,” Johnson said. When the United States
and its coalition allies destroyed Islamic State’s financial networks in Syria and
elsewhere, he added, IS recruits, including those from the Taliban, began to drift away.

Compared with Afghanistan and other parts of South Asia, Johnson added, the West
should devote more attention to combating Islamic State in Central Asia, where the
group has been attracting sympathizers.
Bill Goodfellow, executive director of the Center for International Policy, argues that the
fight against IS in Afghanistan should not come at the expense of ignoring the Taliban.

“I do not think that this massive bomb is going to change the dynamics at all,”
Goodfellow said.

Islamic State “does complicate things” in Afghanistan, he added, because they represent
another violent extremist group operating in the country, “and they seem to be rather
hardened and many of them are foreigners.” Goodfellow's CIP group is a nonprofit
research and advocacy group based in Washington that tries to promote cooperation,
transparency and accountability in global relations.

“Ultimately the deal has to be made between the Taliban and the Afghan government
and civil society, and it has to be some sort of enduring peace, and the regional powers,
particularly Pakistan, have to be brought in,” Goodfellow said. “That’s where we should
be focusing our attention.”

A tactical military decision?

Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United States, told VOA that the
Afghan national security forces, backed by NATO, had been conducting military
operations in eastern Nangarhar against IS forces for a week before Thursday’s
bombing, and that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by extremist fighters
had made it difficult to advance.

General John Nicholson, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, echoed the
ambassador’s comments about IEDs while talking to reporters in Kabul Friday. He said
his decision to use MOAB was communicated with officials in Washington and was a
purely tactical decision.

“This was the right weapon for the right target,” Nicholson said. “This is the right
munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive.”

The office of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the operation was not a surprise, and
that it had been closely coordinated with the Afghan security forces.

Reaction to the bombing from civilians in the area has been mixed.

Residents of Achin district, where the IS hideout was located, posted a video from the
scene praising the decision.

“There were ISIS fighters here,” a local resident said, pointing to the area in the background where the big bomb
exploded. “I am very happy that they destroyed IS here. There are no civilians here.” Others in the area who opposed
the use of the huge bomb said they were concerned that Afghanistan could become a weapons testing ground.
US relation with Syria:

The United States established diplomatic relations with Syria in 1944 following U.S. determination
that Syria had achieved effective independence from a French-administered mandate. Syria severed
diplomatic relations with the United States in 1967 in the wake of the Arab-Israeli War. Relations
were reestablished in 1974. Syria has been on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism since the
list's inception in 1979. Because of its continuing policies in supporting terrorism, its former
occupation of Lebanon, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, and
undermining U.S. and international efforts to stabilize Iraq. Syria is subject to legislatively mandated
penalties, including export sanctions under the Syrian Accountability Act and ineligibility to receive
most forms of U.S. aid or to purchase U.S. military equipment. Following events in Syria beginning in
March 2011, subsequent Executive orders have been issued in response to the ongoing violence
and human rights abuses taking place in Syria.

During 1990-2001, the United States and Syria cooperated to a degree on some regional issues, but
relations worsened from 2003 to early 2009. Issues of U.S. concern included the Syrian
Government's failure to prevent Syria from becoming a major transit point for foreign fighters
entering Iraq, its refusal to deport from Syria former Saddam Hussein regime elements supporting
the insurgency in Iraq, its interference in Lebanese affairs, its protection of the leadership of
Palestinian rejectionist groups in Damascus, its human rights record, and its pursuit of weapons of
mass destruction. In early 2009, the United States began to review its Syria policy in light of changes
in the country and the region, leading to an effort to engage with Syria to find areas of mutual
interest, reduce regional tensions, and promote Middle East peace.

In March 2011, a group of Syrian students was arrested in the southern city of Dara'a for writing
political graffiti on walls that said, “Down with the regime.” The government’s brutal response to the
Syrian people’s call for freedom and dignity sparked nation-wide demonstrations and escalating
tensions, which descended into an armed conflict that has lasted more than seven years, taken
more than 500,000 lives, and displaced over 12 million people within the country and beyond its
borders. The U.S. government has supported the international community’s efforts to work towards a
negotiated political solution to the conflict under the auspices of UN Security Council Resolution
2254.

After the rise of ISIS in 2014, the U.S. government has worked closely with the Global Coalition to
Defeat ISIS to achieve a lasting defeat of the terror group. Working by, with, and through local
partners, the Coalition is close to the complete defeat of ISIS in Syria.

U.S. Assistance to Syria

The United States is the largest single country humanitarian donor for the Syria response, providing
nearly $8.1 billion in humanitarian assistance for those displaced inside Syria and the region since
the start of the crisis. The U.S. government supports emergency food assistance, shelter, safe
drinking water, urgent medical care, humanitarian protection activities, and other urgent relief to the
13.1 million people suffering inside Syria, as well as the more than 5.6 million refugees from Syria in
the region.

In northwest Syria, from 2012 to 2018, the United States provided stabilization assistance in support
of the Syrian opposition, local councils and civil society organizations to counter the influence of al-
Qa’da (AQ) affiliate groups. This support included: mobilizing Syrian activists to undermine AQ
efforts to recruit Syrian youth and disenfranchised Syrians; supporting independent media and civil
society activists to expose AQ’s true nature; and, non-lethal assistance to units of the Free Syrian
Army and Free Syrian Police who protected communities resisting AQ influence and control.

In southwest Syria, the United States provides stabilization assistance to bolster the de-escalation
arrangement. To-date, this assistance has included: capacity-building for local governance entities;
essential service restoration; and, non-lethal support to units of the Free Syrian Army and Free
Syrian Police to promote safety and stability.

In northeast Syria, the United States is working with our partners in the Global Coalition to Defeat-
ISIS to support immediate stabilization and early recovery efforts in areas liberated from ISIS control,
including Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) removal, the restoration of essential services and
building local capacity to support longer-term sustainability. The United States has led stabilization
assistance efforts in areas of Syria liberated from ISIS control, but seeks greater contributions from
Coalition members and regional partners so that they can assume greater military and financial
responsibility for securing the region.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States maintains comprehensive sanctions on Syria that broadly restrict the ability of
U.S. persons to engage in transactional dealings involving Syria. Syria has been subject to U.S.
economic sanctions since 2004 under the Syria Accountability Act, which prohibits or restricts the
export and re-export of most U.S. products to Syria. Sanctions in August 2008 prohibited the export
of U.S. services to Syria and banned U.S. persons from involvement in the Syrian petroleum sector,
including a prohibition on importing Syrian petroleum products. In response to regime brutality
against peaceful protesters beginning in 2011, the U.S. Government imposed additional sanctions
beginning in April 2011, designating those complicit in human rights abuses or supporting the Assad
regime. In April and May 2012, the U.S. Government authorized additional sanctions for serious
human rights abuse against the Syrian people and for efforts and activities undertaken to evade
sanctions. The U.S. Government is continuously identifying and designating individuals and entities
subject to U.S. sanctions related to Syria, including but not limited to the Syrian regime’s use of
chemical weapons and other atrocities against its own people.

Syria's Membership in International Organizations

Syria and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including
the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Syria also is an observer to the
World Trade Organization.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Embassy in Damascus suspended its operations in February 2012. The Government of the
Czech Republic, acting through its Embassy in Damascus, serves as protecting power for U.S.
interests in Syria.

Syria maintains an embassy in the United States at 2215 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20008 (tel. 202-232-6313). On March 18, 2014, the State Department notified the Syrian Embassy
that their operations must be suspended immediately and that all personnel at the Embassy who are
not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents must depart by March 31, 2014. After this date of
ordered departure, the United States will no longer regard accredited Embassy personnel as entitled
to any of the diplomatic privileges, immunities, or protections. This notification also requires the
suspension of operations of Syria’s honorary consulates in Troy, Michigan and Houston, Texas.
www.state.gov
Eritrea:

U.S.-ERITREA RELATIONS

The United States established diplomatic relations with Eritrea in 1993, following its independence
and separation from Ethiopia. The United States supported Eritrea's independence, but ongoing
government detention of political dissidents and others, the closure of the independent press, limits
on civil liberties, allegations of human rights abuses, and the expulsion of some U.S. government
agencies have contributed to strained U.S.-Eritrean relations. Eritrea's authoritarian regime is
controlled entirely by the president, who heads the sole political party, which has ruled the country
since 1991. National elections have not taken place since 1991 and the constitution has not been
implemented. Regionally, Eritrea has long-standing border disputes with Ethiopia and Djibouti that,
in the past, turned violent. Eritrea remains subject to two UN Security Council sanctions resolutions
which impose an arms embargo, and restrict the travel of some individuals and freeze their assets.

U.S. interests in Eritrea include reconciling ongoing disputes with Ethiopia and Djibouti, urging
progress toward a democratic political culture, citing and addressing human rights issues, promoting
economic reform, and encouraging Eritrea to contribute to regional stability.

U.S. Assistance to Eritrea

At the Eritrean Government's request, the United States no longer provides bilateral assistance to
Eritrea. The United States has no military-to-military cooperation with Eritrea.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The Eritrean Government and ruling party control the economy. The United States and Eritrea have
very little bilateral trade. Eritrea is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa, which has a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the United States.

Eritrea's Membership in International Organizations

Eritrea and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including
the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the International Organization for
Migration (IOM).

Bilateral Representation

There currently is no U.S. Ambassador to Eritrea; the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires is Natalie E. Brown.
Other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

Eritrea maintains an embassy in the United States at 1708 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington,
DC 20009 (tel. 202-319-1991), and is represented by a Chargé d’Affaires and not an ambassador to
the United States.
India:

In India, 50 percent of 5th graders can’t read a 2nd grade

text. USAID’s “Teacher Innovations in Practice” project has
improved reading levels of 546,000 primary school children
in the states of Delhi & Uttar Pradesh.
www.usaid.gov

On track to become the world’s most populous country by 2030, India faces the difficult task of providing
its growing population with access to quality health care, potable water, education and clean energy. The
U.S. supports India’s efforts to deliver these services as a strategic partner and ally in maintaining regional
stability, expanding regional trade and addressing development challenges.

USAID leverages India’s growing human and financial resources through partnerships that catalyze
innovation and entrepreneurship to solve critical local and global development challenges. In recent years,
USAID established 34 public-private partnerships that leverage $380 million in additional financial
resources.

Overview
“Improved reading skills for 100 million children in primary grades” is one of the three major goals laid out in
USAID’s Global Education Strategy. USAID in India is supporting 10 initiatives that advance this global
target by working with the Government of India and local partners to identify, support, and scale early grade
reading innovations developed in India. USAID India also focuses on building the capacity of teachers,
headmasters and other education officials to improve pedagogy and teaching.

USAID/India Programs
School Excellence Program: USAID supports the Kaivalya Education Foundation to transform more than
250 schools poor-performing government primary schools in the city of Surat in Gujarat by developing the
leadership and teaching skills of teachers, headmasters, and district-level school officials. The project trains
and mentors 1,800 teachers to improve the reading outcomes of more than 150,000 children. The project also
uses technology to both assist teachers in assessing needs for individual students as well as to bridge gaps in
teachers’ own teaching skills and knowledge.  
Teacher Innovations in Practice: USAID, in partnership with STIR Education, aims to positively impact the
teaching practices of 14,657 teachers to improve early grade reading outcomes of more than 564,000 primary
school children in the states of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. This project centers on reigniting teacher motivation
to drive better student learning outcomes. This will occur through developing teachers’ mindsets and
behaviors, building an enabling environment, and enhancing pedagogical skills and knowledge. 
Nurturing Early Literacy Project: USAID partners with Tata Trusts and the Center for microFinance to shift
the prevalent rote-based pedagogy in India to one that views the child as an active learner, who can effectively
learn sounds and symbols, read and write with comprehension, and can apply their knowledge in everyday life.
Using a multi-pronged approach that includes in-class training sessions for teachers and equitable access to
libraries for children both in schools and communities, this project aims to improve the reading skills of more
than 90,000 primary school children in the states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka. 
Right to Read: USAID supports English Helper to deploy an interactive computer program in around 5,000
government schools across eight states to improve reading skills, help develop vocabulary, and enable English
language comprehension for one million school children. The program includes a digitized version of the
English language textbooks to simplify teaching and learning of the subject. This project also addresses the
issue of the English language teacher shortage in Indian public schools. Teachers for subjects besides English
are trained in English and teach the language to their primary school classes.   
Scaling Up Early Learning Intervention: USAID and Room to Read India, support the improvement of
early grade reading outcomes in public schools in the states of Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand, by promoting
reading instruction and reading practice through libraries. By working with 2,460 schools, the project aims to
develop a habit of reading in 246,000 children. It will also build systemic capacities and provide policy inputs
that will enable the governments of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh to implement more effective reading
interventions. This project will expand to include two other states in 2018 and benefit close to four million
children in the long run.
Read, Engage, Achieve and Dream (READ) Alliance: The USAID-supported READ Alliance is a platform
to provide grant funding, technical support, and advocacy to test and scale promising reading innovations.
Implemented by the Centre for Knowledge Societies, the READ Alliance brings together diverse players ––
including corporations, foundations, non-profit organizations, think tanks, innovators, researchers, and donors
–– dedicated to ensuring that all children in India learn to read. Through the Early Grade Reading Innovation
Challenge, the READ Alliance has supported and incubated six reading solutions across five states in India
with the aim to reach more than 130,000 students. Examples of these methods are intensive teacher training
and promoting reading skills through Same Language Subtitling of audio visual content. 
Start Early: Read in Time: USAID partners with CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development
(CISSD) to improve the reading skills of more than 100,000 children from marginalized communities in the
states of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, through curriculum development, teacher training, administrator
orientation, and child-centered methodologies. The key strategy is to build on the child’s prior linguistic
knowledge and skills, and to ensure a smooth transition from home language to school language. Under the
project, CISSD has developed learning standards for primary school students, teacher training material to
support around 3,500 teachers in the classroom, and brought out contextual reading materials for primary grade
students to promote reading in the classroom.
Tibet Education Program: Through the Tibet Fund, USAID supports Tibetan community youth in India and
Nepal to access educational opportunities. The Tibet Education Project is improving the quality of local
teaching through teacher development and training, while also employing educational tools that enhance
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This will enable students to access costly and competitive
higher educational opportunities. Additionally, the program supports the Central Tibetan Administration’s
college scholarship program and provides test preparation and coaching for secondary students. More than
10,000 youth studying in Tibetan schools across India and Nepal are currently benefitting from these
improvements.
All Children Reading Grand Challenge: The USAID-supported “All Children Reading Grand Challenge”
identifies and supports two activities designed to improve reading skills among primary school children in
India. These include: 
 Accessible Books for Children with Visual Impairments: USAID supports Benetech to deliver
accessible, grade-level reading books to children who are blind or low vision by adding Marathi human-
narrated audio capabilities to Bookshare, the world’s largest digital accessible library and Benetech’s
flagship Global Literacy initiative, in conjunction with Bharati braille. The project works directly with
four schools for 135 visually challenged children in the municipality of Pune in the state of Maharashtra.
Teachers in these schools are trained to use Bookshare and schools are visited weekly by a local “Story
Uncle” or “Story Aunty” to encourage reading.
 Play.Connect.Learn: Sesame Workshop India (SWI) with support from USAID provides families in
six districts in the state of Maharashtra with a smartphone-based mobile application to promote mother-
tongue literacy skills among 12,000 children and families. This innovative and adaptive learning system is
being used to deliver self-paced learning content in Marathi for children between the ages of five and
eight. Each module contains storybooks, games and assessments which are built in a progressive manner.
Along with each package, SWI is providing additional storybooks for children to encourage and promote
reading. The packages are based on the content of Galli Galli Sim Sim (Sesame Street). Smartphones are
provided to around 350 participating families with limited purchasing power.
www.usaid.gov

MOD: CYBER BULLYING

With the prior permission of the dias members, the delegate would now like
to begin the speech.
“those who judge will never understand, those who understand will never
judge” . cyber bullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like
cell phones, computers, and tablets.
Although all states have laws requiring schools to respond to bullying, many
states don’t include cyberbullying under these laws mostly because it takes
place out of the school premises.
In 2015, about 21% of students experienced cyberbullying, whereas in 2017,
14.9% students experienced cyberbullying. It shows that the rate of cyber
bullying has decreased in the past 2 years. www.stopbullying.gov
At present, no federal law directly addresses bullying. Since in most of the
cases it overlaps with discriminatory harassment which is covered under
federal civil rights laws enforced by the US department of education and US
department of justice.
Some federal civil right laws that have been enforced are:

 Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
 Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act
 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The delegate hopes that the rate of child violence will decrease worldwide
since it is not only a problem in the United States, but it is a major problem
worldwide.

Anti-bullying policies:

Oklahoma: Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 70, § 24-100.3 (2009): "The Legislature finds that
bullying has a negative effect on the social environment of schools, creates a climate of
fear among students, inhibits their ability to learn, and leads to other antisocial behavior.
Bullying behavior has been linked to other forms of antisocial behavior, such as
vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, and the use of
drugs and alcohol... Successful programs to recognize, prevent, and effectively intervene
in bullying behavior have been developed and replicated in schools across the country.
These schools send the message that bullying behavior is not tolerated and, as a result,
have improved safety and created a more inclusive learning environment."

For additional examples of purpose statements, see: 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/27-
23.7.a (2010); Iowa Code § 280.28.1 (2008); Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424 (2010); Nev.
Rev. Stat. Ann. § 388.132 (2009); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:37.13 (2010); Or. Rev. Stat. §
339.353 (2009); Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1014 (2010); W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-2C-1
(2009).

Statement of Scope
Covers conduct that occurs on the school campus, at school-sponsored activities or events
(regardless of the location), on school-provided transportation, or through school-owned
technology or that otherwise creates a significant disruption to the school environment.

Example Statement of Scope

Indiana: Ind. Code Ann. § 20-33-8-13.5 (b) (2010), Disciplinary Rule Requirements:
"The discipline rules [related to bullying]...must apply when a student is: (1) on school
grounds immediately before or during school hours, immediately after school hours, or at
any other time when the school is being used by a school group; (2) off school grounds at
a school activity, function, or event; (3) traveling to or from school or a school activity,
function or event; or (4) using property or equipment provided by the school."

For additional examples of statements of scope, see: Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-514.2

(2009); Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-751.4 (2010); 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/27-23.7.a
(2010); 2010 Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv. Ch. No. 92-2010 (Lexis Nexis 2010); Md. Code
Ann., Educ. § 7-424 (2010).

Specification of Prohibited Conduct

 Provides a specific definition of bullying that includes a clear definition of
cyberbullying. The definition of bullying includes a non-exclusive list of specific
behaviors that constitute bullying, and specifies that bullying includes intentional
efforts to harm one or more individuals, may be direct or indirect, is not limited to
behaviors that cause physical harm, and may be verbal (including oral and written
language) or non-verbal. The definition of bullying can be easily understood and
 interpreted by school boards, policymakers, school administrators, school staff,
students, students’ families, and the community.
 Is consistent with other federal, state and local laws. (For guidance on school
districts’ obligations to address bullying and harassment under federal civil rights
laws, see the Dear Colleague Letter: Harassment and Bullying - PDF, issued by
the Department’s Office for Civil Rights on October 26, 2010.
 Prohibited Conduct also includes:
1. Retaliation for asserting or alleging an act of bullying.
2. Perpetuating bullying or harassing conduct by spreading hurtful or
demeaning material even if the material was created by another person
(e.g., forwarding offensive e-mails or text messages).

Examples Specification of Prohibited Conduct

Florida: Fla. Stat. Ann. 1006.147(3) (2010): "(a) ‘Bullying’ means systematically and
chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students and
may involve: (1) Teasing; (2) Social exclusion; (3) Threat; (4) Intimidation; (5) Stalking;
(6) Physical violence; (7) Theft; (8) Sexual, religious, or racial harassment; (9) Public
humiliation; or (10) Destruction of property. . . . (d) The definitions of ‘bullying’ and
‘harassment’ include: (1) Retaliation against a student or school employee by another
student or school employee for asserting or alleging an act of bullying or harassment...
[and] (2) Perpetuation of [bullying or harassing] conduct ... by an individual or group
with intent to demean, dehumanize, embarrass, or cause physical harm to a student..."

Kansas: Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-8256.C.2 (2009): "‘Cyberbullying’ means bullying by use
of any electronic communication device through means including, but not limited to, e-
mail, instant messaging, text messages, blogs, mobile phones, pagers, online games and
websites."

For additional examples of bullying definitions, see: Del. Code Ann. Tit. 14, § 4112D.a
(2010); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-8256 (2009); 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/27-23.7(b) (2010).

For additional examples of cyberbullying definitions, see: Iowa Code § 280.28.2 (a)

(2008); Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424.3 (2010); 2010 Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv. Ch. No.
92-2010 (Lexis Nexis 2010); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A 37.14.2 (2010); Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit.
70, § 24-100.3 (2009).

Enumeration of Specific Characteristics

 Explains that bullying may include, but is not limited to, acts based on actual or
perceived characteristics of students who have historically been targets of
bullying, and provides examples of such characteristics.
  Makes clear that bullying does not have to be based on any particular
characteristic.

Examples Enumeration of Specific Characteristics

North Carolina: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-407.15(a) (2010): "Bullying or harassing

behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by
any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion,
ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity,
physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory
disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of
these characteristics."

Washington: Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.300.285.2 (2010): "Nothing in this section
requires the affected student to actually possess a characteristic that is a basis for
the...bullying."

For additional examples of characteristic enumeration, see: 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann.
5/27-23.7.a (2010); Iowa Code § 280.28 (2008); Or. Rev. Stat. § § 339.351.3(2009).

Development and Implementation of LEA Policies

Directs every LEA to develop and implement a policy prohibiting bullying, through a
collaborative process with all interested stakeholders, including school administrators,
staff, students, students’ families, and the community, in order to best address local
conditions.

Example Development and Implementation of LEA Policies

Maryland: Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424.1(c) (2010): "[1] Each county board shall
establish a policy prohibiting bullying, harassment, or intimidation. . . . [3] A county
board shall develop the policy in consultation with representatives of the following
groups: (i) Parents or guardians of students; (ii) School employees and administrators;
(iii) School volunteers; (iv) Students; and (v) Members of the community"[vi]

For additional examples of requirements for LEA policies, see: Del. Code Ann. Tit.
14, § 4112D.b (2010); Fla. Stat. Ann. 1006.147 (2010); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A 37.15
(2010).

Components of LEA Policies

A. Definitions

Includes a definition of bullying consistent with the definitions specified in state law.
Example Components of LEA Policies: Definitions

Oregon: Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.356.2 (2009): "School districts must include in the policy...
(b) Definitions of "harassment," "intimidation," or "bullying," and of "cyberbullying" that
are consistent with [this statute]."

For additional examples regarding definitions in LEA policies, see: Delaware Del.

Code Ann. Tit. 14, § 4112D.b (2010); Fla. Stat. Ann. 1006.147 (2010); Iowa Code
280.28.3 (2008); Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424.1 (2010); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A
37.15.b.2 (2010); N.C. Gen. Stat.§ 115C-407.16.b.2 (2010); S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-140
(2010).
B. Report Bullying

 Includes a procedure for students, students’ families, staff, and others to report
incidents of bullying, including a process to submit such information anonymously
and with protection from retaliation. The procedure identifies and provides contact
information for the appropriate school personnel responsible for receiving the
report and investigating the incident.
 Requires that school personnel report, in a timely and responsive manner,
incidents of bullying they witness or are aware of to a designated official.

Example Components of LEA Policies: Reporting Bullying

Georgia: GA. Code Ann. § 20-2-751.4(c) (2010): "Such ... policy shall include: ... (5) A
procedure for a teacher or other school employee, student, parent, guardian, or other
person who has control or charge of a student, either anonymously or in such person's
name, at such person’s option, to report or otherwise provide information on bullying
activity; (6) A statement prohibiting retaliation following a report of bullying...."

For additional examples regarding requirements procedures for reporting bullying,

see: Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-341 (2010); Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1006.147 (2010); Iowa Code §
280.28.3.c (2008); Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424 (2010); Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.356.2.g
(2009); S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-140 (2010).

Wisconsin: Wis. Stat. § 118.46.1(a) (2009): "The [policy on bullying] shall include all of
the following: ...(6) A requirement that school district officials and employees report
incidents of bullying and identify the persons to whom the reports must be made."

For additional examples regarding requirements for reporting of school staff, see:

Alaska Stat. § 14.33.220 (2010); GA. Code Ann. § 20-2-751.4.c.2 (2010); W. Va. Code
Ann. §18-2C-3.4 (2009).
C. Investigating and Responding to Bullying 

Includes a procedure for promptly investigating and responding to any report of an

incident of bullying, including immediate intervention strategies for protecting the victim
from additional bullying or retaliation, and includes notification to parents of the victim,
or reported victim, of bullying and the parents of the alleged perpetrator, and, if
appropriate, notification to law enforcement officials.

Example Components of LEA Policies: Investigating and Responding to Bullying

Massachusetts: 2010 Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv. Ch. No. 71.37O(g) (2010): "...Upon
receipt of such a report, the school principal or a designee shall promptly conduct an
investigation. If the school principal or a designee determines that bullying or retaliation
has occurred, the school principal or designee shall (i) notify the local law enforcement
agency if the school principal or designee believes that criminal charges may be pursued
against a perpetrator; (ii) take appropriate disciplinary action; (iii) notify the parents or
guardians of a perpetrator; and (iv) notify the parents or guardians of the victim, and to
the extent consistent with state and federal law, notify them of the action taken to prevent
any further acts of bullying or retaliation."

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) contains provisions

restricting release of information pertaining to disciplinary actions taken against students.
State and local officials are encouraged to seek guidance to make sure any policies
comply with these provisions.

For additional examples regarding requirements for investigating and responding to

bullying, see: GA. Code Ann. § 20-2-751.4.c.3 (2010); Iowa Cod § 280.28.3.f (2008);
Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.356.2.h (2009).
D. Written Records

Includes a procedure for maintaining written records of all incidents of bullying and their
resolution.

Example Components of LEA Policies: Written Records

California: Cal. Educ. Code § 234.1 (2010): "The department shall assess whether local
educational agencies have done all of the following: . . . (e) Maintained documentation of
complaints and their resolution for a minimum of one review cycle."

FERPA contains provisions regarding the appropriate safeguarding of privacy in

educational records. State and local officials are encouraged to seek guidance to make
sure any policies comply with these provisions.
For additional examples on requirements for maintaining written records, see: Md.
Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424 (2010).
E. Sanctions

Includes a detailed description of a graduated range of consequences and sanctions for

bullying.

Example Components of LEA Policies: Sanctions

Alabama: Ala. Code § 16.28B.5 (2010): "The model policy, at a minimum, shall contain
all of the following components: . . . [4] A series of graduated consequences for any
student who commits an act of intimidation, harassment, violence or threats of violence.
Punishment shall conform with applicable federal and state disability, antidiscrimination,
and education laws and school discipline policies."

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act contains provisions related to the use

of disciplinary measures with students with disabilities. State and local officials are
encouraged to seek guidance to make sure any policies comply with these provisions.

For additional examples regarding sanctions, see: Connecticut Gen. Stat. Ann § 10-
222d; Massachusetts St. 2010, c.92; New Mexico NIMAC § 6.12.7; Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit.
70, § 24-100.4 (2009).
F. Referrals

Includes a procedure for referring the victim, perpetrator and others to counseling and
mental and other health services, as appropriate.

Example Components of LEA Policies: Referrals

Maryland: Md. Code. Ann., Educ. § 7-424.1.b (2010): "[2] The model policy...shall
include: ... (viii) Information about the types of support services available to the student
bully, victim, and any bystanders...."

For additional examples regarding referrals, see: Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1006.147 (2010);
Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 70, § 24-100.4 (2009).

Review of Local Policies

Includes a provision for the state to review local policies on a regular basis to ensure the
goals of the state statute are met.

Example Review of Local Policies

Illinois: 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/27-23.7(d) (2010): "The policy must be updated
every 2 years and filed with the State Board of Education after being updated. The State
Board of Education shall monitor the implementation of policies created under [this
subsection of the statute]."

For additional examples regarding review of policies, see: 24 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. §
13-1303.1-a (2009).

Communication Plan
Includes a plan for notifying students, students’ families, and staff of policies related to
bullying, including the consequences for engaging in bullying.

Example Communication Plan

Arkansas: Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-514(b) (2009): "The policies shall: ...[6] Require that
notice of what constitutes bullying, that bullying is prohibited, and the consequences of
engaging in bullying be conspicuously posted in every classroom, cafeteria, restroom,
gymnasium, auditorium, and school bus in the district; and [7] Require that copies of the
notice...be provided to parents, students, school volunteers, and employees."

For additional examples regarding communication plans, see: Del. Code Ann. Tit. 14,
§ 4123.a (2010); Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1006.147 (2010); Iowa Code § 280.28.3 (2008); N.J.
Stat. Ann. § 18A 37.15.b.10-11 (2010).

Training and Preventive Education

 Includes a provision for school districts to provide training for all school staff,
including, but not limited to, teachers, aides, support staff, and school bus drivers,
on preventing, identifying, and responding to bullying.
 Encourages school districts to implement age-appropriate school- and community-
wide bullying prevention programs.

Example Training and Preventive Education

South Carolina: S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-140(E) (2009): "Information regarding a local
school district policy against harassment, intimidation or bullying must be incorporated
into a school employee training program. Training also should be provided to school
volunteers who have significant contact with students.

Massachusetts: 2010 Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv. Ch. No. 92.3(d)-2010: "The plan...shall
include a provision for ongoing professional development to build the skills of all staff
members, including, but not limited to, educators, administrators, school nurses, cafeteria
workers, custodians, bus drivers, athletic coaches, advisors to extracurricular activities
and paraprofessionals, to prevent, identify and respond to bullying."

For additional examples regarding training of staff, see: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222d
(2010); Del. Code Ann. Tit. 14, § 4123.a (2010); Iowa Code § 280.28.3 (2008); Nev.
Rev. Stat. Ann.§ 383.133 (2009); Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.359 (2009); Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-
4-311 (2010).

South Carolina: S.C. Code Ann. § 59-63-140 (F) (2009): "Schools and school districts
are encouraged to establish bullying prevention programs and other initiatives involving
school staff, students, administrators, volunteers, parents, law enforcement, and
community members."

For additional examples regarding bullying prevention programming, see: Md. Code

Ann., Educ. § 7-424 (2010); 2010 Mass. Adv. Legis. Serv. Ch. No. 92-2010 (Lexis Nexis
2010); Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.359 (2009).

Transparency and Monitoring

 Includes a provision for LEAs to report annually to the state on the number of
reported bullying incidents, and any responsive actions taken.
 Includes a provision for LEAs to make data regarding bullying incidence publicly
available in aggregate with appropriate privacy protections to ensure students are
protected.

Example Transparency and Monitoring

New York: N.Y. Educ. Law §15 (2010): "The Commissioner shall create a procedure
under which material incidents of discrimination and harassment on school grounds or at
a school function are reported to the department at least on an annual basis. Such
procedure shall provide that such reports shall, wherever possible, also delineate the
specific nature of such incidents..."

For additional examples regarding reporting incidents to the State, see: Alaska Stat. §
14.33.210 (2010); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222d (2010); Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-424
(2010);

Iowa: Iowa Code § 280.28.7 (2008): "The board of directors of a school district and the
authorities in charge of each nonpublic school...shall report data collected...as specified
by the department, to the local community."

Ohio: Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.666.10 (2010): "...the district administration... [shall]
provide ... a written summary of all reported incidents and post the summary on its web
site...."
FERPA contains provisions regarding the appropriate safeguarding of privacy in
educational records. State and local officials are encouraged to seek guidance to make
sure any policies comply with these provisions.

For additional examples regarding requirements for reporting data to the public,

see: Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1006.147 (2010); Iowa Code § 280.28 (2008).

Statement of Rights to Other Legal Recourse

Includes a statement that the policy does not preclude victims from seeking other legal
remedies.

Example Statement of Rights to Other Legal Recourse

Oregon: Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 339.364 (2009): "Victim may seek redress under other
laws. ...[This statute] may not be interpreted to prevent a victim of harassment,
intimidation or bullying or a victim of cyberbullying from seeking redress under any
other available law, whether civil or criminal."

Model Policy
Model policies provide state guidance, direction, and recommended standards to help
local school systems create their own district and school policies or administrative
regulations. Model policies may be developed based on requirements of state or federal
laws.

www.stopbullying.gov
FGM:
FGM refers to cutting and other procedures that injure the female genetic
organs for non-medical reasons. It causes various health damages, which
include immediate blood loss, severe pain, death, infertility, painful
menstruation or sexual intercourse, etc. the practice often leaves girls and
women feeling scared, psychologically scarred, embarrassed and distressed.
The US government opposes FGM, no matter the type, degree or severity
and no matter what the motivation was performing it. The government
understands that it may be carried out in accordance with traditional beliefs
as a part of initiation rites. Nevertheless, the US government considers FGM
to be a serious human rights abuse and a form of gender-based violence and
child abuse.
The United states is committed to ending FGM globally to protect the health
and well-being of women and girls all around the globe. The country is
working at home and in other countries to help educate people about the
serious, damaging effects of FGM on women and girls.

(What Are the Criminal Consequences of Performing or Assisting in FGM/C?

It is against U.S. law to perform FGM/C on a girl under the age of 18, or to send or attempt to
send her outside the United States so FGM/C can be performed.  Violation of the law is
punishable by up to 5 years in prison, fines, or both.  There is no exception for performing
FGM/C because of tradition or culture.  Cutting and other procedures that injure the female
genital organs of a girl under 18 are prohibited under U.S. law.
What Are the Immigration Consequences of Violating the Laws Against FGM/C?

Violating the laws against FGM/C – even without a criminal conviction – may have significant
immigration consequences, including making one inadmissible to or removable from the United
States, as well as ineligible for some immigration benefits. )

travel.state.gov

USA VIEW ON FGM:

FGM/C in the United States: Legal, Programmatic, and Policy Responses

Since 1996, there have been specific federal criminal penalties for performing FGM/C in the United States on
any minor younger than 18 years old, including fines or up to five years in prison, or both (118 U.S.C. §
116(a)). In 2013, Congress criminalized the knowing transportation of a girl younger than 18 years old outside
of the United States for the purpose of performing FGM/C (so-called “vacation cutting”) (118 U.S.C. §
116(d)).  The Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains a hotline where people can anonymously report
violations or potential violations of the FGM/C statute. Numerous U.S. states have also criminalized the
practice.  DOJ will develop and disseminate a newsletter to U.S. Attorney’s Offices providing guidance
regarding investigations and prosecutions using the FGM/C statute.

The United States works through its embassies and consulates in countries where FGM/C is practiced to
inform certain travelers and immigrants to the United States of the federal law forbidding the practice. In
certain cases, women and girls at risk of FGM/C have been granted asylum or refugee status in the United
States. Department of Homeland Security personnel working with refugee populations receive extensive
training on adjudicating gender-related claims, including those involving FGM/C.

The U.S. Department for Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will
produce in 2014 a report estimating the number of girls at risk for or who have already undergone FGM/C in
the United States, updating 1997 figures. This report will be based on census data and the prevalence of the
practice in the girls’ country of origin.

HHS recommends health screening services to newly arrived refugees. Patients can access comprehensive
primary and behavioral health care at community centers, and HHS maintains a website with contact
information for those seeking additional information, resources or support. Over the past two years, over
100,000 individuals have visited the site to obtain information on FGM/C.  Research funded by the HHS
National Institutes of Health has helped to inform immigration-focused medicine, highlighting FGM/C for
healthcare providers.

Through HHS grants programs, such as the Ethnic Community Self-Help Program and the Family Violence
Prevention and Services Program, the United States supports domestic community-based organizations in
populations where girls are most at risk for FGM/C.  An April 2014 funding announcement for the Ethnic
Community Self-Help Program explicitly mentions efforts against FGM/C as an allowable activity under the
grant. These community-based programs provide leadership training, education on health and sexual violence,
including through promoting sensitive treatment by healthcare providers, and direct services. The work done
through these programs is driven by community concerns and interest.  Lessons learned are shared with
community organizations, educators, and immigrant and refugee service provider organizations.

FGM/C Globally: Policy, Programming, and Diplomatic Responses

The U.S. commitment to ending FGM/C is rooted in efforts to protect and advance the rights of women and
girls globally. The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, launched in
August 2012, specifically recognizes FGM/C as a harmful practice. The United States also supports efforts to
end FGM/C in humanitarian settings and among refugees with a range of programming. The United States
recently strengthened the reporting on this issue in its Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,
which now include information on whether FGM/C is prevalent, the type and category of genital cutting most
common, as well as international and governmental efforts being taken to address the practice. 

The United States is working to foster constructive legal and policy frameworks by supporting host country
legislation against the practice of FGM/C; participating in the FGM Donors Working Group to discuss donor
coordination and best practices to eliminate FGM/C; and engaging civil society through social media and
public outreach to spotlight the work being done to educate and invest in girls, a key to preventing FGM/C.

Through the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United
States supports community-based programming to raise awareness on the harmful effects of FGM/C in regions
where the practice is prevalent. This approach includes supporting the Nairobi Center of Excellence, which
seeks to improve health care for girls and women suffering negative consequences from FGM/C and to
promote broader education and dissemination of information on the harmful effects of FGM/C.  The State
Department and USAID are launching a new program dedicated to addressing this issue in Guinea, partnering
with the Government of Guinea and with multilateral and civil society actors to work to eliminate the practice
in Guinea’s eight districts – impacting up to 65,000 girls through community awareness and capacity- building
efforts.  From 2011-2013, the State Department supported the development of seven FGM/C free villages in
Kurdistan, through grassroots development and increased awareness regarding the health and economic
consequences of FGM/C.  A new Gender-based Violence Emergency Response and Protection Initiative is
dedicated to assisting survivors of extreme forms of gender-based violence. 
www.usaid.gov

QUESTIONS: AFGHANISTAN
half of afghanistan’s 30 million people are under 18. They are exposed to extreme
situation of violence and abuse due to ongoing fighting, displacement, a poor economy,
and harmful social norms and practices. Also, Afghanistan is second in migration only to
Syria. Over the last decade, 2.7 million afghans have left their country in hopes of finding
a better future. Within the country, more than one million have been displaced. UNICEF
does not believe that the existing protection services are adequate, especially in remote
areas of the country: where there is widespread failure to promote and protect the rights
of children, how is the Afghany government handling this situation? www.unicef.org

Running from conflict and driven by poverty or climate change, large numbers of Afghan
youths leave the country in search of a better life abroad. Usually boys aged between 12
and 17 – but sometimes as young as 10 years-old – they are among the most vulnerable
people on earth . Some will seek employment in Iran as undocumented workers; others
are migrants making the risky journey to Turkey or Europe. If detained, they are sent
back to Afghanistan. Such returns pose significant risks for young people, who are often
separated from their families. Alone and in limbo, they are an easy target for smugglers
and human traffickers. Is the afghany government doing anything about this and has it
seemed to be working? www.unicef.org

With three-fourths of Afghan children between the ages of two and 14 reporting violent
discipline at home, the need for protection from violence is clear. Nearly all Afghan
women (90 per cent) believe a husband is justified in beating his wife, which means
children are likely frequent witnesses to violence, if not also victims themselves. More
than a third of boys and a quarter of girls between the ages of five and 17 are engaged
in hazardous child labour. To make matters worse, nearly half of the girls are married
before they turn 18 where they perform domestic labour and are frequently exposed to
domestic abuse. How is the government going to make it’s citizens aware about their
basic rights?www.unicef.org

According to the law, what consequences do they have to face taking away or violating
children’s basic human rights?

Armed conflict and insecurity resulted in 2,480 child casualties during the first three quarters of
2017 alone, and the number of uprooted children continues to rise. Waves of violence have caused
sustained levels of displacement, with over 360,000 people fleeing their homes in 2017. At the same
time, Afghanistan saw the return of more than 550,000 people from Pakistan and Iran during the year,
many of whom arrived without documentation. What does the government plan to do about those
children and many other children like them? www.unicef.org

For babies born in today’s Afghanistan, violence is just one of many hardships. The number of children
that died before reaching their fifth birthday was 80,000 in 2017; four of five of these children did not
survive the first year of life. Though a significant improvement compared to mortality rates a decade
ago, this figure is still high in comparison to other countries in the region. Only 63 per cent of Afghan
children are fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. What about the remaining 37%?

Afghanistan continues to be one of three remaining countries in the world where polio is endemic, with
14 cases registered in 2017. Only 40 per cent of households have access to improved sanitation facilities,
leaving families vulnerable to unnecessary disease. When is the government planning to solve this issue?

Those who survive their earliest years often do not thrive. Two of every five children (41 per cent) in the
country are stunted and 1.2 million are malnourished. Without the right nutritional intake for their
physical and mental well-being, they will struggle to reach their full potential. Education, particularly for
girls, is more of a privilege than a right, with 3.5 million children out of school, missing vital learning
opportunities. Girls comprise 75 per cent of this group. Why have these children been deprived from
education?

www.unicef.org
THE BOMBING IN AFGHANISTAN IS NOT USA’S FAULT:

A group called the Taliban had controlled most of the country since 1996 but they were
overthrown in November 2001 by British and American armed forces, as well as lots of
Afghan fighters from a group called the Northern Alliance.

Why was there a war?

During the time that the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, they allowed an organisation
called al-Qaeda to have training camps there.

In September 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The
United States believed that Osama Bin Laden - who was the head of al-Qaeda - was
the man behind these attacks.

There was a lot of international pressure on the Afghan leaders to hand over Osama Bin
Laden. When the Taliban didn't do this, the United States decided they would use their
armed forces.

In October 2001, the USA began bombing Afghanistan. They targeted bin Laden's al-
Qaeda fighters and also the Taliban.

In November 2001, the Northern Alliance took control of the Afghan capital Kabul. They
were being helped by the US and other countries that agreed with it, including the UK.

The Taliban were quickly driven out of the capital city, Kabul, but even today
Afghanistan remains a dangerous place.

It was in 2011, ten years after the war in Afghanistan began that Osama bin Laden was
eventually found by American soldiers in Pakistan, where he was shot and killed.

British troops and forces from other countries are still in Afghanistan, trying to help the
government build a stable nation.
www.bbc.co.news

QUESTIONS: INDIA

Like mamta, a 24 year old in the village of eastern india, many women especially in the rural
areas have been facing many difficulties and problems even during pregnancy. Due to limited
facilities, many women get discharged from the hospital after only 48 hours after giving birth
even when they are not healthy. This causes babies to be grossly underweight and due to
malaria, which is a high risk for mothers when they’re pregnant. Babies are at a higher IMR risk,
they may suffer from anaemia, fetal growth retardation, and more. How is the Indian
government going to help hundreds and thousands of pregnant women who are fighting the
often lonely battle of survival with the combined risks of pregnancy and malaria? Unicef.in

Renu, a 14 year old girl in india, always wanted to be educated. But her father, was determined
to have her married off as she had “come of age”. The thought of getting married to an older
stranger was rather devastating for renu. Even though an organization helped Renu get out of
the situation, there are millions of other girls who couldn’t ask for help, how will India make it’s
citizens aware about this situation and the punishments they have to face for it? Unicef.in

“ a baby girl abandoned at birth survives!” isn’t something we get to hear frequently, especially
in India. Thousands of baby girls are abandoned after birth by their own families. Why is this still
happening in india, what is the government going to do about this? Unicef.in

During adolescence, there is a rapid increase in height, weight and sexual maturation. There is
an increased requirement of iron. If it isn’t available, young girls suffer from iron deficiency which
lead to miscarriage, etc. due to the poverty in India, there are a number of children who suffer
from this. When will the economic status of the country increase and drive away poverty in
india?

The IMR of india is currently 39.1/1000 live births. Where there are 38 deaths of male and 40.4
deaths of female out of a thousand in 2018, what action has the government taken or will take to
reduce the amount of IMR in india?
PROTECTING USA

Usa is in the 168th position when it comes to IMR with 6.1 out of a thousand births.
www.washingtonpost.com