|
BUSINESS
& POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL
OPINION REPORT NO.758 Week: August 29 –
September 04, 2022 Presentation: September 09,
2022 Almost
56% Pakistanis Hold The Opinion That Pakistan’s Biggest Problem Right Now Is
Inflation In
Lesotho, Gender-Based Violence Tops The List Of Women’s-Rights Issues To Be
Addressed Two
Thirds Of SMEs Are Worried About The Energy Price Cap Rising Public
More Likely To Think Boris Johnson Has Done A Bad Job As Pm Than Any Other
Since WWII 2
In 3 Britons Say Things In Great Britain Are Heading In The Wrong Direction 62%
Of French People Affected By A Pest Infestation In The Last 5 Years M-Pulse:
The Index Of Economic Confidence Returned To A Positive Indicator Italian
SMEs On The Path Of Digital Transformation, But A Necessary Evolution Must Be
Accelerated Women
And Young People Increasingly Inclined To Donate; 84% At Least Donated Once
In 2021 More
So Than Adults, U S Teens Value People Feeling Safe Online Over Being Able To
Speak Freely Roy
Morgan Business Confidence Up 1.1pts To 96.0 Australians
Prefer To Partner With The EU Economically But Favour The Us For A Security
Partnership Climate
Change Remains Top Global Threat Across 19-Country Survey IRI
Poll In Africa’s 5 Littoral States Finds Economic Anxiety At
The Civic Level, Growing Warmth Between Japan, S Korea Consumers
Around 30 Markets View Financial Security And Their Own Financial Situation
Differently INTRODUCTORY NOTE
758-43-23/Commentary:
About
Six-In-Ten Black Adults Say Racism And Police Brutality Are Extremely Big
Problems For Black People In The U S Today
More than a year after the murder of George Floyd
and the national protests, debate and political promises that ensued, 65% of
Black Americans say the increased national attention on racial inequality has
not led to changes that improved their lives.1 And
44% say equality for Black people in the United States is not likely to be
achieved, according to newly released findings from an October 2021 survey of
Black Americans by Pew Research Center. This is somewhat of a reversal in views from
September 2020, when half of Black adults said the increased national focus
on issues of race would lead
to major policy changes to address racial inequality in the country and 56%
expected changes that would make their lives better. At the same time, many Black Americans are concerned
about racial discrimination and its impact. Roughly eight-in-ten say they
have personally experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity
(79%), and most also say discrimination is the main reason many Black people
cannot get ahead (68%). Even so, Black Americans have a clear vision for how
to achieve change when it comes to racial inequality. This includes support
for significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions
to ensure fair treatment, particularly the criminal justice system; political
engagement, primarily in the form of voting; support for Black businesses to
advance Black communities; and reparations in the forms of educational,
business and homeownership assistance. Yet alongside their assessments of
inequality and ideas about progress exists pessimism about whether U.S.
society and its institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism. These findings emerge from an extensive Pew Research
Center survey of 3,912 Black Americans conducted online Oct. 4-17, 2021. The
survey explores how Black Americans assess their position in U.S. society and
their ideas about social change. Overall, Black Americans are clear on what
they think the problems are facing the country and how to remedy them.
However, they are skeptical that meaningful changes will take place in their
lifetime. Black Americans see racism
in our laws as a big problem and discrimination as a roadblock to progress
Black adults were asked in the survey to assess the
current nature of racism in the United States and whether structural or
individual sources of this racism are a bigger problem for Black people.
About half of Black adults (52%) say racism in our laws is a bigger problem
than racism by individual people, while four-in-ten (43%) say acts of racism
committed by individual people is the bigger problem. Only 3% of Black adults
say that Black people do not experience discrimination in the U.S. today. In assessing the magnitude of problems that they
face, the majority of Black Americans say racism (63%), police brutality
(60%) and economic inequality (54%) are extremely or very big problems for
Black people living in the U.S. Slightly smaller shares say the same about
the affordability of health care (47%), limitations on voting (46%), and the
quality of K-12 schools (40%). Aside from their critiques of U.S. institutions,
Black adults also feel the impact of racial inequality personally. Most Black
adults say they occasionally or frequently experience unfair treatment
because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and two-thirds (68%) cite racial
discrimination as the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead today. Black Americans’ views on
reducing racial inequality
Black Americans are clear on the challenges they
face because of racism. They are also clear on the solutions. These range
from overhauls of policing practices and the criminal justice system to civic
engagement and reparations to descendants of people enslaved in the United States. Changing U.S. institutions
such as policing, courts and prison systems About nine-in-ten Black adults say multiple aspects
of the criminal justice system need some kind of change (minor, major or a
complete overhaul) to ensure fair treatment, with nearly all saying so about
policing (95%), the courts and judicial process (95%), and the prison system
(94%). Roughly half of Black adults say policing (49%), the
courts and judicial process (48%), and the prison system (54%) need to be
completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. Smaller shares say
the same about the political system (42%), the economic system (37%) and the
health care system (34%), according to the October survey. While Black Americans are in favor of significant
changes to policing, most want spending on police departments in their
communities to stay the same (39%) or increase (35%). A little more than
one-in-five (23%) think spending on police departments in their area should
be decreased. Black adults who favor decreases in police spending
are most likely to name medical, mental health and social services (40%) as
the top priority for those reappropriated funds. Smaller shares say K-12
schools (25%), roads, water systems and other infrastructure (12%), and
reducing taxes (13%) should be the top priority. Voting and ‘buying Black’
viewed as important strategies for Black community advancement Black Americans also have clear views on the types
of political and civic engagement they believe will move Black communities
forward. About six-in-ten Black adults say voting (63%) and supporting Black
businesses or “buying Black” (58%) are extremely or very effective strategies
for moving Black people toward equality in the U.S. Smaller though still
significant shares say the same about volunteering with organizations
dedicated to Black equality (48%), protesting (42%) and contacting elected
officials (40%). Black adults were also asked about the effectiveness
of Black
economic and political independence in moving them
toward equality. About four-in-ten (39%) say Black ownership of all
businesses in Black neighborhoods would be an extremely or very effective
strategy for moving toward racial equality, while roughly three-in-ten (31%)
say the same about establishing a national Black political party. And about a
quarter of Black adults (27%) say having Black neighborhoods governed
entirely by Black elected officials would be extremely or very effective in
moving Black people toward equality. Most Black Americans
support repayment for slavery Discussions about atonement for slavery predate the
founding of the United States. As
early as 1672, Quaker abolitionists advocated for
enslaved people to be paid for their labor once they were free. And in recent
years, some U.S.
cities and institutions have
implemented reparations policies to do just that. Most Black Americans say the legacy of slavery
affects the position of Black people in the U.S. either a great deal (55%) or
a fair amount (30%), according to the survey. And roughly three-quarters
(77%) say descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some
way. Black adults who say descendants of the enslaved
should be repaid support doing so in different ways. About eight-in-ten say
repayment in the forms of educational scholarships (80%), financial
assistance for starting or improving a business (77%), and financial
assistance for buying or remodeling a home (76%) would be extremely or very
helpful. A slightly smaller share (69%) say cash payments would be extremely
or very helpful forms of repayment for the descendants of enslaved people. Where the responsibility for repayment lies is also
clear for Black Americans. Among those who say the descendants of enslaved
people should be repaid, 81% say the U.S. federal government should have all
or most of the responsibility for repayment. About three-quarters (76%) say businesses
and banks that profited from slavery should bear all or most of the
responsibility for repayment. And roughly six-in-ten say the same about
colleges and universities that benefited from slavery (63%) and descendants
of families who engaged in the slave trade (60%). Black Americans are
skeptical change will happen
Even though Black Americans’ visions for social
change are clear, very few expect them to be implemented. Overall, 44% of
Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is a little or not at
all likely. A little over a third (38%) say it is somewhat likely and only
13% say it is extremely or very likely. They also do not think specific institutions will
change. Two-thirds of Black adults say changes to the prison system (67%) and
the courts and judicial process (65%) that would ensure fair treatment for
Black people are a little or not at all likely in their lifetime. About
six-in-ten (58%) say the same about policing. Only about one-in-ten say
changes to policing (13%), the courts and judicial process (12%), and the
prison system (11%) are extremely or very likely. This pessimism is not only about the criminal
justice system. The majority of Black adults say the political (63%),
economic (62%) and health care (51%) systems are also unlikely to change in
their lifetime. Black Americans’ vision for social change includes
reparations. However, much like their pessimism about institutional change,
very few think they will see reparations in their lifetime. Among Black
adults who say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be
repaid, 82% say reparations for slavery are unlikely to occur in their
lifetime. About one-in-ten (11%) say repayment is somewhat likely, while only
7% say repayment is extremely or very likely to happen in their lifetime. Black Democrats,
Republicans differ on assessments of inequality and visions for social change
Party affiliation is one key point of difference
among Black Americans in their assessments of racial inequality and their
visions for social change. Black Republicans and Republican leaners are more
likely than Black Democrats and Democratic leaners to focus on the acts of
individuals. For example, when summarizing the nature of racism against Black
people in the U.S., the majority of Black Republicans (59%) say racist acts
committed by individual people is a bigger problem for Black people than
racism in our laws. Black Democrats (41%) are less likely to hold this view. Black Republicans (45%) are also more likely than
Black Democrats (21%) to say that Black people who cannot get ahead in the
U.S. are mostly responsible for their own condition. And while similar shares
of Black Republicans (79%) and Democrats (80%) say they experience racial
discrimination on a regular basis, Republicans (64%) are more likely than
Democrats (36%) to say that most Black people who want to get ahead can make
it if they are willing to work hard. On the other hand, Black Democrats are more likely
than Black Republicans to focus on the impact that racial inequality has on
Black Americans. Seven-in-ten Black Democrats (73%) say racial discrimination
is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead in the U.S, while about
four-in-ten Black Republicans (44%) say the same. And Black Democrats are
more likely than Black Republicans to say racism (67% vs. 46%) and police
brutality (65% vs. 44%) are extremely big problems for Black people today. Black Democrats are also more critical of U.S.
institutions than Black Republicans are. For example, Black Democrats are
more likely than Black Republicans to say the prison system (57% vs. 35%),
policing (52% vs. 29%) and the courts and judicial process (50% vs. 35%)
should be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. While the share of Black Democrats who want to see
large-scale changes to the criminal justice system exceeds that of Black
Republicans, they share similar views on police funding. Four-in-ten each of
Black Democrats and Black Republicans say funding for police departments in
their communities should remain the same, while around a third of each
partisan coalition (36% and 37%, respectively) says funding should increase.
Only about one-in-four Black Democrats (24%) and one-in-five Black
Republicans (21%) say funding for police departments in their communities
should decrease. Among the survey’s other findings: Black adults differ by age
in their views on political strategies. Black
adults ages 65 and older (77%) are most likely to say voting is an extremely
or very effective strategy for moving Black people toward equality. They are
significantly more likely than Black adults ages 18 to 29 (48%) and 30 to 49
(60%) to say this. Black adults 65 and older (48%) are also more likely than
those ages 30 to 49 (38%) and 50 to 64 (42%) to say protesting is an
extremely or very effective strategy. Roughly four-in-ten Black adults ages
18 to 29 say this (44%). Gender plays a role in how
Black adults view policing. Though majorities
of Black women (65%) and men (56%) say police brutality is an extremely big problem
for Black people living in the U.S. today, Black women are more likely than
Black men to hold this view. When it comes to criminal justice, Black women
(56%) and men (51%) are about equally likely to share the view that the
prison system should be completely rebuilt to ensure fair treatment of Black
people. However, Black women (52%) are slightly more likely than Black men
(45%) to say this about policing. On the matter of police funding, Black
women (39%) are slightly more likely than Black men (31%) to say police
funding in their communities should be increased. On the other hand, Black
men are more likely than Black women to prefer that funding stay the same
(44% vs. 36%). Smaller shares of both Black men (23%) and women (22%) would
like to see police funding decreased. Income impacts Black
adults’ views on reparations. Roughly
eight-in-ten Black adults with lower (78%), middle (77%) and upper incomes
(79%) say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should receive
reparations. Among those who support reparations, Black adults with upper and
middle incomes (both 84%) are more likely than those with lower incomes (75%)
to say educational scholarships would be an extremely or very helpful form of
repayment. However, of those who support reparations, Black adults with lower
(72%) and middle incomes (68%) are more likely than those with higher incomes
(57%) to say cash payments would be an extremely or very helpful form of
repayment for slavery. (PEW) AUGUST 30, 2022 SUMMARY
OF POLLS
ASIA (Pakistan) Almost 56% Pakistanis Hold The Opinion That
Pakistan’s Biggest Problem Right Now Is Inflation According to a survey
conducted by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, 56% Pakistanis hold the opinion
that Pakistan’s biggest problem right now is inflation. A nationally
representative sample of adult men and women from across the four provinces
was asked the following question, “What do you think is Pakistan’s biggest
problem right now?” In response to this question, 56% said inflation, 22%
said unemployment while 8% said political instability, 5% said corruption, 4%
said load shedding, 2% said water issue, 2% said it was some other issue and
1% said don’t know or gave no response. (Gallup Pakistan) August 29, 2022 AFRICA (Lesotho) In Lesotho, Gender-Based Violence Tops The List
Of Women’s-Rights Issues To Be Addressed In Lesotho, almost
two-thirds (64%) of citizens identify gender-based violence as the most
important women’s-rights issue for the government and society to address. GBV
ranks far ahead of unequal opportunities or pay in the workplace (11%),
unequal rights of property ownership and inheritance (9%), unequal access to
education (7%), and too few women in influential positions in government (7%)
as priorities. Men and women hold almost identical views on the most
important women’s-rights issues requiring the attention of the government and
society. (Afrobarometer) 31 August 2022 WEST EUROPE (UK) Two Thirds Of SMEs Are Worried About The Energy
Price Cap Rising A new YouGov survey of 526
small and medium sized enterprises (SMES) finds that 60% say they are having
to pay higher energy bills than they were at the start of the year. For 13%
of firms, bills have increased despite the fact they are using less energy
now than they were at the start of the year. Of those firms experiencing
higher prices, a large portion say they are unsustainable for the business –
44% say they won’t be able to sustain them for longer than 12 months,
including 9% who say they already cannot afford to pay for them. These
figures represent 26% and 5% of all SMEs, respectively. (YouGov UK) August 30, 2022 Public More Likely To Think
Boris Johnson Has Done A Bad Job As PM Than Any Other Since WWII New research by Ipsos in
the UK shows Britons are more likely to say he has done a bad job as Prime
Minister than any other person to hold the position since the Second World
War – although he also ranks 4th on those being seen to have done a good job. Boris Johnson is in first place for
being seen to have done a bad job (49%), followed by Theresa May (41%), David Cameron (38%) and Tony Blair (35%). There has been a 6-point fall in
the proportion of Britons that think Gordon
Brown did a bad job – reflecting his improved scores since
2021. (Ipsos MORI) 31 August 2022 2
In 3 Britons Say Things In Great Britain Are Heading In The Wrong Direction New polling by Ipsos in
the UK shows almost two-thirds (64%) of Britons now believe things in this
country are heading in the wrong directions while only 1 in 5 (21%) say
things are heading the right way. The 64% saying things are heading in the
wrong direction is the highest number since the last General Election. Those
who voted for the Conservatives in 2019 are more likely to say things are
going the right way, but only slightly. Three in 10 (29%) say things are
heading in the right direction while a majority disagree (54%). On the other
hand, three-quarters (74%) of Labour voters from 2019 say the country is
heading in the wrong direction. (Ipsos MORI) 2 September 2022 Nearly
Half Of UK Adults Say They Watched, Followed Online, Or Were Involved In An
Event For The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games In a new poll by Ipsos,
commissioned by the Department
for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), almost half (46%) of adults in the UK and
two in three (63%) in the Birmingham area said they had engaged with the 2022
Games. Six in ten (58%) people from Birmingham and the surrounding area agree
the Games will have improved perceptions of the city across the rest of the
UK and abroad, with less than one in ten (9%) saying it won't. (Ipsos MORI) 2 September 2022 (France) 62% Of French People Affected By A Pest
Infestation In The Last 5 Years Between January and July
2022, already 18% of French people had to face an infestation, confirming
this trend. Despite a lower presence with 11% of French people affected in the
last 5 years, bed bugs are by far the most feared pest by respondents (35%)
ahead of wasp and/or hornet nests (23%). This figure, counterintuitive, is
explained by the rather low success rate of "home" treatments, if
71% of respondents try to solve the problem on their own, more than half of
them fail (51%). (Ipsos France) August 31, 2022 (Russia) M-Pulse: The Index Of Economic Confidence
Returned To A Positive Indicator Within the framework of
the research project "M-Pulse"*, Romir experts analyzed the
dynamics of the impact of the socio-economic situation on a person. Among
those who have television as a source of information, the index was +7
points. Among those who receive information from YouTube, the index was -10
points. Every second Russian has not
noticed a change in their financial situation over the past month. At the
same time, 54% of the
population does not have any savings. (Romir) 2 September 2022 (Italy) Italian SMEs On The Path Of Digital
Transformation, But A Necessary Evolution Must Be Accelerated 48% of companies have
resorted to smart working and 98% have a digital communication channel, 31%
have reviewed internal processes aimed at digital transformation, while 83%
do not use any eCommerce channel. During the pandemic, companies and
professionals have continued to be productive mainly thanks to smart working,
a mode of work little used before the crisis. According to the American
Express/BVA Doxa study, 48% of SMEs surveyed resorted to this mode
precisely in relation to the epidemic: in fact, only 6% of the sample
had already planned to implement agile work. (BVA Doxa) August 31, 2022 Women And Young People Increasingly Inclined To
Donate; 84% At Least Donated Once In 2021 Women and younger
generations are confirmed as donors: 84% of them say they have made at least
one donation in 2021. Interesting is the positive trend of Millennials
and Gen Z, which in 2021 confirm the leap forward of 2020 that had seen them
grow from 79% to 84%.. Not only that, the percentage of Millennials (61%) who
donate to multiple associations is also growing, while the most adults prefer
to donate for a single association. The future for donations looks
positive, 25% of Millennials said they want to donate more in the
future, followed by Generation X at 18%. (BVA Doxa) August 31, 2022 NORTH AMERICA (USA) More So Than Adults, U S Teens Value People
Feeling Safe Online Over Being Able To Speak Freely Overall, 62% of teens say
people being able to feel welcome and safe online is more important than
people being able to speak their minds freely online. The majority of teens
(59%) think that many people take such content too seriously, as do 54% of
adults. Smaller shares in both groups believe offensive content online is too
often excused as “not a big deal” (40% of teens and 44% of adults). Similar
to teens, about six-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 (62%) say offensive content
is taken too seriously, as do 56% of those ages 30 to 64. By contrast, just
41% of adults 65 and older say the same. (PEW) AUGUST 30, 2022 About Six-In-Ten Black Adults Say Racism And
Police Brutality Are Extremely Big Problems For Black People In The U S Today More than a year after the
murder of George Floyd and the national protests, debate and political
promises that ensued, 65% of Black Americans say the increased national
attention on racial inequality has not led to changes that improved their
lives.1 And 44% say equality for Black people
in the United States is not likely to be achieved, according to newly
released findings from an October 2021 survey of Black Americans by Pew
Research Center. (PEW) AUGUST 30, 2022 (Colombia) Entrepreneurship Of The Elderly; 33% Of Older
Adults Consider It As An Alternative To Maintain Their Autonomy Colombia has 6.8 million
older adults, of which 45% are men and 55% women. It is estimated that by
2050 this figure will reach 14 million older adults. 33% of older adults
consider entrepreneurship as an alternative to maintain their autonomy. Bucaramanga
and Barranquilla are the cities where they have the greatest willingness to
undertake, with 50%. 14% of older adults in Medellin express their interest
in labor independence for having a family business tradition. (CNC) AUGUST 30, 2022 AUSTRALIA Roy Morgan Business Confidence Up 1.1pts To 96.0 In August 2022 Roy Morgan
Business Confidence was 96.0 (up 1.1pts since July), the first monthly
increase for four months since April 2022. The increase was the first for
Business Confidence since the RBA began increasing interest rates in early
May for the first time in over a decade. The RBA has now increased interest
rates by 1.75% over the last four months and is expected to raise interest
rates again next week by a further 0.5%. (Roy Morgan) August 29 2022 Australians Prefer To Partner With The EU
Economically But Favour The Us For A Security Partnership A special Roy Morgan SMS
survey taken in late August shows a clear majority of 61% of Australians say
they prefer partnering with the USA for security issues but for partnering
economically the European Union comes out on top, favoured by 43% of
Australians. In terms of security issues, the USA is favoured by 61% of
Australians and is far ahead of any other contenders including the European
Union (22%) and United Kingdom (14%). Considered together, over a third of
Australians, 36%, select one of the two European based partners. In contrast,
only 2.5% of people say they prefer Australia to partner with China regarding
security issues and only 0.5% nominate Russia. (Roy Morgan) September 01 2022 MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES 49% Of The World's Population, On Average, Feels
Guilty About Its Impact On The Environment, A Study In 15 Countries 49% of the world's
population, on average, feels guilty about its impact on the environment,
hence more and more people are willing to modify their habits to limit this
impact Spain is the European country of the five analyzed in this study with
the lowest percentage of activist population, leading the European list
France (28%), followed by Germany (24%). Half of the Spanish population
thinks that we are on the verge of the sixth extinction of living beings on
the Planet. (Ipsos Spain) 29 August 2022 Over
2 In 3 (67%) Of People, On Average, Across 28 Countries Feel The Economy In
Their Country Is Bad Will inflation pop or will
hot air slowly release from economies around the world? No one really knows. Some
economists predict prices will continue to soar for quite a while yet. Others
worry about stagflation (meaning there’s high inflation and high unemployment
at the same time). Then there’s the doomsayers saying a severe recession is
nigh. Four of the 23 countries in Ipsos’ Global Consumer Confidence Index
have National Consumer Confidence Index scores that are significantly higher
than before the pandemic. 30 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/data-dive-heres-how-people-are-feeling-about-inflation-around-world Climate
Change Remains Top Global Threat Across 19-Country Survey With the COVID-19 pandemic
still raging, a hot war between Russia and Ukraine ongoing, inflation rates rising globally and heat records being smashed across
parts of the world, countries are facing a wide variety of challenges in
2022. Among the many threats facing the globe, climate change stands out as
an especially strong concern among citizens in advanced economies, according
to a new Pew Research Center survey. A median of 75% across 19 countries in
North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region label global climate change
as a major threat. (PEW) AUGUST 31, 2022 Global Population Skews Male, But UN Projects
Parity Between Sexes By 2050, Estimates Of 237 Countries Globally, the number of
males has exceeded the number of females since the mid-1960s. But by 2050,
the worldwide sex ratio is expected to even out, according to recently released population projections
from the United Nations. As of 2021, there were about 44 million
more males than females in the global population. But that difference is
expected to disappear as a result of several different demographic trends. (PEW) AUGUST 31, 2022 IRI
Poll In Africa’s 5 Littoral States Finds Economic Anxiety When asked about the most
important problem facing their country today, pluralities in the surveyed
regions of Ghana (42%), Cote d’Ivoire (38%), Togo (35%), and Benin (34%) all
cited issues related to the economy. In Burkina Faso, “insecurity” was the
top priority with 36%. On security related matters, people who
believe that violent extremism is a problem in their region of Burkina Faso
(45%), Côte d’Ivoire (42%), Togo (45%), and Benin (39%), named “insurgent
groups” as the most common perpetrators in their communities. A smaller
percentage of people in Ghana (18%) agreed. (International Republican
Institute) September 2, 2022 At The Civic Level, Growing Warmth Between
Japan, S Korea An opinion poll on
how Japanese and South Koreans view each other’s country showed a marked
rise in favorable sentiment on both sides. Genron NPO, a Japanese nonprofit
think tank, and the East Asia Institute, a South Korean think tank, have
jointly conducted the surveys on an annual basis since 2013. Japanese who
harbor favorable feelings toward South Korea increased by 5 percentage points
to 30.4 percent, while those with unfavorable feelings came to 40.3 percent,
down 8.5 percentage points from a year earlier. (Asahi Shimbun) September 2, 2022 Source:
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14709486 Consumers
Around 30 Markets View Financial Security And Their Own Financial Situation
Differently Data from YouGov Global Profiles shows that consumers around the world
view financial security and their own financial situation differently.
Globally, more than a fifth of consumers (21 percent) disagree with this
statement. 41 percent of The Japanese do not see themselves as financially
secure, closely followed by Germany with 37 percent, who do not agree with
the statement: "I consider myself financially secure". In the USA
and Greece, too, the majority of respondents do not see themselves as
financially secure (34 and 31 percent respectively). (YouGov Germany) September 2, 2022 Source:
https://yougov.de/news/2022/09/02/hohe-finanzielle-unsicherheit-japan-und-deutschlan/ ASIA
758-43-01/Polls Almost 56%
Pakistanis Hold The Opinion That Pakistan’s Biggest Problem Right Now Is
Inflation
According to a survey conducted by Gallup &
Gilani Pakistan, 56% Pakistanis hold the opinion that Pakistan’s biggest
problem right now is inflation. A nationally representative sample of adult
men and women from across the four provinces was asked the following
question, “What do you think is Pakistan’s biggest problem right now?” In
response to this question, 56% said inflation, 22% said unemployment while 8%
said political instability, 5% said corruption, 4% said load shedding, 2%
said water issue, 2% said it was some other issue and 1% said don’t know or
gave no response. Question: “What do you think is
Pakistan’s biggest problem right now?”
August 29, 2022 Source:
https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/August-29.pdf AFRICA
758-43-02/Polls In Lesotho,
Gender-Based Violence Tops The List Of Women’s-Rights Issues To Be Addressed
Key findings § Basotho see
gender-based violence (GBV) as the most important women’s-rights issue that
the government and society must address. § A majority (53%)
of citizens say violence against women is a “somewhat common” (28%) or “very
common” (25%) occurrence in their community. § More than eight
in 10 (85%) Basotho say it is “never” justified for a man to physically
discipline his wife. About two in 10 think it is “sometimes” (11%) or
“always” (4%) justified. §
Almost six in 10 respondents (56%) consider it “somewhat likely” (29%) or
“very likely” (27%) that a woman will be criticised or harassed if she
reports gender-based violence to the authorities. o But most citizens (79%)
say the police are likely to take cases of GBV seriously. § A slim majority
(53%) of Basotho say domestic violence should be treated as a criminal matter
rather than as a private matter to be resolved within the family. Is
gender-based violence (GBV) an important problem in Lesotho? In Lesotho, almost two-thirds (64%) of citizens identify
gender-based violence as the most important women’s-rights issue for the
government and society to address. GBV ranks far ahead of unequal
opportunities or pay in the workplace (11%), unequal rights of property
ownership and inheritance (9%), unequal access to education (7%), and too few
women in influential positions in government (7%) as priorities (Figure
1).
How common is GBV? One reason that GBV is
considered a major issue is probably that many Basotho think it happens frequently: 53% of
respondents say violence against women is “somewhat common” (28%) or “very
common” (25%) in their community (Figure 3)
Women (56%) are slightly
more likely than men (51%) to say that violence against women and girls is a
common occurrence, as are urban residents (60%) compared to their rural
counterparts (51%) (Figure 4). This perception is also more widespread among
poor citizens (58% of those experiencing high “lived poverty”1) but less
common among those with no formal education (47%). Older respondents (50%)
are less likely to report that GBV happens frequently.
Physical discipline of a
spouse More than eight in 10 Basotho (85%) say it is “never justified” for a
man to physically discipline his wife. Fewer than two in 10 consider it
“sometimes” (11%) or “always” (4%) justified. Women are somewhat more likely
than men to rule out physical discipline as “never justified,” 89% vs. 82%
(Figure 5). The view that men are never justified in physically disciplining
their wives gathers strength as respondents’ education level rises, ranging
from 77% of those with no formal schooling to 92% of those with
post-secondary qualifications (Figure 6). Older respondents are a little less
likely to share this attitude (83% of those aged over 55 years), compared to
86%-87% of younger respondents.
Response to GBV Police and
scholars agree that the true extent of GBV is unknown because many attacks on
girls and women are never reported. Reasons include fear of the attacker,
fear of a negative response by others, or the belief that the authorities
won’t take the case seriously (Palermo, Bleck, & Peterman, 2014). Asked
whether they think a woman who reports being a victim of rape, domestic
violence, or other gender-based violence will be criticised, harassed, or
shamed by others in the community, only about a quarter (27%) of Basotho say
this is “very unlikely” (Figure 7). While another 14% consider it “somewhat
unlikely,” a majority (56%) say it is “somewhat” (29%) or “very” (27%)
likely. These perceptions – whether accurate or not – may serve as a
significant deterrent to reporting GBV. Women and men hold almost identical
views on this question, and differences by respondents’ age, education level,
and urban-rural residency show no clear pattern.
While expectations
regarding the community’s response are mixed, Basotho overwhelmingly believe
that the police will respond appropriately to reported cases of GBV: 79% see
it as likely that the police will take such reports seriously, including 56%
who say it is “very likely” (Figure 8). More men than women believe that the
police will take GBV cases seriously (83% vs. 75%) (Figure 9).
Is domestic violence a
criminal or family matter? One common form of GBV is
domestic violence. Even though the perpetrators may be known, many domestic-violence
cases go unreported or unresolved, and most present victims and families with
complex, wrenching decisions. Do Basotho see domestic violence as a criminal matter or a
private matter? Basotho are divided in
their views: 53% say domestic violence is a criminal matter that requires the involvement
of law enforcement, while 46% consider it a private matter that needs to be handled within
the family (Figure 10). Women are much more likely
than men to see domestic violence as a criminal matter, 62% vs. 44%. Support for this
view is lowest among those with high lived poverty (44%, vs. 55% of
better-off citizens).
Conclusion Basotho considers
gender-based violence a serious issue that needs urgent attention. While
activists welcome the Counter Domestic Violence Bill, this should be
augmented by education and awareness raising. The stigmatisation of victims
must be addressed, and communities should play their role of protecting the
vulnerable members in their midst. Basotho express confidence that the police
take GBV cases seriously, but the fact that almost half of adults consider
domestic violence a private matter, if left unaddressed, will result in the
continued under-reporting of GBV cases to the police. 31
August 2022 WEST
EUROPE
758-43-03/Polls Two Thirds Of SMEs Are
Worried About The Energy Price Cap Rising
While the cost of living crisis has been hitting the
public hard, it is not just individuals for are struggling, but also
businesses.
In most cases, the increased cost of energy is
making its way back to the already hard-pressed consumer. Three quarters
(75%) of those firms whose energy bills have gone up say they are going to
have to pass on higher prices for customers, including 34% who say it will
lead to “much higher” prices for their customers. Things are only going to get worse, with the energy
price cap set to rise in October. Almost two thirds (64%) of SMEs say they
are worried about the forthcoming increase in the energy price cap, including
30% who are “very worried”. August 30, 2022 758-43-04/Polls Public More Likely To
Think Boris Johnson Has Done A Bad Job As Pm Than Any Other Since WWII
As the end date of Boris Johnson’s time as Prime
Minister nears, new research by Ipsos in the UK shows
Britons are more likely to say he has done a bad job as Prime Minister than
any other person to hold the position since the Second World War – although
he also ranks 4th on those being seen to have done a good job.
Key findings from the poll
include:
When we look at 2019
Conservative voters:
Amongst 2019 Labour
voters:
Keiran Pedley, Director of
Political Research at Ipsos, said: Winston Churchill
continues to top our list of Prime Ministers the public think did a good job
in office, followed by Margaret Thatcher. Boris Johnson will be reasonably
content with finishing 4th on that list but less happy about topping the list
for having done a bad job. However, there is a certain degree of recency bias
in who tops the bad job list, with Johnson making up a top three with Theresa
May and David Cameron. Time will tell how Johnson’s legacy is judged, as we
see by improved scores for Gordon Brown over time, negative perceptions today
may soften in the future. 31 August 2022 758-43-05/Polls 2 In 3 Britons Say Things
In Great Britain Are Heading In The Wrong Direction
Favourability The two Conservative leadership candidates, Liz
Truss and Rishi Sunak, appear to be neck-and-neck in terms of public
favourability as we near the leadership election finish line. Both are seen
favourably by around a quarter of Britons (25% Sunak, 23% Truss), increasing
to just over a third of 2019 Conservative voters (37% Sunak, 36% Truss). 46%
of the general public are unfavourable towards Sunak and 45% towards
Truss. This means Sunak has an overall net favourability
rating of -21 while Truss scores -22 among the general public. Looking at other
politicians:
Looking at political
parties:
Impact of Brexit Around half of Britons say the UK’s decision to
leave the European Union has had a negative impact on the country (48%, +1 pt
from July) while 3 in 10 say the impact has been positive (31%, +4 pts).
Around 1 in 7 say it has made no difference (16%, -2 pts). Government performance Looking back at the performance of the Johnson
government, the public are more likely to think the government have done a
bad job, rather than a good job, across a range of measures. The public are
most negative about the government’s performance on improving living standards
for those on low incomes (57%) and improving Britain’s economy generally
(55%). When we compare scores to the last time we asked
these statements in July 2021 the most notable shifts include:
Keiran Pedley, Director of
Politics at Ipsos, said: These numbers show the
difficult political environment the new Prime Minister will inherit next
week. With two in three Britons thinking things are heading in the wrong
direction and significant concerns about the economy and cost of living
clear, the next occupant of Number 10 will need to hit the ground running to
reassure the public that they can deal with the various challenges Britain
faces. 2 September 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/2-3-britons-say-things-great-britain-are-heading-wrong-direction 758-43-06/Polls Nearly Half Of UK Adults
Say They Watched, Followed Online, Or Were Involved In An Event For The
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
In a new poll by Ipsos, commissioned by the Department for
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), almost half (46%) of adults in the UK and two in three (63%)
in the Birmingham area said they had engaged with the 2022 Games.
People in Birmingham and the surrounding area feel
positively about the impact the Games have had on perceptions of the city and
the local economy. Six in ten people (60%) in Birmingham and the
surrounding area agree that the Games has had a positive impact on the
economy in Birmingham and Sandwell, by providing jobs and supporting local
businesses. People across the UK also feel positively about the
opportunities that the Games and similar events provide. Almost eight in ten (78%) people agree major UK
events including the Games give people the opportunity to celebrate. Three in
four people agree major events including the Games give people the
opportunity to come together nationally (75%) and locally (72%). Major UK events give people a sense of pride. Two in
three (61%) people said major UK events in 2022 including the Games make them
feel proud of the UK. 2 September 2022 758-43-07/Polls 62% Of French People
Affected By A Pest Infestation In The Last 5 Years
Pests: an extremely widespread problem...
... and constantly
increasing
All pest species progress year after year,
especially rats (x2.3) and hornet wasps (x2.2). Between
January and July 2022, already 18% of French people had to face an
infestation, confirming this trend. Despite a lower presence with 11% of
French people affected in the last 5 years, bed bugs are by far the most
feared pest by respondents (35%) ahead of wasp and/or hornet nests (23%). A significant expense for
the affected households.
This budget is divided between professional
treatment – 284€; "homemade" treatments - 83€; and collateral
damage (discarded furniture...) and additional services – €250. There are
significant differences from one pest to another with an average budget of
958 € to overcome bed bugs against "only" 379 € to eliminate a
mouse infestation. Especially for those who
are trying to deal with the problem on their own
This figure, counterintuitive, is explained by the
rather low success rate of "home" treatments, if 71% of respondents
try to solve the problem on their own, more than half of them fail (51%) a
particularly low figure when dealing with bedbugs (62% failure), hornets (60%
failure) and cockroaches (59%). La lutte contre les
nuisibles est aussi un combat de longue haleine
This figure remains important, regardless of the
pest concerned, with a minimum of 2.2 for flea infestations and a maximum of
3.3 months for rat infestations. This homogeneity of average elimination
times masks various realities, however, since 9% of those affected took more
than 6 months to overcome the infestation. In addition, here too, people
using a professional are better off since in 49% of cases the problem is
solved in less than a month against only 26%, for those who have tried to
treat by themselves. The choice of the
treatment company, a crucial step to avoid scams and additional expenses
The main reasons for dissatisfaction concern the
price of the service for 51% of victims, with, for example, discrepancies
between the advertised rate and that charged; the lack of seriousness of the
company (48%) or the quality of the treatment (46%); or the lack of advice and
support (41%). This lack of quality and seriousness directly impacts the sums
spent by those affected, since those who say they are dissatisfied due to a
lack of advice have spent an average of €715 against €436 for satisfied
people, or 64% additional costs. August 31, 2022 758-43-08/Polls M-Pulse: The Index Of
Economic Confidence Returned To A Positive Indicator
In the period from 22 to 28 August, the index of
economic confidence of Russians ** returned to the positive zone, increasing
to 3 points.
*"M-Pulse" is
an operational measurement of the impact of the current socio-economic
situation on a person, his behavior, consumption, plans and expectations. The
results of the study are available in weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual
and annual formats. For the full results of the study, you can contact the m-pulse@romir.ru. **The economic confidence
index is a set of Russians' assessment of the
current economic situation in the country and their expectations regarding the
prospects for its development. Indicators are calculated as the difference
between positive and negative answers. 2 September 2022 758-43-09/Polls Italian SMEs On The Path
Of Digital Transformation, But A Necessary Evolution Must Be Accelerated
The pandemic has certainly
contributed to accelerating the
adoption of technology by Italian companies and professionals, reducing
the gap compared to many other countries. However, it is essential to further promote this digital transformation by
helping SMEs to develop necessary
skills, evolve their processes and understand how to make the most of new
technologies. This is what emerges from the American Express SME Observatory in collaboration
with BVA Doxa: a survey conducted on top figures of 300 small
and medium-sized Italian companies operating in different sectors and
throughout the national territory, which offers a snapshot of the level of
digitization of our companies. The survey conducted by
BVA Doxa on behalf of American Express highlights how in the last two years
the majority of SMEs (66% of respondents) declare that they have had even
significant losses, around a quarter of the
business, even if there is a 20% that has managed to grow, in particular
companies operating in sectors favored by the pandemic. On the path towards
the recovery of competitiveness, the
digital evolution, certainly accelerated but still to be
consolidated, represents a great opportunity
that our SMEs must maximize to return to growth. 31% of companies have also
reviewed internal processes aimed at digital transformation,
thus showing a strong propensity for a change of pace towards digital,
and just 20% have joined new services
dedicated to networking. In
fact, two thirds of companies declare that they are not part of any
consortium or network of companies and in particular
the connection with scientific and
technological research consortia appears to be very
low, which concerns 5% of SMEs. E-COMMERCE STILL CONTAINED TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTMENTS TO HELP GROWTH Most of these investments in technology, however,
are dedicated to the digitized
management of documents, in 70% of cases, to social media for 62%, therefore in
general to "necessary" rather than strategic items. Social media is also considered by 64% of
companies to be the most useful digital tools. Subsequently,
investments are allocated to e-Government
and online interactions with PAs (51% of companies), cybersecurity (50% of SMEs, therefore 1 in 2
companies) and cloud
technologies (40% of respondents). NETWORK COMPANIES Almost one in
two companies (44%) has instead made investments in digital campaigns,
and for over two thirds (36%) it is a recent experience, made in the last 2
years, while a further 13% is
interested in doing digital communication. August 31, 2022 758-43-10/Polls Women And Young People
Increasingly Inclined To Donate; 84% At Least Donated Once In 2021
HEALTH FIRST 'Health and scientific research' (54%) confirms the
primacy as the area most chosen by donors, while the 'emergency and civil
protection' area grows (35%), followed by 'protection of the environment and
animals' (28%) and 'social assistance' (24%). Sensitivity towards the 'protection of rights and peace' is also
growing (15%). As for types of donations, crowdfunding (72%),
donations to associations (64%) and solidarity gifts (21%) continue the
positive trend started in 2020. ONLINE VS OFFLINE DONATIONS The constant growth of online donation continues
(35%), while cash that had a decline during the lockdown of 2020, recovers
some points (37%). Looking exclusively at donations to associations
(excluding solidarity gifts), those
made online (35%) exceed those made in cash (27%) increasing
the gap between the two modes. In addition, donating at the time of a purchase is a
practice that is arousing interest, for
37% 'doing good while shopping is an excellent idea', a choice
appreciated especially by women and young people under 24. THE IMPACT OF COVID AND THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE In 2021, one in three donors changed their
association of reference for their donations. 37% of respondents happened not to donate to a non-profit association,
which they used to donate, due to the pandemic. The dramatic
events related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have aroused the positive
reaction of Italians. 60% of the
sample interviewed said they had made a donation to the
Ukrainian population. Clothes and money for the most (30%), followed by food
(24%), medicines (18%) and toys (13%). "The world
of donations – due to the COVID 19 Pandemic – has had to revolutionize its
way of relating to its donors and supporters; we are still in a phase of
transition where Digital is playing a key role – explains Antonio Filoni, Partner and Head of Digital of BVA
DOXA – it is not only the payment method that is digitized
but the contact, dialogue and relationship becomes virtual, this more
important and central to create a bond that the donor seeks in expressing
with a gesture his desire to do good." August 31, 2022 Source: https://www.bva-doxa.com/donne-e-giovani-sempre-piu-propensi-a-donare/ NORTH
AMERICA
758-43-11/Polls More So Than Adults, U S
Teens Value People Feeling Safe Online Over Being Able To Speak Freely
Teens and adults in the United States differ on a
key issue tied to online speech and its consequences. A majority of teens
ages 13 to 17 say a welcoming, safe online environment is more important than
people being able to speak their minds freely online, according to a new Pew
Research Center survey. A separate survey of Americans 18 and older shows
that adults’ views on the same question are more evenly divided.
Adults ages 18 to 29 differ from their younger teen
counterparts on this question. Some 57% of adults in this age group favor the
idea that people should be able to speak their minds freely online. Those 65
and older, by contrast, are the only age group whose views are similar to
teens’: 58% of these Americans say feeling welcome and safe online is more
important. How we did this
But there is also nuance in people’s views of online
speech. For example, when asked which of two statements about the way people
react to offensive content online comes closer to their view, the majority of teens (59%) think that many people take
such content too seriously, as do 54% of adults. Smaller shares in both
groups believe offensive content online is too often excused as “not a big
deal” (40% of teens and 44% of adults). Similar to teens, about
six-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 (62%) say offensive content is taken too
seriously, as do 56% of those ages 30 to 64. By contrast, just 41% of adults
65 and older say the same. These new results are from two Center surveys – one
of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted April 14-May 4, 2022, and one of U.S.
adults conducted March 21-27, 2022. They come in the wake of heightened bipartisan calls
for tech companies to address cyberbullying and create
a safe environment for teens. They also come amid continued
court battles over whether schools can impose consequences on
adolescents for what they say online – and broader debates about people
being banned by
social media platforms or “canceled”
by their peers. Politics shapes views
about online discourse among both teens and adults In both surveys, Americans’ views on these topics
break sharply along partisan lines. But regardless of what party they
identify with or lean toward, teens are more likely than adults with similar
partisan leanings to say allowing for safe spaces online is more important
than being able to speak freely online.
Some 71% of teens who identify as Democrats or lean
toward the Democratic Party say this, compared with 62% of Democratic and
Democratic-leaning adults. About half of Republican-identifying or GOP-leaning
teens (49%) also back a welcoming and safe environment – 13 percentage points
greater than the share of Republican and GOP-leaning adults (36%) who hold
the same view. Among both teens and adults, though, there are
substantial differences by party. Republican teens are 23 points more likely
than Democratic teens to say being able to speak freely online is more
important. Among adults, Republicans are 26 points more likely than Democrats
to say the same. Democratic adults instead are more likely to favor
welcoming, safe spaces by the same margin. On the question of offensive content, teens’ and
adults’ views within each party are similar. Gaps between parties emerge for both
teens and adults: Democratic teens are more likely than Republican teens to
say that offensive content online is too often excused as not a big deal (50%
vs. 27%), and there is a similar pattern for Democratic versus Republican
adults (55% vs. 32%). By comparison, 72% of Republican teens and 67% of
Republican adults say many take offensive content they see online too
seriously. Among adults, views on these topics within each
political party have continued to evolve over the past several years. In
2017, when Pew Research Center first asked adults these questions, Democrats
and Republicans held largely similar views about the balance of online safe
spaces versus freedom of expression. That changed
in 2020 and the partisan split on this question has widened from 16
to 26 points in the past two years. On the question about offensive content
online, the partisan gap among adults has slightly narrowed since 2020 but remains
pronounced. Adults’ overall views on this question have remained largely
unchanged during this period.
The changes since 2020 are largely driven by those
at the ideological poles in their respective parties. The share of
conservative Republican adults who say free speech is more important in this
context has risen from 57% in 2020 to 68% today, even as the view that
offensive content is taken too seriously among that group has dipped somewhat
from 74% to 67%. Liberal Democrats are now slightly more likely to think offensive
content is taken too seriously than in 2020 (rising from 31% to 39%), but the
majority of this group think it’s too often excused as not a big deal (61%
say this today, compared with 68% in 2020). Attitudes among teens,
adults also differ by demographic factors Views of the online environment that teens and
adults encounter also vary by race, ethnicity and gender. For example, Black and Hispanic teens are more
likely than their White peers to say that feeling welcome and safe online is
more important than free speech online, and that offensive content is too
often excused as not a big deal.
Among adults, those who are Black (60%) are more
likely than either White (50%) or Hispanic (46%) adults to prioritize feeling
welcome and safe. Black adults are also more likely than Hispanic adults to
say offensive content is too often excused as not a big deal (51% vs. 38%).
The views of White and Hispanic adults are statistically similar on both
questions. (There were not enough Asian teens or adults in the samples to be
broken out into a separate analysis. As always, their responses are
incorporated into the general population figures throughout this analysis.) Teen girls are also more likely than teen boys to
prioritize feeling welcome and safe and to say offensive content is too often
excused. Similarly, adult women (58%) are more likely than adult men (42%) to
value a welcoming, safe environment and to feel people too often excuse
offensive material as not a big deal (50% vs. 38%). In many cases, differences are still present when
accounting for other relevant characteristics that may be playing a role.
Differences in by party and gender remain among teens on both questions when
controlling for other factors, as do differences by race and ethnicity for
views of offensive content. Among adults, party, age and gender matter after
controlling for demographics. AUGUST 30, 2022 758-43-12/Polls About Six-In-Ten Black
Adults Say Racism And Police Brutality Are Extremely Big Problems For Black
People In The U S Today
More than a year after the murder of George Floyd
and the national protests, debate and political promises that ensued, 65% of
Black Americans say the increased national attention on racial inequality has
not led to changes that improved their lives.1 And 44% say equality for Black
people in the United States is not likely to be achieved, according to newly
released findings from an October 2021 survey of Black Americans by Pew
Research Center. This is somewhat of a reversal in views from
September 2020, when half of Black adults said the increased national focus
on issues of race would lead
to major policy changes to address racial inequality in the country and 56%
expected changes that would make their lives better. At the same time, many Black Americans are concerned
about racial discrimination and its impact. Roughly eight-in-ten say they
have personally experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity
(79%), and most also say discrimination is the main reason many Black people
cannot get ahead (68%). Even so, Black Americans have a clear vision for how
to achieve change when it comes to racial inequality. This includes support
for significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions
to ensure fair treatment, particularly the criminal justice system; political
engagement, primarily in the form of voting; support for Black businesses to
advance Black communities; and reparations in the forms of educational,
business and homeownership assistance. Yet alongside their assessments of
inequality and ideas about progress exists pessimism about whether U.S.
society and its institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism. These findings emerge from an extensive Pew Research
Center survey of 3,912 Black Americans conducted online Oct. 4-17, 2021. The
survey explores how Black Americans assess their position in U.S. society and
their ideas about social change. Overall, Black Americans are clear on what
they think the problems are facing the country and how to remedy them.
However, they are skeptical that meaningful changes will take place in their
lifetime. Black Americans see racism
in our laws as a big problem and discrimination as a roadblock to progress
Black adults were asked in the survey to assess the
current nature of racism in the United States and whether structural or
individual sources of this racism are a bigger problem for Black people.
About half of Black adults (52%) say racism in our laws is a bigger problem than
racism by individual people, while four-in-ten (43%) say acts of racism
committed by individual people is the bigger problem. Only 3% of Black adults
say that Black people do not experience discrimination in the U.S. today. In assessing the magnitude of problems that they
face, the majority of Black Americans say racism (63%), police brutality
(60%) and economic inequality (54%) are extremely or very big problems for
Black people living in the U.S. Slightly smaller shares say the same about
the affordability of health care (47%), limitations on voting (46%), and the
quality of K-12 schools (40%). Aside from their critiques of U.S. institutions,
Black adults also feel the impact of racial inequality personally. Most Black
adults say they occasionally or frequently experience unfair treatment
because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and two-thirds (68%) cite racial
discrimination as the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead today. Black Americans’ views on
reducing racial inequality
Black Americans are clear on the challenges they
face because of racism. They are also clear on the solutions. These range
from overhauls of policing practices and the criminal justice system to civic
engagement and reparations to descendants of people enslaved in the United
States. Changing U.S. institutions
such as policing, courts and prison systems About nine-in-ten Black adults say multiple aspects
of the criminal justice system need some kind of change (minor, major or a
complete overhaul) to ensure fair treatment, with nearly all saying so about
policing (95%), the courts and judicial process (95%), and the prison system
(94%). Roughly half of Black adults say policing (49%), the
courts and judicial process (48%), and the prison system (54%) need to be
completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. Smaller shares say
the same about the political system (42%), the economic system (37%) and the
health care system (34%), according to the October survey. While Black Americans are in favor of significant
changes to policing, most want spending on police departments in their
communities to stay the same (39%) or increase (35%). A little more than
one-in-five (23%) think spending on police departments in their area should
be decreased. Black adults who favor decreases in police spending
are most likely to name medical, mental health and social services (40%) as
the top priority for those reappropriated funds. Smaller shares say K-12
schools (25%), roads, water systems and other infrastructure (12%), and
reducing taxes (13%) should be the top priority. Voting and ‘buying Black’
viewed as important strategies for Black community advancement Black Americans also have clear views on the types
of political and civic engagement they believe will move Black communities forward.
About six-in-ten Black adults say voting (63%) and supporting Black
businesses or “buying Black” (58%) are extremely or very effective strategies
for moving Black people toward equality in the U.S. Smaller though still
significant shares say the same about volunteering with organizations
dedicated to Black equality (48%), protesting (42%) and contacting elected
officials (40%). Black adults were also asked about the effectiveness
of Black
economic and political independence in moving them toward equality.
About four-in-ten (39%) say Black ownership of all businesses in Black
neighborhoods would be an extremely or very effective strategy for moving
toward racial equality, while roughly three-in-ten (31%) say the same about
establishing a national Black political party. And about a quarter of Black
adults (27%) say having Black neighborhoods governed entirely by Black
elected officials would be extremely or very effective in moving Black people
toward equality. Most Black Americans
support repayment for slavery Discussions about atonement for slavery predate the
founding of the United States. As
early as 1672, Quaker abolitionists advocated for enslaved people to be
paid for their labor once they were free. And in recent years, some U.S.
cities and institutions have
implemented reparations policies to do just that. Most Black Americans say the legacy of slavery
affects the position of Black people in the U.S. either a great deal (55%) or
a fair amount (30%), according to the survey. And roughly three-quarters
(77%) say descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some
way. Black adults who say descendants of the enslaved
should be repaid support doing so in different ways. About eight-in-ten say
repayment in the forms of educational scholarships (80%), financial
assistance for starting or improving a business (77%), and financial assistance
for buying or remodeling a home (76%) would be extremely or very helpful. A
slightly smaller share (69%) say cash payments would be extremely or very
helpful forms of repayment for the descendants of enslaved people. Where the responsibility for repayment lies is also
clear for Black Americans. Among those who say the descendants of enslaved
people should be repaid, 81% say the U.S. federal government should have all
or most of the responsibility for repayment. About three-quarters (76%) say
businesses and banks that profited from slavery should bear all or most of
the responsibility for repayment. And roughly six-in-ten say the same about
colleges and universities that benefited from slavery (63%) and descendants
of families who engaged in the slave trade (60%). Black Americans are
skeptical change will happen
Even though Black Americans’ visions for social
change are clear, very few expect them to be implemented. Overall, 44% of
Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is a little or not at
all likely. A little over a third (38%) say it is somewhat likely and only
13% say it is extremely or very likely. They also do not think specific institutions will
change. Two-thirds of Black adults say changes to the prison system (67%) and
the courts and judicial process (65%) that would ensure fair treatment for
Black people are a little or not at all likely in their lifetime. About
six-in-ten (58%) say the same about policing. Only about one-in-ten say
changes to policing (13%), the courts and judicial process (12%), and the
prison system (11%) are extremely or very likely. This pessimism is not only about the criminal
justice system. The majority of Black adults say the political (63%),
economic (62%) and health care (51%) systems are also unlikely to change in
their lifetime. Black Americans’ vision for social change includes
reparations. However, much like their pessimism about institutional change,
very few think they will see reparations in their lifetime. Among Black
adults who say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be
repaid, 82% say reparations for slavery are unlikely to occur in their
lifetime. About one-in-ten (11%) say repayment is somewhat likely, while only
7% say repayment is extremely or very likely to happen in their lifetime. Black Democrats,
Republicans differ on assessments of inequality and visions for social change
Party affiliation is one key point of difference
among Black Americans in their assessments of racial inequality and their
visions for social change. Black Republicans and Republican leaners are more
likely than Black Democrats and Democratic leaners to focus on the acts of
individuals. For example, when summarizing the nature of racism against Black
people in the U.S., the majority of Black Republicans (59%) say racist acts
committed by individual people is a bigger problem for Black people than
racism in our laws. Black Democrats (41%) are less likely to hold this view. Black Republicans (45%) are also more likely than
Black Democrats (21%) to say that Black people who cannot get ahead in the
U.S. are mostly responsible for their own condition. And while similar shares
of Black Republicans (79%) and Democrats (80%) say they experience racial
discrimination on a regular basis, Republicans (64%) are more likely than
Democrats (36%) to say that most Black people who want to get ahead can make
it if they are willing to work hard. On the other hand, Black Democrats are more likely
than Black Republicans to focus on the impact that racial inequality has on
Black Americans. Seven-in-ten Black Democrats (73%) say racial discrimination
is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead in the U.S, while about
four-in-ten Black Republicans (44%) say the same. And Black Democrats are
more likely than Black Republicans to say racism (67% vs. 46%) and police
brutality (65% vs. 44%) are extremely big problems for Black people today. Black Democrats are also more critical of U.S.
institutions than Black Republicans are. For example, Black Democrats are
more likely than Black Republicans to say the prison system (57% vs. 35%),
policing (52% vs. 29%) and the courts and judicial process (50% vs. 35%)
should be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. While the share of Black Democrats who want to see
large-scale changes to the criminal justice system exceeds that of Black
Republicans, they share similar views on police funding. Four-in-ten each of
Black Democrats and Black Republicans say funding for police departments in
their communities should remain the same, while around a third of each
partisan coalition (36% and 37%, respectively) says funding should increase.
Only about one-in-four Black Democrats (24%) and one-in-five Black
Republicans (21%) say funding for police departments in their communities
should decrease. Among the survey’s other findings: Black adults differ by age
in their views on political strategies. Black
adults ages 65 and older (77%) are most likely to say voting is an extremely
or very effective strategy for moving Black people toward equality. They are
significantly more likely than Black adults ages 18 to 29 (48%) and 30 to 49
(60%) to say this. Black adults 65 and older (48%) are also more likely than
those ages 30 to 49 (38%) and 50 to 64 (42%) to say protesting is an
extremely or very effective strategy. Roughly four-in-ten Black adults ages
18 to 29 say this (44%). Gender plays a role in how
Black adults view policing. Though majorities
of Black women (65%) and men (56%) say police brutality is an extremely big problem
for Black people living in the U.S. today, Black women are more likely than
Black men to hold this view. When it comes to criminal justice, Black women
(56%) and men (51%) are about equally likely to share the view that the
prison system should be completely rebuilt to ensure fair treatment of Black
people. However, Black women (52%) are slightly more likely than Black men
(45%) to say this about policing. On the matter of police funding, Black
women (39%) are slightly more likely than Black men (31%) to say police
funding in their communities should be increased. On the other hand, Black
men are more likely than Black women to prefer that funding stay the same
(44% vs. 36%). Smaller shares of both Black men (23%) and women (22%) would
like to see police funding decreased. Income impacts Black
adults’ views on reparations. Roughly
eight-in-ten Black adults with lower (78%), middle (77%) and upper incomes
(79%) say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should receive
reparations. Among those who support reparations, Black adults with upper and
middle incomes (both 84%) are more likely than those with lower incomes (75%)
to say educational scholarships would be an extremely or very helpful form of
repayment. However, of those who support reparations, Black adults with lower
(72%) and middle incomes (68%) are more likely than those with higher incomes
(57%) to say cash payments would be an extremely or very helpful form of
repayment for slavery. AUGUST 30, 2022 758-43-13/Polls Entrepreneurship Of The
Elderly; 33% Of Older Adults Consider It As An Alternative To Maintain Their
Autonomy
Starting a business idea is becoming more and more
popular in emerging economies. Colombia, for example, is the fourth country
with the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity in the world, according to
the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report, published in May 2021. Santander, for example, is considered by experts as
an excellent market to undertake. The new companies registered in the
Bucaramanga Chamber of Commerce between January and March of this year were
4,461, 29% of the ventures that took place in 2021. It is noteworthy that
women bet more on entrepreneurship than men, since they they represent 52.4%.
However, in these statistics the elderly are not visible, a population that
demands greater social and productive inclusion. In response to these needs, the Future Pension and
Unemployment Fund in alliance with the Universidad del Rosario set up the
first Observatory for Entrepreneurship of the Elderly in Colombia. It is an
avant-garde initiative in the country that will serve as a platform to
leverage the development of productive activities and entrepreneurship of
this population. Its consolidation and start-up has been a work of
more than three years, whose genesis was the importance of meeting various
needs of this population, including learning, being productive to their
social environment and generating other economic income. Work and monitoring In 2019, the Centro
Nacional de Consultoría and the Future carried out an investigation in
which 48% of the older adults surveyed said they "wanted to continue
learning and not feel relegated." This is how the entrepreneurship program “Enjoying
your Future” was born, an alliance between the Universidad del Rosario and
the AFP, an academic and practical training program that helped pensioners
and people close to receiving the return of balances materialize business
ideas. . In total, 51 pensioners graduated and 11 business ideas were
generated, of which the three best initiatives were supported. A year later, in 2020, and taking the Covid-19
pandemic as a frame of reference, the firm Raddar and Porvenir conducted a
survey to delve into the welfare situation of the elderly in our country. The survey confirmed the need to adopt initiatives
aimed at entrepreneurship that generate socio-economic well-being for older
adults and, therefore, they continue to feel part of the activity of society.
In addition, it confirmed that the pension translates into quality of life
and stability for this population group. With the creation of the Observatory for the
Entrepreneurship of the Elderly in Colombia, a training program is launched
under the virtual modality, focused on five modules called: Revitalize
yourself, Empower yourself, Activate yourself, Learn and Undertake. Through
these modules, business ideas will be generated, the elderly will be
empowered to feel an active part of society, they will be guided in the
control and management of their resources and they will be accompanied in the
process of materializing their business. “We see in entrepreneurship an opportunity not only
to promote the productive inclusion of our older adults, but also the
possibility for them to continue having an active and healthy life. They are,
and will continue to be, managers of great social transformations, for which
we applaud this alliance with the Universidad del Rosario”, said Miguel
Largacha Martínez, president of the Porvenir Pension and Severance Fund,
during the presentation of the Observatory. This Observatory will also serve as a platform to
carry out research on the socio-economic problems of retired and
non-pensioned older adults (taking into account 55-year-old women and
60-year-old men) and progress will be made in the consolidation of a
consultation website that serves as a repository for the research and
programs carried out within the framework of this alliance. Results by regions Samples: Older adults from Bogotá, Cali, Medellín,
Barranquilla and Bucaramanga. - 33% of older adults
consider entrepreneurship as an alternative to maintain their autonomy. - Bucaramanga and
Barranquilla are the cities where they have the greatest willingness to
undertake, with 50%. - 14% of older adults in
Medellin express their interest in labor independence for having a family
business tradition. - Micro-businesses between 2019 and 2020: Led by
women 95% and by men 89%. - In Bucaramanga and Medellín, women have greater
participation in the creation of micro-businesses. - Barranquilla has the lowest proportion of men with
micro-businesses and, for this reason, the largest gender gap. - Except in Medellín, entrepreneurship motivates men
more than women. - In Barranquilla, Bucaramanga and Cali, women
expressed that having greater independence is one of the main reasons that
motivates them to create their own business. - Regarding micro-businesses, the results showed
that in the sectors of hotels and restaurants (17%) and artistic and home
activities (16%) women have a greater presence. - In activities where there is physical effort, such
as transport and storage (13%) and construction (11.6%), the participation of
older men is practically total. AUGUST 30, 2022 AUSTRALIA
758-43-14/Polls Roy Morgan Business
Confidence Up 1.1pts To 96.0
There were mixed results across the index in August
with businesses growing more confident about longer-term prospects for the
Australian economy while being more concerned about the next year and less
likely to invest in growing the business in the next 12 months. The positive moves that propelled the index higher
was the 41.2% of businesses (up 3.6ppts) that now expect ‘good times’ for the
economy over the next five years and the 43.5% of businesses (up 2.1ppts)
that say they expect the business to be ‘better off’ financially this time
next year. Business Confidence is now 17.3pts below the
long-term average of 113.3 but is significantly higher than the latest
Consumer Confidence - ANZ-Roy
Morgan Consumer Confidence of 85.6 for August 15-21, 2022. Roy Morgan Monthly
Business Confidence -- Australia
Business Confidence is
down from a year ago in all States except NSW Business Confidence in August is
down by 5.5pts (-5.4%) from a year ago to 96.0 but is 12.9pts higher than two years ago in
August 2020 (83.1) during Victoria’s second wave of COVID-19. The index is down in all States except NSW which is
now at 106.4, an increase of 8.6pts (+8.8%) on a year ago and now with the
highest Business Confidence of any State. It’s worth remembering that NSW
entered a full lockdown late in June 2021 and spent the entire month of
August last year in a lockdown. The only other State with a positive Business
Confidence above the neutral level of 100 in August is Western Australia at
103.8, although this represents a decline of 12.9pts (-11%) on a year ago. Business Confidence is down from a year ago in the
other four States. The largest fall was in South Australia, down 33.3pts
(-30.2%) to 77.2 and now the lowest of any State. There were also big falls
in Tasmania, down 32.5pts (-25.2%) to 96.3, and Queensland, down 20.4pts
(-20.4%) to 79.3. In Victoria, which faces a hotly contested State
Election in under three months’ time, Business Confidence was down marginally
by 5.6pts (-5.7%) to 92.6 to be just below the national average. Business Confidence by
State in August 2021 vs August 2022
Education & Training,
Accommodation & Food Services, Mining, Property & Business Services
and Community Services are the most confident industries in the last two
months The Education & Training
industry was by far the most confident in July-August 2022 with Business
Confidence almost 30% higher than the national average at 123.6. This
represents a significant increase of 17pts (+16%) on a year ago when the flow of international
students into the country was heavily constrained by Australia’s closed
international borders. Accommodation & Food Services was the second
most confident industry with Business Confidence almost 20% higher than the
national average at 113.2. This figure is 14.6pts (+14.8%) higher than a year
ago and continues the strong results seen for this industry during 2022 as
travel restrictions around Australia were removed and people were finally
able to take long-delayed holidays. The star performer over the last year has been the
Mining industry which now has Business Confidence of 112.9, an increase of
43.8pts (+63.4%) on a year ago. This is clearly the largest increase of any
industry over the last year and is not surprising when one considers
Australia has enjoyed a series of record high trade surpluses. The most
recent data available shows Australia
with a monthly trade surplus of $17.7 billion in June 2022 built
largely on resource exports of coal, gas and iron ore. These three industries are among only seven with
Business Confidence higher than the neutral level of 100 in July-August 2022. Other industries with Business Confidence over 10pts
higher than the national average include Property & Business Services on
111.0, but down 5.2pts (-4.4%) on a year ago, Community Services on 109.9,
down 1.8pts (-1.6%) on a year ago, Administrative & Support Services on
109.3, up 4.3pts (+4.1%) on a year ago and Professional, Scientific &
Technical Services on 105.7, up 4.9pts (+4.8%) on a year ago. Three industries have very low Business Confidence
in July-August 2022 more than 20% below the national average of 95.5. These
industries include Finance & Insurance, which is the lowest of all on
only 68.8, down a large 33.0pts (-32.4%) on a year ago, Electricity, gas
& water on 71.5, down 38.6pts (-35.1%) on a year ago, and Retail on 73.2,
down a massive 44.3pts (-37.7%) on a year ago. Other industries with far lower than average
Business Confidence include Construction on 83.4, down 21.9pts (-20.8%) on a
year ago, Transport, Postal & Warehousing 88.6, down 30.3pts (-25.5%) on
a year ago and Agriculture on 89.3, following a large drop of 42.1pts (-32%)
on a year ago. Business Confidence for
Top 5 and Bottom 5 Industries in July – August 2022
Businesses are positive
about their own prospects but continue to expect ‘bad times’ for the
Australian economy’s performance over the next year and next five years
Michele Levine, CEO of Roy
Morgan, says Business Confidence was up in August for the first time since
the RBA began to increase interest rates in May and the rating remains
significantly higher than the comparable figure for Consumer Confidence now
at only 85.6: “Roy Morgan Business
Confidence increased by 1.1pts to 96 in August, the first increase for the
index in four months. The increase was driven by more confidence about the
performance of the economy over the next five years, up 2.1% points to 43.5%,
and businesses becoming increasingly confident about their prospects over the
next 12 months, up 3.6% points to 41.2%. “Although those indicators
are moving in the right direction, businesses are increasingly concerned
about the short-term performance of the Australian economy with a majority of
58.3% (up 0.5ppts) expecting ‘bad times’ for Australia’s economic performance
over the next year. “Despite this month’s
increase in the headline figure, the index is down 17 points (-15%) since the
RBA began the current cycle of interest rate increases. The RBA has now raised
official interest rates at four straight meetings by a total of 1.75% to
1.85%, the fastest rate of increases since 1994, and they are now at their
highest for over six years since early 2016. “The cycle of increases is
set to continue next week when the RBA is expected to raise interest rates
for a fifth straight month. However, the growing confidence in August
suggests interest rate increases are not impacting businesses as negatively
as they are hitting consumers – the most recent ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for late
July is at only 85.6 –
over 10 points lower. “The larger impact of
interest rate rises on consumers is not surprising when one considers that
the average size of bank loans and mortgages in today’s economy are far
larger than they were in previous periods and even small changes to interest
rates will have a larger impact than they used to. “On an industry basis the most
confident industries in July-August 2022 are Education & Training at
123.6, Accommodation & Food Services at 113.2 and Mining at 112.9 – all
of which are significantly more confident than a year ago and over 15% above
the national average. “The three industries have
benefited from the end of pandemic restrictions with international students
returning to Australia in large numbers, and the re-opening of internal
borders allowing Australians to take holidays this year that have been
delayed for the last two years. “Resource companies have
benefited from increased demand for energy products in the wake of Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine as well as the rebounding world economy as countries have
re-opened this year. Australia’s trade surplus hit a record high of
$17.7 billion in June based
largely on booming resource exports of gas, coal and iron ore. “In contrast there are
three industries for which Business Confidence is at very low levels more
than 20% below the national average including Finance & Insurance, down
33pts (-32.4%) to 68.8, Electricity, gas & water, down 38.6pts (-35.1%)
to 71.5 and Retail, down a large 44.3pts (-37.7%) to 73.2.” August 29 2022 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9063-roy-morgan-business-confidence-august-2022-202208290229 758-43-15/Polls Australians Prefer To
Partner With The EU Economically But Favour The Us For A Security Partnership
When it comes to partnering economically the views
of Australians are more varied with a plurality of 43% favouring the European
Union, a quarter preferring the USA (25%) and over a fifth, 22%, preferring
the United Kingdom. Nearly one-in-ten respondents say Australia should
partner with China (9%) economically but only 1% nominate Russia as a
preferred economic partner. This special Roy Morgan SMS survey was conducted in
late August with a representative cross-section of 1,240 Australians aged
18+. Respondents were asked: "Which of the following would you prefer
Australia to partner with economically? The USA, China, Russia, the EU or the
UK?" and "Which of the following would you prefer Australia to
partner with regarding security issues? The USA, China, Russia, the EU or the
UK?" Which of the following
would you prefer Australia to partner with: Economically or for Security
Issues
Women prefer the EU &
UK for an economic partnership whereas men prefer EU & USA Analysis by gender shows that women
clearly prefer the European Union (47%) as an economic partner for Australia
ahead of the United
Kingdom (27%) while only a fifth mention the USA (20%). One-in-twenty women
would prefer Australia partner with China (5%) and only 1% prefer Russia. A smaller plurality of men prefer Australia to
partner economically with the European Union (39%) ahead of the USA (29.5%)
in a clear second place and under a fifth mention the United Kingdom (18%).
Around one-in-eight men say Australia should partner with China economically
(13%) but fewer than 1% prefer Russia. Analysing by age group shows over 40% of all age
groups prefer that Australia partner with the European Union economically but
there is a divergence between younger and older Australians regarding the
second preference. Australians aged 18-34 and 35-49 prefer the United Kingdom
ahead of the USA whereas for Australians aged 50+ there is a clear preference
for the USA ahead of the United Kingdom.
Analysis by Gender &
Age:
A majority of men and
women prefer that Australia partner with the USA for security Analysis by gender shows a clear
majority of both men (66.5%) and women (54.5%) say Australia should partner
with the USA in regards to security issues. In second place for both genders is the European
Union mentioned by 23.5% of women and almost as many men (20.5%). Nearly
one-in-five women (19%) say Australia should partner with the United Kingdom
for security issues, twice as likely as men (9.5%). Under 5% of either men
(3.5%) or women (3%) mention either China or Russia. Majorities of all age groups prefer the USA as a
security partner over any other contender and this preference increases with
age from 51% of 18-34yr olds up to 69.5% of people aged 65+. The European Union is also the second preference of
all age groups although that preference decreases with age from a high of 32%
of 18-34 yr olds down to only 17.5% of people aged 65+.
Analysis by Gender:
Michele Levine, Chief
Executive Officer Roy Morgan, says Australians take a nuanced approach to our
economic and security arrangements with the European Union preferred for an
economic partnership and the United States clearly preferred for a security
alliance: “Australians are split on
who the country should partner with economically and in regards to security
issues. When it comes to an economic partnership the European Union is
selected by 43% of respondents as the preferred partner, well ahead of the
USA (25%) and United Kingdom (22%). “Interestingly, only 9% of
Australians select China as the preferred economic partner despite the East
Asian powerhouse being easily Australia’s largest two-way trading
partner. In 2021 Australia had AUD $293.6 Billion two-way
trade with China, over
three-times as much as second-placed Japan on $87.2 Billion and the European
Union in third place on $83.4 Billion. “The United States was
Australia’s fourth largest two-way trading partner in 2021 with total trade
of $68.2 Billion but the United Kingdom didn’t even make the top ten, coming
in as the 12th largest trading partner with total trade of $21.7 Billion. “The preference for the
European Union as an economic partner is unanimous across both genders and
all age groups but the second choice is split between the United Kingdom
(women and people aged 18-49) and the United States (men and people aged 50+). “When it comes to a
security partnership the United States is preferred by over three-fifths of
Australians (61%) – and majorities of both men (66.5%) and women (54.5%) and
all age groups nominate the United States as the preferred security partner. “This is not surprising
given Australia’s history and reliance on the United States security
guarantee since World War II. Australia is closely aligned with the USA in
security alliances including ANZUS, signed in 1951 between Australia, New
Zealand and the USA, and more recently AUKUS, signed in 2021 between
Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA. “These security agreements
rely on the military power of the United States as their under-pinning and
securely lock Australia into the military alliance structure centered on the
United States. “The European Union is
preferred as a security partner by 22% of Australians and a further 14%
nominate the United Kingdom. However, even combining these figures is only
around half as many as those who mentioned the United States.” September 01 2022 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
758-43-16/Polls 49% Of The World's
Population, On Average, Feels Guilty About Its Impact On The Environment, A
Study In 15 Countries
Main results In this context, more and more people are showing
their concern about this issue and becoming aware of the need to act
urgently. In fact, concern about climate change registers the largest rise
for the second consecutive month, while concern about the escalation of
prices remains stable and other issues, such as the pandemic (20%) or the war
in Ukraine (12%), are no longer so present in our concerns. The majority of the world's population believes that
natural disasters will become more frequent and severe in the future. Increased concern for the environment and climate
change around the world is directly related to extreme weather events and
natural disasters that are shaking the world more and more frequently. In
fact, worldwide, a large majority of the population, 82%, on average, thinks
that these natural disasters will be more frequent, and even more severe, in
the future, a feeling shared by 84% of Spanish citizens. In addition, 44% of
people worldwide, on average, affirm that the living beings of the Earth are
on the verge of a sixth mass extinction, a percentage that rises to 48% in
the case of Spain. Faced with this situation, more and more people
consider that climate change and its effects pose a danger to themselves and
their country, as well as to the planet. In fact, Spain is one of the
countries where more people perceive climate change as a threat to the
country, 42%, and even leads the European ranking where the perception of
personal risk is higher (23%), followed by Germany (19%). Citizens become aware of the need to act urgently The report reveals that half of global citizens,
49%, on average, believe that we are at a critical moment and we must act
immediately, the same percentage as in Spain. In fact, 80% of the world's
population, on average, blames human behavior for natural disasters and
climate change, 82% in the case of Spain. All this translates into an
increase in guilt in this regard in the last month: 49% of the world's
population, on average, feels guilty about its impact on the environment. In order to limit this impact, more and more people
are changing their habits. Thus, since May, changes have been observed in the
percentage of people who carry out actions such as recycling as much as
possible (79% compared to 77% in the month of May), using energy-saving light
bulbs (67% compared to 61%), driving an electric or hybrid car (48% compared
to 40%) or not using the car (46% compared to 40%). As a result, more and more people consider
themselves activists, young people and mostly women, committed to the
environment and willing to modify their lifestyle to limit their impact on
it. A group that already represents 21% of the world's population, on
average, 4 points more than the previous month. In Spain, this percentage is
19%, and although it has increased 3 points since February of this year, we
are the European country of the 5 analyzed in this study, with the lowest
percentage of activist population, leading the European list France (28%),
followed by Germany (24%). 29 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/espana-el-pais-europeo-donde-mas-personas-perciben-el-cambio-climatico-como-una-amenaza-personal 758-43-17/Polls Over 2 In 3 (67%) Of
People, On Average, Across 28 Countries Feel The Economy In Their Country Is
Bad
Will inflation pop or will hot air slowly release
from economies around the world? No one really knows. Some economists predict prices
will continue to soar for quite a while yet. Others worry about stagflation
(meaning there’s high inflation and high unemployment at the same time). Then
there’s the doomsayers saying a severe recession is nigh. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and the invasion
of Ukraine intensifies, the economic uncertainty caused by these historic
events seems likely to continue as summer turns to fall. Here's what recent Ipsos’ Global
Advisor polling has uncovered about the impact high prices has had
on people’s lives and their perspective on where things might be headed.
30 August 2022 Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/data-dive-heres-how-people-are-feeling-about-inflation-around-world 758-43-18/Polls Climate Change Remains Top
Global Threat Across 19-Country Survey
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, a hot war
between Russia and Ukraine ongoing, inflation rates rising globally and heat records being smashed
across parts of the world, countries are facing a wide variety of challenges
in 2022. Among the many threats facing the globe, climate change stands out
as an especially strong concern among citizens in advanced economies,
according to a new Pew Research Center survey. A median of 75% across 19
countries in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region label global
climate change as a major threat. This is not to say people are unconcerned about the
other issues tested. Majorities in most countries view the spread of false
information online, cyberattacks from other countries, the condition of the
global economy and the spread of infectious diseases (like COVID-19) as major
threats to their nations. And despite the many depressing stories dominating
the international news cycle, there is also a note of positivity among survey
respondents in views of the United Nations, the benefits of international
cooperation for solving problems and the importance of common values for
bringing nations together.
In the current survey, a median of 65% have a
favorable view of the UN and only 27% have an unfavorable view of the
international organization. Views of the UN have remained generally positive
since the question was first asked in 2004. Among the countries surveyed, views of the UN are
most positive in Poland, South Korea and Sweden. But among Israelis,
seven-in-ten have an unfavorable opinion of the international body and about
half of Greeks and Japanese say the same. In some countries, support for the
UN is also strongest among young adults (ages 18 to 29) and those on the
ideological left. This is especially true in the United States, where
liberals are twice as likely as conservatives to have a positive view of the
UN. People around the world also express an optimism
that the problems facing their country can be solved by working with other
countries. A median of 64% say many problems
can be solved by working together, while only 31% say that few problems can be solved by way
of international cooperation. The most optimistic sentiment on international
cooperation in the current survey comes from Sweden, where 81% say that many
of the problems facing the country can be solved by working with other
countries. Across the 11 European countries, a median of 70% share this view.
And in most of the countries surveyed, those who say many of the problems
facing their country can be fixed by working with other countries are also
more positively inclined toward the UN.
A new survey question on the efficacy of “common
values” versus “common problems” for bringing the world together shows some
interesting patterns, even as most say that common values are more important
for bringing nations together. A median of 58% see a shared sense of values
as more important for international cooperation, compared with the 41% who
think nations are more brought together by shared problems. Roughly two-thirds or more in Spain, France, and
Australia say “common values” are more important for international
cooperation, while about six-in-ten in Israel and Greece say “common
problems” are more important. Attitudes are more mixed in Malaysia, Germany,
Poland and Japan. Americans, for
their part, are more likely to say common values bring countries together
than common problems. These are among the main findings of a Pew Research
Center survey, conducted from Feb. 14 to June 3, 2022, among 24,525 adults in
19 nations. The survey finds that people continue to see climate
change as one of the greatest threats to their country, and this is
especially true in Europe, where more say climate change is a major threat to
their country than at any time in the past decade in most countries. The
results come as
wildfires and extreme heat across Europe cause massive disruption to
life. Despite the dire concerns about climate change in Europe,
concerns are relatively muted in the U.S., as they have been for years. Views
on climate change as a threat are linked to political
divisiveness in the U.S., something also seen in the other countries
surveyed, with those on the ideological left showing more concern about
climate change than those on the right. While people in these 19 countries often view climate
change as the top threat, concern for the other threats tested is not
diminished. Majorities in 18 of these countries view the spread of false
information online and cyberattacks from other countries as major threats,
even as few rank either as the top threat.
Concerns about cyberattacks, possibly heightened by
the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and prominent
instances of hacking across the world, are at all-time highs in many of
the countries surveyed. In the last five years, there has been a remarkable
increase in the share saying cyberattacks from other countries are a major
threat to their country. And regarding both cyberattacks and the spread of
false information online, older people are substantially more concerned than
young adults in about half of the countries surveyed. People also express worries about the condition of
the global economy, as the survey was fielded just as inflation-related
economic problems started
to affect people across the world. Nevertheless, concerns about the
global economy are high in most countries, especially among those who say
their own country’s economy is bad and share pessimism about the future of
children’s financial well-being. Concerns about infectious disease have dropped
sharply since last year in many countries, as worldwide COVID-19 deaths have dropped in recent months. Still,
majorities in all but two surveyed nations say that the spread of infectious
disease is a major threat, as people continue
to die from COVID-19 and concerns rise about monkeypox, which the
World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international
concern. Concerns about climate,
misinformation and cyberattacks predominate across 19 countries, but people
are also concerned about the global economy and spread of infectious diseases In a year dominated by crises, both domestic and
international, people in 19 countries surveyed in spring 2022 continue to
view global climate change as the most serious issue. A median of 75% across
these countries, mostly concentrated in Europe, North America, and the
Asia-Pacific region, view global climate change as a major threat to their
country. Around two-in-ten view global warming as a minor threat, while 5% do
not view it as a threat. On a country-by-country basis, people in nine
nations rank global climate change as the greatest threat among the five
threats tested. The others are the spread of false information online,
cyberattacks from other countries, the condition of the global economy and
the spread of infectious diseases. Eight of these nations reside in Europe,
with the other being Australia. Concern about global warming is relatively low in
Malaysia and Israel, where about half or fewer say that it is a major threat.
In the U.S., 54% of people say climate change is a major threat, which is the
lowest such rating among the five threats tested. Political divisions on this
question play a role in how Americans assess climate change: 78% of Democrats
and those that lean toward the Democratic Party say climate change is a major
threat, compared with only 23% of Republicans and Republican leaners. (For
more, see “Americans
see different global threats facing the country now than in March 2020.”)
Political divisions on climate change are not
restricted to the U.S. In 14 of the countries surveyed, those on the
political left are more likely to say that climate change is a major threat
than those on the political right. For example, in Australia, 91% of those
who place themselves on the left side of the political spectrum say climate
change is a major threat, compared with only 47% among those on the right. These differences on climate concern also apply when
comparing supporters and nonsupporters of right-wing populist parties across
Europe. In virtually every European country surveyed, concerns about climate
change are lower among those who support right-wing populist parties than
those who do not support these parties. For example, in Germany, only 55%
among supporters of Alternative for Germany (AfD) view climate change as a
major threat, compared with 77% of those who do not support AfD. And in
Sweden, those who support Sweden Democrats are 32 percentage points less
likely to say global warming is a major threat than those who do not support
the strongly populist Sweden Democrats. Similar divisions also appear in
Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United
Kingdom. In France and Spain, positive views of the left-wing
populist parties (La France Insoumise, run by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, in France,
and Podemos in Spain, led by Ione Belarra) lead to comparatively higher
concern about climate change.
Despite these political divisions, concerns about
climate change have been rising
in recent years, as people react to the climate extremes plaguing their
countries. As an example, three-quarters of Britons say that climate change
is a major threat to their country in 2022. In 2013, only 48% said the same.
Concerns about climate change are at all-time highs in 10 countries.
As observed in prior
Pew Research Center surveys, there is a gender divide on global climate
change concerns. In 12 countries, women are more likely than men to say that
a changing climate is a major threat to their country. In Sweden, 78% of
women, compared with 62% of men, say that climate change is a great concern.
Double-digit differences of this nature are also present in Australia, the
UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and the U.S. In a handful of countries, those with more education
are more concerned about the threat of climate change than those with less
education.1 These
differences are significant in Malaysia, Poland, Israel, Australia, South
Korea, Belgium and the U.S. Age is also a factor in views of the climate threat
in several countries, but the pattern is somewhat mixed. In Australia,
Poland, the U.S. and France, younger people are more likely to be concerned
about climate change than their elders. For example, in Australia, 85% of
those ages 18 to 29 say that climate change is a major threat, compared with
63% of those 50 and older. On the other hand, older adults in Japan are more
concerned about climate change than young people. The spread of false information online and
cyberattacks from other countries are the second and third greatest concerns
overall among the issues tested. A median of 70% across the 19 surveyed
countries see the spread of misinformation online as a top threat, with
around a quarter (24%) saying it is a minor threat and 5% proclaiming
disinformation as not a threat. Similarly, 67% see cyberattacks as a major
threat, with a quarter saying they are a minor threat and 4% saying they are
not a threat. Three countries rank disinformation online as the
top relative threat (Germany, Canada and Malaysia); four countries (Japan,
South Korea, the U.S. and Singapore) view cyberattacks as one of the greatest
threats.
The question on the spread of false information as a
threat is new, so past trends are not available for analysis. However,
concerns about cyberattacks from other countries are as high as they have
been in most countries surveyed since Pew Research Center began asking the
question in 2016. In fact, since 2017, concerns about cyberattacks from other
countries have surged in 12 of the 16 countries where trends are available. Take Israel, for example. In 2017, only 38% said
that cyberattacks were a major threat to their country. But in 2022, when
major cyberattacks have
become a more common occurrence, 64% of Israelis now label attacks online
as a major threat. Similar 20 percentage point or more increases in concerns
about large scale hacks were also seen in Sweden, Italy and Hungary over the
same period. There is also a stark age divide when it comes to
views about the spread of false information and cyberattacks. In many cases,
people ages 50 and older are more concerned about these online threats than
are 18- to 29-year-olds. And in some cases, the differences are quite substantial. For instance, Swedes 50 and older are 21 percentage
points more likely to say that the spread of false information online is a
major threat than are Swedes ages 18 to 29. And three-quarters of Americans
50 and older are concerned about the spread of misinformation, compared with
56% among their younger counterparts. Younger U.S. adults are similarly less
likely than older adults to say made-up news and information has
a big impact on the democratic system. Older people across a number of countries are also
more concerned about cyberattacks than younger people. The differences by age
are especially stark in Canada, Australia, the U.S., the UK and Germany. Only
in Poland is this pattern reversed (that is, younger Poles are significantly
more concerned about false information and attacks online than older Poles). For the most part, there is not greater concern
about the spread of false information and cyberattacks among social media
users than those who do not use social media. Concerns about the condition of the global economy
are relatively muted among the countries surveyed, although it is important
to note that the 2022 survey was fielded from Feb. 14 to June 3, as much of
the world experienced
rapid inflation and surging
energy prices as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other
economic factors related to the COVID-19
pandemic and supply chain disruptions. A median of 61% across the 19
countries view the global economy as a major threat, with about three-in-ten
seeing it a minor threat and 5% saying it is not a threat. In seven countries, concerns about the economy are
the lowest among the issues tested, including only 37% in Sweden who say the
economy is a major concern. That being said, concern about the world economy
is up in a handful of countries since the question was last asked. The
increase in concern is especially significant in Hungary and Poland, where in
2018 only around a quarter in each country said the global economy was a
major concern. Now, 72% label the condition of the global economy as a major
threat in Hungary and six-in-ten say the same in Poland. In addition,
concerns in Greece about the global economy remain particularly high: 93% say
the condition of the world economy is a major threat. Gender plays a role in views of the world economy in
nine countries. In nearly every country, women are more likely than men to
say the global economy is a threat to their country. The gap is largest in
Belgium, where about two-thirds of women worry about the economy, but roughly
half of men say the same. Among the strongest influences on views of the world
economy as a major threat are whether people say the current economic
situation in their country is good or bad, and whether people think that
children today in their country will be better
off or worse off in the future. In 15 countries, those who say the
domestic economy is doing somewhat or very badly are more likely to say the
condition of the global economy is a major threat than those who say the
national economy is doing well. And in 12 countries, people who say children
will be worse off financially in the future are also more likely to see the
world economy as a major threat compared with those who think their
children’s future is bright. Worries about the spread
of infectious disease are diminishing
Concern for the spread of infectious disease is
lower in comparison to the other threats tested and has decreased in many
countries since the question was last asked in 2020. Still, a median of 61%
across 19 countries view infectious disease as a major threat to their country. Majorities in most countries surveyed express
worries about the spread of infectious disease. But in Germany and Sweden,
only about half or fewer see it as a major threat. In fact, Germans express
the least concern for infectious disease out of all the threats tested, with
49% of Germans describing it as a major threat. In Canada, the UK, Australia
and South Korea, the spread of infectious disease also ranks as the least
concerning of all the global threats. In Poland, Israel and Singapore, the spread of
infectious disease ranks as or is among the top threat to their respective
countries. In Poland, over three-quarters of those surveyed (78%) say that
infectious disease is a major threat to their country. And in Israel, 67% say
the same. About six-in-ten in Singapore say disease is a major threat – the
same share who say the condition of the global economy and cyberattacks are
major threats. Since the question was last asked in 2020, concern
for the spread of infectious disease has dropped in most countries surveyed
in both years. In the U.S., concern about the spread of infectious disease
has gone down by nearly 20 percentage points, with only 57% of Americans
considering it to be a major threat in 2022, while in 2020, 76% said the
same. This decline in the U.S. tracks with other Pew
Research Center polling on the issue. Concern about infectious disease is
also down by double digits over the past two years in the UK, Sweden, South
Korea and Canada.
In 16 of the countries surveyed, those who say that
getting the coronavirus
vaccine is important to being a good member of society are more
likely to describe the spread of infectious diseases as a major threat to
their country than those who do not believe receiving the coronavirus vaccine
is important to being a good member of society. The largest gap can be seen
in Israel, where there is a difference of nearly 40 points between those who
believe the coronavirus vaccine to be important to be a good member of
society (75% say the spread of infectious diseases is a major threat) and
those who do not (36%). In both Australia and Canada, a similarly large
difference can be observed, with a gap of 36 points present between the two
groups in both countries. In eight countries, those ages 50 and older are more
likely to consider the spread of infectious diseases a major threat than
their younger counterparts. In the UK, for example, 71% of Britons ages 50
and older believe the spread of infectious disease to be a major threat,
while 52% of adults under 30 say the same. Responses also vary between men and women in many
countries, with women consistently expressing greater concern for the spread
of infectious diseases than men. This gap is most distinct in the
Netherlands, where around seven-in-ten women say that the spread of
infectious diseases is a major threat to their country, while half of men say
the same – a difference of 17 points. And in eight countries, those with less education
are more likely to describe the spread of infectious diseases to be a major
threat to their country than those with more education. In Hungary, about
three-quarters of those with less education consider the spread of infectious
diseases to be a major threat, while 60% of those with more education say the
same. The opposite relationship is seen in Malaysia, where 58% of those with
less education consider infectious diseases to be a major threat, compared
with the 74% of those with more education who say the same. UN seen in a positive
light by most across 19 nations polled
The United Nations is seen more favorably than
unfavorably across most of the countries surveyed in 2022. A median of 65%
express a positive opinion of the multilateral organization, compared with
27% who have an unfavorable view. In the two North American countries surveyed –
Canada and the U.S. – majorities give the UN favorable ratings. Americans are similarly positive on the benefits of
UN membership writ large: About two-thirds (66%) say the U.S. benefits a
great deal or a fair amount from being a member of the UN. But, according to
a May
2022 survey, relatively few Americans say the UN’s influence in the world
has been getting stronger in recent years. Just 16% expressed this view,
while 39% said the UN’s influence was getting weaker and 43% said it was
staying about the same. Across the European countries surveyed, the image of
the UN is largely positive. About seven-in-ten or more in Poland, Sweden, the
UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy view the UN in a favorable light.
However, Greeks are notably split in their views: 45% express a favorable
opinion, while 49% express an unfavorable opinion. Seven-in-ten Israelis have an unfavorable view of the UN – the
highest negative rating observed across the 19 countries surveyed. Israeli
views of the UN are influenced by ethnicity: Arabs are more than twice as
likely as Jews to see the UN in a positive light (44% vs. 21%, respectively). Opinion of the UN in the Asia-Pacific region is
generally more positive than negative. Majorities in South Korea, Australia,
Malaysia and Singapore give the UN favorable ratings. Opinion is somewhat
more negative in Japan: 48% express a negative view, compared with 40% who
express a positive one. Still, this represents an overall improvement in
Japanese opinion of the UN, which reached
an all-time low of 29% favorable in the summer of 2020. In South Korea (+8 percentage points) and the UK
(+5), favorable opinion of the UN has increased measurably from 2021. A more positive
outlook toward the UN has also occurred in two countries not surveyed since
2019: Hungary (+11) and Poland (+6). However, positive views of the UN have
declined significantly in Singapore (-9), Spain (-7), Italy (-6) and Canada
(-5) since 2021.
Opinion of the UN is partially shaped by ideological
affiliation. In seven countries, those who place themselves on the
ideological left are more likely than those who place themselves on the right
to express a positive view of the UN. This difference is largest in the U.S.,
where liberals are twice as likely as conservatives to hold a favorable view
of the UN (80% vs. 40% respectively). And double-digit differences of this
nature are also present in Israel, Canada, Hungary, Australia, Italy and
Germany. In Greece, however, this pattern is reversed: Half of those on the
right have a positive opinion of the UN, compared with 32% of those on the
left.
Age and education also impact opinion of the UN. As
observed in prior
Pew Research Center surveys, adults ages 18 to 29 tend to have more
favorable views of the UN than those 50 and older. In Hungary, for example,
young adults are 20 percentage points more likely than older adults to
express a positive opinion toward the UN. A similar pattern is observed
across several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Israel. Those with a postsecondary education or more in
seven countries are more likely than those with a secondary education or less
to express favorable views of the UN. Among Belgians, 74% of those with more
education have a positive take on the UN, compared with 62% of Belgians with
less education. In Malaysia, however, those with less education are more
likely to have a positive opinion of the UN than those with more education
(66% vs. 56% respectively). In several European countries, those with a
favorable view of that country’s right-wing populist party are more likely to
hold a negative view of the UN than those who are unfavorable toward populist
parties. In Germany, for example, 44% of those with a favorable view of
Alternative for Germany (AfD) express an unfavorable view of the UN, compared
with 21% of those with an unfavorable view of AfD who say the same. Most say that many of the
problems facing their country can be solved by working with other countries
A median of 64% across 19 countries say that many of
the problems facing their country can be solved by working with other
countries, while 31% say that few such
problems can be solved by working with other countries. The sentiment that
international cooperation can solve many of the country’s problems is highest
in Sweden, where more than eight-in-ten say this. The same faith in international cooperation rings
true in most of the European countries surveyed. In the Netherlands, Italy,
Spain, Germany and the UK, at least seven-in-ten say that many of the
problems facing their country can be solved by working with other countries.
A median of 70% across the 11 European countries surveyed think international
cooperation can solve many of the domestic problems people face. Views in North America and the Asia-Pacific region
are more divided. Only about half of adults in both the U.S. and Canada
believe most of the problems facing their country can be solved through
international cooperation. Majorities in Japan, Australia and South Korea say
the same, but in Malaysia, only 49% agree. In many countries, views vary by education. Those
with more education are more likely to say that many of the problems facing their
country can be solved by working with other countries in 11 countries, such
as in France, where nearly three-quarters of those with a higher education
level say this, as opposed to the 61% of those with a lower education level.
Ideology also plays a role in people’s views on the
ability of international cooperation to solve problems. In 10 countries,
those on the left are more likely than those on the right to say that many of
the problems facing their country can be solved by working with other
nations. This difference is most starkly seen in the U.S., where the gap
between the liberals and conservatives is over 30 percentage points. (For
more on American views of international cooperation, see “Americans
are divided over U.S. role globally and whether international engagement can
solve problems.”) In 12 countries, views on international cooperation
also vary by impressions of the UN, with those who feel favorably toward the
UN more likely to say that many problems in their country can be solved by
working with other countries. In all 12 nations, there is a double-digit
difference between those who feel favorably toward the UN and those who do
not. For instance, in Japan, 84% who have a positive opinion of the UN also
express a belief that their country’s problems can be solved by working with
other countries, while 71% of those who have an unfavorable opinion of the UN
say the same. ‘Common values’ generally
seen as bringing nations together more than ‘common problems’
Across many of the 19 countries surveyed, larger
shares say that common values are more important for bringing nations
together than say common problems are more important. Majorities in 12 countries say common values are
more important to international cooperation, including about two-thirds or
more in Spain, France and Australia. Countries where more hold the view that
common values bring countries together span Europe, the Asia-Pacific region
and North America. Views on the importance of values or problems for
bringing countries together are somewhat mixed in Malaysia, Germany, Poland
and Japan. Nearly equal shares in these countries say either common values or
problems are more important for global cooperation. Only in three countries surveyed do more than half
say common problems are important for bringing nations together: Israel,
Greece and Hungary.
In seven countries, adults ages 50 and older are
more likely to say common values are more important for bringing nations
together than those ages 18 to 29. Younger adults are, on the other hand,
more likely to cite common problems as important for international
cooperation than their older counterparts. In South Korea, for example, older
adults are 23 percentage points more likely than those 18 to 29 to say common
values bring countries together. In Malaysia, however, the pattern is reversed. Young
adults are more likely to say common values bring nations together, while
older adults are more likely to say common problems encourage international
cooperation. AUGUST 31, 2022 Source:
https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/08/31/climate-change-remains-top-global-threat-across-19-country-survey/ 758-43-19/Polls Global Population Skews
Male, But Un Projects Parity Between Sexes By 2050, Estimates Of 237
Countries
Globally, the number of males has exceeded the
number of females since the mid-1960s. But by 2050, the worldwide sex ratio
is expected to even out, according to recently released population projections
from the United Nations. In the coming decades, the world population is
expected to age due to a combination of declining fertility (a smaller share
of the world’s population will be young) and people living longer (a larger
share of the world’s population will be old). Between 1950 and 2021, the
median global age rose from 22 to 30. By 2050, the UN projects the median
global age will surpass 35.
This Pew Research Center analysis is based on
the 2022 Revision of World
Population Prospects, the 27th edition of official United Nations
population estimates and projections that have been prepared by the
Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the
United Nations Secretariat. The UN data presents population estimates from
1950 to the present for 237 countries or areas, underpinned by analyses of
historical demographic trends. This latest assessment considers the results
of 1,758 national population censuses conducted between 1950 and 2022, as
well as information from vital registration systems and from 2,890 nationally
representative sample surveys. The 2022 revision also presents population
projections to the year 2100 that reflect a range of plausible outcomes at
the global, regional and national levels. There is uncertainty regarding
specific estimates. This analysis uses the medium variant for future dates,
which takes the midpoint of likely outcomes. For more information, see the
full UN
report, data tables and methodology. When a large share of a population is young, it
tends to skew male because more boys are born than girls. This pattern is
exacerbated in countries where sex-selective abortions and female infanticide
contribute to imbalanced sex ratios at birth. In 2021, the global sex ratio
at birth was 106 male births per 100 female births. Gender inequalities also
make girls and women more vulnerable to poor health, often putting them at
higher risk of death, including from complications during and following
pregnancy and childbirth. However, in most countries, females have lower mortality
rates after birth and live longer than males, on average. Higher male
mortality has been associated with behavioral factors and genetic
differences. In addition, more
males than females have died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of these patterns, females outnumber males
at older ages. In 2021, women comprised 56% of the global population ages 65
and older, including 59% in Europe and Northern America. Their share of the
global 65-and-older population is projected to be 54% by 2050. As populations
age, they are more likely to become majority female. Not only does the UN project parity between the
sexes by 2050, it projects that females will begin to outnumber males in the
decades after 2050. Sex ratios vary widely The countries with the biggest male-to-female ratios
today are Qatar (266 males per 100 females), the United Arab Emirates (228)
and Bahrain (164). In several Persian Gulf countries, these wide sex
imbalances are primarily due to large
immigrant populations of largely male temporary workers. For
example, according to UN estimates, 79% of Qatar’s 2019 population was born
elsewhere, and among the foreign-born population, 83% were male.
In many former Soviet Union republics, the reverse
is true. The former
USSR has been predominantly female since at least World War II, when
millions of men died in battle. For example, in the territory that is now
Russia, there were just 77 males per 100 females in 1950. That number rose
steadily in subsequent decades, climbing to 88 by 1995 before starting to
decline again. Several other countries from the former Soviet Union have seen
similar patterns, and in 2021, they accounted for six of the 10 nations with
the highest ratio of females to males. Even within the same country, sex ratios can differ
widely by age. For example, Armenia is the most heavily skewed country toward
females (82 males per 100 females), but there are still more newborn boys
than girls. In fact, for every 100 girls born in Armenia, 110 are boys – the
world’s sixth starkest sex ratio at birth in favor of boys. Other places with overall sex ratios that skew
heavily female include Guadeloupe, Martinique, Hong Kong and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. The United States has had more females than males
since 1946, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2021, the population sex
ratio in the U.S. was 98 males per 100 females. By 2050, it is expected to be
99. The number of
majority-male countries will decline by 2050 In 2021, males outnumbered females in 86 countries.
That figure is expected to decline to 67 countries by 2050 as an increasing
number of majority-female populations emerge. Within countries where males are expected to
continue outnumbering females in 2050, the UN still projects a more balanced
sex ratio in the coming decades. A recent
Pew Research Center report took a closer look at the sex ratio at
birth in India, specifically. India’s artificially wide ratio of baby boys to
baby girls – which arose in the 1970s from the use of prenatal diagnostic
technology to facilitate sex-selective abortions – now appears to be
narrowing. This follows years of government efforts to curb sex selection,
including a ban on prenatal sex tests and a massive advertising campaign
urging parents to “save
the girl child,” and coincides with broader social changes such as rising
education and wealth. Projections describe how populations will change if
their underlying input data are accurate and their assumptions about future
trends (e.g., that fertility will decline in high-fertility countries) are correct.
However, unexpected events like war, famine and disease may produce different
outcomes and may alter the world’s gender balance by causing a greater number
of deaths for males or females and by affecting migration trends of
individual countries. AUGUST 31, 2022 Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/08/31/global-population-skews-male-but-un-projects-parity-between-sexes-by-2050/ 758-43-20/Polls IRI Poll In Africa’s 5 Littoral
States Finds Economic Anxiety
“Our research shows that the economy is the number
one issue in a majority of these states,” said Jenai Cox, Regional Deputy
Director for Africa at IRI. “It’s clear that this is not just a national
problem, but one that dominates this part of Africa.” For mitigating such violence, strong majorities in
the surveyed regions of Côte d’Ivoire (58%), Burkina Faso (63%), Togo (63%),
and Benin (71%) cited “local police / defense & security forces” as the
key institutions to combat violent extremism in their respective communities.
A plurality in Ghana (44%) said the same. “Very much like the economy, violence from extremist
groups is a problem across the Littoral States,” said Cox. “While this is a
major concern, it is a positive development that most people have confidence
in their local police to strengthen security and keep them safe.” This poll was conducted to aid IRI program
implementation with preventing and countering violent extremism in the
Littoral States and the Sahel region. The research shows that many of the
most pressing problems are not confined to individual countries and that
there is a need for cross-border collaboration. (International Republican Institute) September 2, 2022 Source:
https://www.iri.org/news/iri-poll-in-africas-littoral-states-finds-economic-anxiety-concerns-with-insurgent-groups-confidence-in-local-police-to-mitigate-violent-extremism/ 758-43-21/Polls At The Civic Level,
Growing Warmth Between Japan, S Korea
They said growing warmth toward Japan among South
Koreans after a long spell in freeze-level bilateral ties appeared mostly
based on a perception that China poses a growing threat in the region. The poll this year was carried out between mid-July
and early August. Around 1,000 people in each country responded. In the category of impressions of one another’s
country, “Good” increased, while “Bad” decreased in both countries
compared with a year ago. The respective figures among South Koreans were 30.6
percent, up 10.1 percentage points, and 52.8 percent, down 10.4 points. With regard to reasons for having a good
impression of Japan, 63.8 percent of South Korean respondents selected,
“because Japanese people are kind and sincere,” followed by 37.8 percent who
picked, “Japan is a developed country with a high standard of living.” In addition, 25.7 percent, more than double the
figure of last year, said, “Both are democratic countries.” “Both are democratic countries” was also the fourth
most cited reason in Japan at 21.4 percent, an increase of 5.3 percentage
points from a year ago. When South Koreans were asked which country they
felt close to, Japan or China, 24.3 percent chose Japan, up
10.1 percentage points from the survey in 2020 which asked the same
question, while 16.9 percent opted for China, down 7.5 percentage points. The finding marked a sharp change from two
years ago. “The Chinese threat theory indirectly influenced and
changed impression of Japan” among South Koreans, said Sohn Yul, president of
the East Asia Institute, who attended an online news conference held in Tokyo
to announce the latest findings. September 2, 2022 Source:
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14709486 758-43-22/Polls Consumers Around 30 Markets
View Financial Security And Their Own Financial Situation Differently
The corona crisis, as well as the rise in the cost
of living and rising inflation, are causing troubled economic times and for
many consumers, their own finances and savings are the top priority. Data from YouGov Global Profiles shows that consumers around the
world view financial security and their own financial situation differently.
In this analysis, we focus on 30 markets worldwide with a case count above
2,000 and ask whether consumers consider themselves financially secure.
Globally, more than a fifth of consumers (21 percent) disagree with this
statement. Financial uncertainties seem to be driving Japanese
and German consumers in particular. 41 percent of The
Japanese do not see themselves as financially secure, closely followed by
Germany with 37 percent, who do not agree with the statement: "I
consider myself financially secure". In the USA and Greece,
too, the majority of respondents do not see themselves as financially secure
(34 and 31 percent respectively). Vietnamese and Chinese consumers are least likely to
disagree with the statement (14 and 11 percent, respectively).
Consumers in the UK most often see themselves as
financially secure (58 percent), closely followed by Poland (56 percent), but
also in Germany, more than half of consumers consider themselves financially
secure (54 percent). In Germany, the majority of respondents clearly see
themselves as either financially secure or insecure, only 9 percent of
Germans agree with the statement: I consider myself financially secure
neither to nor not to. Respondents in Japan (23 percent) and the
Philippines (33 percent) are least likely to agree with the statement. While
42 percent of consumers in China consider themselves financially secure,
almost half of Chinese (47 percent) consider themselves neither financially
secure nor financially insecure. September 2, 2022 Source:
https://yougov.de/news/2022/09/02/hohe-finanzielle-unsicherheit-japan-und-deutschlan/ |
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