Proportional Representation Electoral System

Proportional Representation Electoral System Critically compare and discuss the major differences and similarities between proportional representation and majoritarian electoral systems. Which criteria are the most important ones with which to judge an electoral system in a new democracy? How does each system perform on these criteria? Resulting from an in-depth investigation into the establishment of new democracies, this essay explores the view that Proportional Representation electoral system (henceforth PR) promotes better stability, as opposed to the Majoritarian electoral system, which occasionally leads to instability. It is how a party interprets votes into parliamentary seats in each electoral system that determines which system to perform better. It is upon this factor that this essay will attest the claim that PR promotes an increase in social representation in parliaments. Although majoritarian systems do stipulate greater stability and accountability in governments, this does not support the belief that PR systems disregard a governments stability or culpability; each system tends to highlight certain factors, where others do not. This essay will commence by explaining the elements that characterise both PR and majoritarian electoral systems, after which it shall be seen how each system performs in the criteria of accountability, social representation and stability in a new democracy. It is in a new democracy where the most support for the government is needed; this is resulting from the often controversial past experienced in these nations before evolving into a democracy. By looking at South Africas first democratic election in 1994, and their utilisation of the PR system, one discovers why in this context a PR system most suited. The majoritarian system, which can be divided into two subsections, namely plurality and the second ballot majority run-off system, is the oldest electoral system having originated in the 12th century (Norris, 1997: 299). In both instances, the nation is separated into territorial single-memberconstituencies. Plurality decrees all citizens vote for a candidate party; while votes are counted, the party with the majority of votes in a specific constituency is granted the parliamentary seats for that region. The party with the most seats in the parliament will ultimately be the governing party (Norris, 1997: 301). For a government to come into power through the second ballot run-off system, the government would need to win the absolute majority of 50% +1; in cases where this does not occur, the two top contenders from the first round of elections run alongside each other in a second round of voting (Norris, 1997: 302).It is the majoritarian system of representation that sees larger part ies winning a higher proportion of seats than the proportion of votes they gain in an election (Heywood, 2007: 256). This increases the chance of a single party gaining a parliamentary majority and being able to govern independently (Heywood, 2007: 256). The PR system, which also divides countries into constituencies, is most often made up of multi-member districts, larger in size, which is geographically defined. Lists are presented by each party of their districts number of parliamentary seats available; lists in some countries are open to voters, allowing them to rank their candidate preferences, whereas some lists are closed and only made visible to the party. Seats, instead of being given to the majority winner, are granted according to a partys percentage of votes received (Norris, 1997: 303). This system guarantees an equal relationship between seats won by a party and the votes gained in an election. In instances were PR is implemented at its purest form, a party gaining 60 per cent of the vote would win exactly 60 per cent of the seats (Heywood, 2007: 256). PR systems, thus, make single-party majority rule unlikely, rather allowing for coalition governments or multi-party systems (Heywood, 2007: 256). Each electoral system majoritarian or PR has its own advantages and disadvantages. It does, however, depend on a new democracys main concerns and its aims, hopefully to be achieved, that would decide which system to implement. New democracies have clearly come from somewhere disagreeable in terms of democratic values, and so because they have experienced a severe shortage of representativeness as was the case with Mexico, Chile, South Africa, and Tunisia they will overwhelmingly want to replace this with representativeness (Pettinger, 2012).In order to achieve an increased representativeness, countries would most likely prefer the use of PR as it allows previously unheard minority groups the chance to voice their concerns. In terms of government accountability, both systems contain different quantities of this within. The majoritarian system, which allows candidates receiving the most votes in a constituency to have a seat, bestows the masses the ability to hold someone responsible, in this instance the victorious party member, in a specific area. The masses have the choice, during each election, to give their support or help vote a certain member out of power. As a result, representatives of the constituency are further stimulated to help voice the concerns of the people in that area. This motivates service production in the most successful style and, simultaneously, fortifies the bond with the constituency (Norris, 1997: 305). PR systems, which are able to produce single-party governments, usually lead to the establishment of coalition governments unless one party wins a majority of votes (Norris, 1997: 308). Following a survey of twenty newly established democracies, only 10 percent of PR systems led to the establishment of single-party governments (Norris, 1997: 308). Consequently, this lowered government accountability (also referred to as government responsiveness) as the populations cannot leave a single party responsible for choices made. Majoritarian systems, alternatively, are more often than not single-party governments. The aforementioned study mentions 60 percent of majoritarian systems lead by single-party governments (Norris, 1997: 308). With this in mind, as well as the fact that the controlling party is the dominant party in parliament in a majoritarian system, the party possesses enough power to carry out unpopular choices; they need not rely on minority parties support (Norris, 1997: 304) . Furthermore, the domineering party would be held wholly accountable for their actions during their time in power, and following the end of their term would their performance be measured. At this time it would be decided whether or not to vote them out of power. In a majoritarian system, responsibility and power are viewed as one. In a majoritarian system, the power that gives the ruling party in government the ability to pass legislation and implement party policies increases the accountability of that party (Norris, 1997: 304). This gives rise to government effectiveness, and stability. Resultantly, fragmentation, which occasionally occurs in the PR system, is prevented. PR thus leads to instability in some cases (Norris, 1997: 305). This instability becomes clearer depending on the lifespan government tends to have; this occurrence is due to the majority of the masses not supporting the government, as apposed to the majoritarian system. It is when one considers social representation that one begins to see that a PR system is not necessarily more effective than the majoritarian system. By determining parliament seat rendering to the percentage of votes each party receives, the presence of smaller parties is ensured (Norris, 1997: 309).It is the fact that parties in a majoritarian system have support spread out in many areas that disadvantages the system despite overall greater support in the foundation (Norris, 1997: 305). This sees minority groupings excluded out of parliament as well as those groups experiencing lesser representation than warranted. After the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa, both the African National Congress and the National Party entered into negotiations in order to establish a democratic constitution that would allow for a swift transition; this realisation developed from a mutually hurting stalemate (Zartman, 1995: 147) that left neither side able to seize power by force (Zartman, 1995: 148). Due to South Africas diversity, which can be summarised as 79.4% Africans, 9.2 Whites, 8.8% Coloureds and 2.6% Asian/Indian (Statistics South Africa, 2010:4), social representation presented itself as a key concern during the transition into a stable democracy. Hendrik Verwoerd, who believed white men in Africa to not see peace and stability resulting from a satisfied nationalism (Verwoerd, 1960: 363), proposed no intermingling in the political sphere (Verwoerd, 1960: 364); this was the beginning of the oppression of many social groups, experiencing the domination of a nation ruled by one party. The adoptio n of the PR electoral system, which occurred following the amalgamation of the new democracy (Zartman, 1995: 45), would be to ensure the representation of all previously suppressed groups (Masiko-Kambala, 2008: 2). This system successfully maintained political stability despite having to reach a consensus while including various contradictory views. The PR system assured a diverse parliament, even though the system could not always ensure suitable accountability and stability (Norris, 1997: 305). Enforcing the majoritarian electoral system would have prolonged the aspect of Apartheid where certain groups were oppressed, the only difference is that the majoritarian system would oppress minority groups, whereas Apartheid oppressed South Africas racial majority. This would occur as parties would retain a majority in an area to gain a parliament seat, while the PR system presents any minority group the chance to win a seat (Norris, 1997: 303). Moving forward past a history of great viol ence and dissatisfaction amongst the populace, the PR system allowed an environment where all groupings were able to have their voice heard (Masiko-Kambala, 2008: 2); this would guarantee a great deal of support encouraging the new democratic government. Having discussed both electoral systems advantage and disadvantages with respect to each criteria with which to judge an electoral system in a new democracy, it can be concluded that each system is favourable in different instances. Where the PR system ensures a more diverse parliament, the majoritarian system is seen to generate greater responsibility and stability in government. It is purely a case of what a country views as the most important feature of governance at the time, and for South Africas case it would have been social representation, therefore ending in the implementation of a PR system; finding accountability or stability to be of more importance would have resulted in the establishment of the majoritarian system.

Write About the Way in Which Hosseini Uses Setting in

Write about the way the significance of the way in which Hosseini uses setting in ‘The Kite Runner’. Focus on two or three. Hosseini uses setting in the kite runner in various ways. It is a tool in showcasing the social division between Hazara and Pashtuns in Kabul and is also used to dramatise and add tension to the story. An example of Hosseini adding tension through setting is Amir and Baba’s car journey from Kabul to Jalalabad. It is narrated by Amir in the present tense, as if he is there telling us what’s happening at that moment as opposed to the past tense narrative style that the remainder of the book is told in. The scene begins with ‘ We pulled up to the check point’ we are only limited to Amir’s view at the time, whilst Amir usually adds his thoughts for example just before Hassan gets raped, after his harelip has been fixed he says ‘†¦which was ironic. Because that was the winter Hassan stopped smiling’ there is no reflection of the past in this scene. There is no sense of omniscience and the reader feels for the first time that Amir is vulnerable and that he is real. The scene continues with ‘Feet crushed gravel’ by using the word ‘feet’ instead of some ones feet or the Russian soldiers feet, Hosseini makes it impersonal and threatening, as if the feet do not belong to a human being with emotions. It also allows the reader to understand how Amir was feeling at the time, he knows that the feet belonged to the Russian soldier but he doesn’t tell us and by only including information he knew at the time we turn into Amir and we feel his fear. The people in the car are clearly on edge, Hosseini shows us this through ‘a flicker of a lighter’, in order to hear it in the truck Amir and the other passengers must have been very quiet and listening out for anything threatening. The word ‘flicker’ is gentle and emphasises how still and alert they must have been. The deathly silence is broken by a ‘shrill cackling’ that scares Amir. There is an eerie quality to this, the word ‘cackling’ is usually associated with witches in children’s books, and although this should be very cliched- the evil character having an evil laugh- Hosseini ets up the scene in such a way that you feel frightened for Amir. The laughing man then starts singing an ‘old Afghan wedding song’ and this is when his identity is revealed ‘†¦with a thick Russian accent’. This adds to the eeriness as there is a conflict of expectations- its more unsettling that the Russian soldie r is singing and laughing rather than if he had been beating someone. When the door of the truck is opened and the three men peer in, Amir describes ‘a bone coloured moon’ hanging in the sky. The word ‘bone’ intensifies the feeling of danger and death, Hosseini could of used ‘white’ or any other adjective to describe the moon but by associating the moon with bone he warns the reader that something bad is about to take place. The moon is also used later on, to show Baba’s bravery and nobility when he stands up to the Russian soldier ‘he eclipsed the moonlight’. Baba is shown to be fearless, he is larger than the moon and he shields them from it and everything else. Amir uses his direct thoughts when he describes how he had believed the Russian soldier has shot Baba ‘It’s done, then. I’m eighteen and alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ in doing this not only does it allow the reader to sympathise with Amir and connect with him but its highlights how dangerous the situation is, Amir cant even protest against what’s happening, the calm way in which he thinks it through ‘where do I bury him? Where do I go after? I find is quite disturbing. I feel that it lacks emotion and for me I wonder if this is a fabrication by Amir -the writer. He knows that Baba didn’t die, but he presents it in this way to sensationalise the story. Another use of setting in the story is to show the great divisions of society in Kabul, Hosseini uses Baba’s house and Ali’s hut to show the social structure in Kabul. Baba and Amir who were Pashtuns and Sunni Muslims were the affluent upper class and were respected whilst the Hassan and Ali as Hazaras and Shia Muslims were servants. The two houses are also used to show the different father-son relationship between Hassan and Ali and Baba and Amir. Baba’s house is described as being very grand; the entire paragraph dedicated to it oozes wealth and prosperity. Hosseini uses superlative adjectives to describe the house ‘prettiest house in all of Kabul†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Everything about the house is luxurious and beautiful, there are great descriptions of tapestries and ‘marble floors and wide windows’. Even the smells in the house are rich ‘perpetually smelled of tobacco and cinnamon’, the word ‘perpetually’ hints that Baba’s wealth was continuous, it would never end, as if Amir believed that he would always live in this luxury. The house is very formal ‘poplar trees lined the driveway’ and ‘rosebushes’ flanked the entryway. However throughout this beautiful description there are some cracks and some uneasiness. In particular the ‘wrought- iron gates’ that give the house a prison like feel, and also the mention of Rahim Khan ‘ I’m in his arms, but it’s Rahim Khan’s pinky my fingers are curled around’ this suggests that within the opulence there are some badly hidden issues. In contrast Ali’s hut is introduced to the reader by the heading ‘the Wall of Ailing Corn’ the corn that ‘never really took’ as if there is also something wrong with the hut. Whilst Baba’s house is given a detailed description Amir’s description of Ali’s hut is brief, perhaps because he doesn’t think its significant or maybe because he doesn’t remember it much, he admits himself ‘in the eighteen years that I lived in that house, I stepped into Hassan and Ali’s quarters only a handful of times†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He remembers it as ‘sparse, clean, dimly lit†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ it is simple and modest and reflects the character of it inhabitants. There is nothing extraneous and nothing excessive unlike Baba’s house with the mahogany table that could easily seat ‘thirty guests’ or the ‘two acres of backyard’. He also describes a ‘loquat tree’ that gave shade to the house; this differs to the ‘poplar trees’ and ‘rosebushes’ of Baba’s house. Loquat trees are local trees in Kabul whilst rosebushes are foreign, they also have purpose they produce fruit unlike Baba’s trees that are purely decoration. It is ironic that the smallest thing that Baba owns he shares and is associated with Ali ‘Baba and Ali had planted a small vegetable garden’. It is also significant that Amir describes his house as ‘Baba’s estate’ or Baba’s house. He doesn’t claim it, but when he describes Hassan and Ali’s ouse, not only does he call it a’ home’ rather than a ‘house’ but he says that its their home. The hut signifies the close relationship between Ali and Hassan; they don’t have fancy tapestries or tables that get in the way of each other. There is always something between Ba ba and Amir, even the house divides them ‘upstairs was my bedroom, Baba’s room and his study†¦. ’ Baba constantly shuts Amir out of his study ‘â€Å"Go on now,† he would say, â€Å"This is grown-ups time†. ’ Hassan and Ali slept in the same room with ‘two mattresses on opposite sides of the room’- they were always together. Ali’s hut also shows Amir’s attitude towards Hazaras and shows that the social division between Hazaras and Pashtuns is one that affects the younger generation too. He calls Hassan’s home a ‘mud hut’ and although he says it’s modest, it’s evident that he doesn’t think much of it. However the ironic thing is that Hassan and Ali’s hut fits with Kabul whilst Baba’s estate stands out not only because it’s pretty but because the vast majority of Kabul do not live like that a fact Amir is only aware of when he is much older.

The Hidden Truth Regarding Samples of National Honor Society Essay Uncovered by an Old Pro

The Hidden Truth Regarding Samples of National Honor Society Essay Uncovered by an Old Pro The Fundamentals of Samples of National Honor Society Essay Revealed Active members have their distinctive story which makes them unique. Students lead busy lives and frequently forget about a coming deadline. A student is prepared to devote the necessary. Only the best students become accepted. List all skills which you think will let you develop into a member of the organization. This club is significant as it is the very first dance club at my school. Being on the squad has also let me in correcting different teammates and assisting them when it's necessary. Before joining our group of writers. Generally speaking, it doesn't require your participation, but you can follow up at each stage of the process via your personal area on the site. Whenever you opt to ask us for skilled support, don't hesitate to speak to our support managers. It's actually difficult to keep the standard of their content that's personalized. Be ready to call the precise number of hours worked as a plus to yourself, particularly if it is impressive. Choosing our service, you are going to understand that studying can be simple if you gain from the help of capable experts. Be attentive as it is merely a sample and you are unable to copy it to your work. We'll deal with them, and for an affordable price, as we understand that students typically don't have a great deal of money to spare. Our experts always conduct complete technical research in order to receive all of the information necessary for an exceptional operation of a buy. Any kind of research paper comprises a specific structure that's based on few names. After considering and listing traits and actions, you have a notion of what you wish to discuss in your essay. These forms of essays attempt to demonstrate ways to present a specific candidate and also show that the person has been qualified to join the organization. If you still cannot know how to compose a national honor society essay, search for internet assistance. Writing is a talent, which means you might be an exemplary student yet require a small guidance in placing your deeds into accurate wording. You don't essay to concentrate on a specific area of NJHS leadership, scholarship. My academic qualifications prove that my dedication and individual qualities will go a ways in my general development. You don't need to list all the traits you will be discussing in the essay, but you need to attempt to mention at least three. Writing a research paper might be an intimidating chore. Reading has ever been my. National honor society essay samples are available online to help you in writing your very own original work. We can help you in writing a paper because our business is regarded as among the best ones and ones writers take part in seminars to better their abilities. Even in the event you give yourself enough time to create a few drafts, the caliber of your papers can stay low. A good example of a paper is the thing it's possible to see in our article. Your paper ought to be unique. Developing a superb research paper isn't quite as hard as you may think. But What About Samples of National Honor Society Essay? Being a real leader gives me the chance to work in a team and consider my peers' ideas to produce our plans creative and fun for everybody. Financial need is going to be taken under consideration too. Another important point is explaining how your distinctive capabilities can help determine the world around you. Only discuss the required information in a brief and transparent way.

History of HIV in Two Countries - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2332 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Tags: AIDS (HIV) Essay Did you like this example?    There are many countries around the world that are affected by the HIV epidemic. Two countries in particular are Africa and Russia. Nowhere in the world is the HIV/AIDS epidemic been more devastating than the continent of Africa. For South Africa, political chaos and a long history of government denial of the disease fueled an epidemic that had reached disastrous amounts by the late 1990s and early 2000s.Even today, despite plummeting death rates and better leadership on the HIV/AIDS war front, the rate of new HIV infections continue to rise year on year. As a result of this, South Africa still today is the country with the largest population of HIV infected people in the world. For the history of HIV in Africa it is largely believed thatit originated in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo around 1920 when HIV crossed species from chimpanzees to humans. Up until the 1980s, it is not known how many people were infected with HIV or had developed AIDS. The HIV infection was unknown and transmission was not followed by any noticeable symptoms. While random cases of AIDS were documented before 1970, existing information suggests that the current epidemic started in the mid to late 1970s. By 1980, HIV may have already spread to North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia. By this time between 100,000 and 300,000 people could have already been infected with the HIV virus. In 1983, doctors reported cases of a new, fatal wasting disease locally known as slim in Uganda. However, as the country was in the midst of this a ll, the HIV problem was for the most part largely ignored. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "History of HIV in Two Countries" essay for you Create order While political trouble dominated the media, HIV was largely ignored while it was becoming a public health disaster. It was only in the 1990s that President Nelson Mandela acknowledged his governments grievance to the crisis, but by this time South Africa had already become the largest population of people with HIV in the world. By 2000, the South African Department of Health outlined a five year HIV/AIDS plan but received practically no support from the South African President Thabo Mbeki. President Thabo Mbeki rejected usual HIV science and instead blamed the growing AIDS epidemic on poverty, colonialism, and business greed. Without government support, the five year plan did not get off the ground as quickly as the country planned, with very few showing up to receive freeantiretroviral medication. In the meantime, HIV among pregnant South African women soared to over 30% by 2000. It was only with the removal of President Thabo Mbeki from office in 2008 that the government took step s to take on this health catastrophe, increasing efforts to become what is known today as the largest HIV drug programs in the world. However, increasing pressure to expand has been weakened by a deteriorating public health structure and the weakening of the South African currency under newly elected President Jacob Zuma. To date, less than 30% of people with HIV are on medication in South Africa, while the HIV virus rates among young adults continue to rise. South Africa has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world, with 7.2 million people living with HIV as of 2017. HIV is at a high percentage among the general population at 18.9%. Particular groups who have the highest rates of HIV in Africa are men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers and people who inject drugs in South Africa. Since there is such a high rate of HIV in South Africa, the country has made huge improvements in getting people to test for HIV in recent years with 86% of people aware of their HIV status. Africa has the largest Antiretroviral Treatment program in the world, which has went through even more growth in recent years which began to emerge in both the gay community and the black population. By mid 1990s, HIV rates had increased by 60%, but the government remained with the test and treat guidelines. South Africa was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to fully approve Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis also known as PrEP, which is now being made available to people at high risk of infection. Nationally, HIV infection amongsex workers is estimated at 57.7%, although this depends between areas. Certain factors increase HIV risk for South African sex workers, including poverty status, lack of different career opportunities, etc. Injecting drug use is also common among sex workers, increasing their risk to the HIV virus even more. HIV infection amongmen who have sex with men in South Africa is now estimated at 26.8%, but this also varies geographically. Transgender women in Sub-Saharan Africa are twice as likely to have HIV as men who are in homosexual relationships. In 2016, an estimation of 17% of people who inject drugs in South Africa were living with HIV. However, IV drug use rs only sum up for 1.3% of new HIV infections in South Africa. Recent studies have found that only 59% of young people in South Africa have sufficient knowledge of ways to prevent themselves from HIV.Only 5% of schools were providing widespread sexuality education in South Africa in 2016, but over the next five years the government has committed to increasing this to 50% in areas with high rates of HIV infection. The 2012 National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS found the countrys HIV communication programs were having a positive effect, particularly on young people from the ages of 15 to 24, with an increase in condom usage, testing services and male circumcision. Though knowledge around safe breastfeeding practices among pregnant mothers living with HIV still remains low. In 2018, The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS reported that 4.4 million people were receiving treatment for their HIV infection in South Africa. This equals up to 61% of the people living with HIV in the country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second country impacted by the HIV epidemic is Russia. HIV first emerged as a public health issue at the end of 1986 in Russia. The first case was identified in a Russian man who was believed to have contracted the disease while in Africa. He then apparently transmitted the virus to 15 Soviet soldiers who he had sex with. Since privacy laws didnt exist in the Soviet Republic at the time, the names of those infected were publicized by the states media, which mocked them for living so called corrupt lifestyles that led to their disease. The fact that homosexuality was illegal and remains illegal under the countries Russian LGBT propaganda law, only served tostigmatizethe men as well as HIV itself. In the late 1980s, mandatory HIV testing was started across the Soviet Union, which was often done without the approval or knowledge of the person being tested. Over 142 million people had been tested which none were anonymous in 1991. Positive HIV tests were dealt with a ggressive efforts made to identify and often publicized, the pathof infection from one person to the next. The early 1990s saw the highest point of political conflict in the Soviet Union, pushing the HIV crisis into the shadows. In Russia, foreign HIV prevention information was available, but once translated into Russian, could no longer be found in the country. Public prevention campaigns failed to exist at that time because many considered this time period to be the age of the Russian sexual revolution.With a rise in injecting drug use throughout the country, the HIV epidemic was left unchecked, with the disease spreading like wildfire. With the rise of the newly independent Russian Federation of States, AIDS agencies commanded little importance among leaders in the Russian government and is receiving even less funding. Poor communication among the few HIV organizations that existed resulted in poor information communicated to agencies and treaters on the ground. Unlike most count ries, Russias HIV epidemic is growing, with the rate of new infections rising between 10 and 15% each year. It is estimated that in Russia over 250 people become infected with HIV every day.The continued shift away from progressive policies towards socially conservative legislation is an obstacle to enforcing HIV prevention and treatment.Russia has the highest number of people who inject drugs in the region at about 1.8 million which accounts for 2.3% of the adult population.The ban on non traditional sexual relations among minors blocks information about HIV and support services.Preventing mother to child transmission is one of Russias HIV success stories. The government announced it had achieved a 98% success rate in 2016. By the middle of 2017, 1.16 million people had been diagnosed with HIV in Russia. However, this does not amount to the number of people currently living with HIV as well as AIDS related deaths or people who are still undiagnosed with HIV. Russias HIV epidemic is now targeted on certain groups. In 2016, IV drug users represented the largest percentage of new diagnoses at 48.8%, followed by heterosexual sex transmission at 48.7%, homosexual sex at 1.5% and 0.8% due to mother to child transmission. Although data is limited, it is estimated that around 500,000 people in Russia are unaware of their HIV positive status.HIV testing is available, but only covering about 19.3% of the population which is around 30 million people. Now HIV testing is carried out generally, rather than being targeted towards certain groups most affected by HIV. As a result of this, certain populations made up for less than 1% of the 24 million HIV tests that were carried out in Russia in 2011. With new infections rising year after year, a targeted, combination prevention strategy is needed to slow this epidemic. The Russian Prime Minister approved Russias 2017-2020 HIV strategy in 2016, which is the first official HIV document to be drawn up since Russias 2002-2006 str ategy. The plan aims to reduce transmission rates by focusing on prevention programs and decrease the number of AIDS related deaths in the country. However, although the help of social change and support of high affected populations is discussed, no national programs are created. As for condoms, they are widely available to buy in Russia, but theres no government backed free distribution programs, and condom use is thought to be low. The practice of using condoms is also controversial. For example, a 2015 national public health campaign about HIV prevention focused on faithfulness rather than promoting condom use. Funding for sex education in schools is also minimal to none. Socially conservative forces advocate for the teaching of moral education, which focuses on subjects such as chastity and faithfulness in heterosexual marital relationships, as opposed to sex education, which includes accurate information about human development, anatomy and reproductive health, as well as infor mation about contraception, childbirth, STIs, gender relations, sexuality and gender identities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Africa and Russia are two countries that are severely affected by the HIV epidemic although the reasons why and how for the two is different. In Africa, the groups most affected by HIV are sex workers at 57.7%, homosexuals at 26.8%, IV drug users at 17%, followed by a small percentage of transgender women. While in Russia, the groups most affected are IV drug users at the highest percentage of 48.8%, heterosexual relations at 48.7%, followed by homosexual sex at 22% and mother to child transmission at a low percentage. In Africa, since poverty is at an all time high in many areas, people turn to sex working, where many women for example, contract HIV. The stigmatism against using a condom also doesnt help the cycle of contracting HIV. Many homosexual relations contract HIV because many dont get tested and arent aware of their status and refrain from using condoms as well. Next for IV drug users, many contract HIV by sharing dirty needles and equipment. The last group which doesnt have a very high percentage, but is still very vulnerable to HIV is transgender women. Since many are excluded in society, they neglect to get tested for HIV. If there was more information given at home, in schools and on the media to advocate about risky sexual behavior and programs set up to give people condoms or new needles/syringes then maybe many of these percentages would be much less. Although in South Africa many improvements have been made with approving the PreP program made available to people at high risk of infection, improvements in getting people to test for HIV in recent years, with 61% of adults on antiretroviral treatments and 58% of children on antiretroviral treatments. Now in comparison to Russia. The groups most affected by HIV are heterosexuals, IV drug users, homosexuals, and mother to child transmissions. In Russia, the group most affected is heterosexual relations. This is because gender inequality, intimate partner violence and sexual violen ce are common within Russian society. IV drug users are highly susceptible because of sharing used needles and many are denied access to HIV information and prevention causing them to not access testing available. Homosexuals are also vulnerable because of the lack of knowledge towards risky sexual behavior and the Russian society which frowns upon homosexual relations causing many to not go and get tested. Lastly mother to child transmission although at a small percentage is also probable since they can actually give the HIV virus to their baby through breast feeding because there is not enough advocacy that mothers should go out and get tested. If funding, HIV research and education was better supported in Russian government and society, then these percentages would significantly decrease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I see the future of the HIV epidemic coming to a hault. There are many strides being made around the globe, by the United States, Africa and many other countries. People all over the world are receiving effective HIV treatments and scientists are working to have more treatment options available. Many are aware of their status and are participating in safe sex and have the knowledge to reduce their risk of infection. In 2015, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS launched a target to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. No matter whether the strides being made are big or small, were on the track to ending this epidemic. Although a cure for HIV may be out of reach, I believe that with sufficient testing, treatment prevention strategies and funding, this is the way to end the HIV epidemic, although itll be a long journey.