Absolute poverty is when a person does not have enough money to meet their basic needs, such as food and shelter. This type of poverty is more common in developing countries. It is also called extreme poverty.
The active population, also called labour force, is the total number of people of working age (15 to 64) who have a job or are looking for a job.
The term activity refers to all human actions and operations carried out by a company or state to achieve a goal.
Affirmative action refers to all policies and measures that favour certain groups that are usually discriminated against based on their social or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, disability, etc.
Allegiance is when an individual or group swears loyalty and obedience to a nation or leader.
In the context of the environment, an allowance (quota) is a defined quantity that must not be exceeded. For example, a carbon allowance is the maximum amount of carbon an industry can emit.
Anti-globalization, also called alterglobalization, is a movement that proposes alternatives to globalization. Anti-globalization activists want to reform globalization so that it respects the principles of human rights, economic justice and environmental protection.
Antisemitism is a form of systematic racism and hostility against Jewish people.
Un apatride est une personne qui ne possède la nationalité d’aucun pays. Comme ces personnes sont privées de nationalité, elles sont aussi privées de plusieurs de leurs droits fondamentaux.
An armed group, or a non-state armed group, is independent from a state, which means that it takes action on its own terms. Its members are recruited among the population and sometimes include child soldiers.
An asylum seeker is a person seeking protection outside the borders of their country, but whose claim for asylum is still under review.
Austerity refers to all measures taken by a state to reduce its spending and balance its budget, particularly to reduce its debt.
A belligerent is a person or state at war.
Un bidonville est une zone constituée d’habitations précaires et insalubres, souvent située en périphérie des grandes villes, où habitent les populations les plus pauvres. Les habitants et les habitantes ont rarement accès aux infrastructures sanitaires de base (égouts, aqueducs, électricité).
A benefit is an allowance, which is an amount of money paid to a person.
Biodiversity refers to all living species (animals and plants) that inhabit the planet.
The birth rate is the number of births per 1000 inhabitants in a given population in one year.
Bonds are negotiable debt instruments issued by companies or governments in order to borrow money.
A boycott (or boycotting) is the act of refusing to buy or consume a product or service from a company or a country to express dissatisfaction with a particular situation.
Capital is the assets or money owned by a person, company or state. Capital can be used to make investments.
Capitalism is an economic and social system based on private ownership of the means of production.Great importance is attributed to the pursuit of profit as well as those who hold capital (money). Capitalism encourages individual initiative and competition between companies.
The carbon footprint measures greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by human activities. It is usually calculated in kilograms (kg).
A ceasefire is a temporary halt to the fighting and hostilities between adversaries in times of war. In order to be truly effective and respected by the groups involved in a conflict, a ceasefire must go through a negotiations process that is made official in the form of an agreement.
Censorship is the act of partially or completely restricting freedom of expression. It can be self-imposed (self-censorship) or imposed by others (like authorities censoring communication, artwork, the media, etc.)
Civil society refers to the activity of citizens and non-profit organizations defending principle and values, in free association, without the authority of the state or the motive of profit.
A civil war is an armed conflict between civilians or military groups from the same state.
Colonialism is a policy based on the occupation and economic, political or social exploitation of a territory by a foreign state.
Colonization is the act of taking possession of a foreign territory in order to exploit its resources.
A colony is a territory governed and exploited by a foreign state.
Compensation is an amount of money paid to workers under certain circumstances. For example, when workers lose a job through no fault of their own, they receive severance pay as compensation.
A confederation is an association of states that delegate some of their powers to a central authority, but still maintain their sovereignty.
A constitution is a legal document, often the founding text of a state, which determines its organization and structure. It includes all the laws regarding legislative, executive and judicial powers and their jurisdictions. It also contains the laws that organize the various institutions, as well as the rights and freedoms of individuals.
A constitution is a legal document, often the founding text of a state, which determines its organization and structure. It includes all the laws regarding legislative, executive and judicial powers and their jurisdictions. It also contains the laws that organize the various institutions, as well as the rights and freedoms of individuals.
Consumption is the act of acquiring (buying) goods and services.
A contribution is a financial payment (mandatory or optional) made by an employee to finance a program or service, such as a pension plan or group insurance. All employees can benefit, based on each program's rules.
Une constitution est un document légal, souvent le texte fondateur d’un État, qui détermine son organisation et sa structure. Elle regroupe les lois concernant les différents pouvoirs et leurs juridictions : pouvoir législatif, pouvoir exécutif et pouvoir judiciaire. Elle rassemble aussi les lois qui organisent les différentes institutions ainsi que les droits et libertés des individus.
A coup d’état is the illegal overthrow of a government in order to seize power. It can be done using armed force.
A crime of aggression is an armed attack by one state against another. This attack by land, air or sea violates the sovereignty, integrity or independence of the country under attack, whether or not there is a declaration of war.
A crime against humanity is a deliberate violation of the fundamental rights of an individual or a group of individuals for political, philosophical, racial or religious reasons.
Acts such as murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and torture are examples of crimes against humanity.
A currency is a monetary system used by a specific country or group of countries.
For example, the Canadian dollar in Canada, the Danish krone in Denmark or the euro for the European Union.
Cyberterrorism is the use of computer systems by an individual or organized group as a weapon to pressure and intimidate an adversary.
Un crime contre l'humanité est une violation intentionnelle des droits fondamentaux d'un individu ou d'un groupe d'individus, basée sur des motifs politiques, philosophiques, raciaux ou religieux.
Des actes comme le meurtre, l’extermination, la réduction en esclavage, la déportation et la torture sont des exemples de crimes contre l’humanité.
Un crime de guerre est une violation des lois de la guerre commise contre des civils ou des adversaires.
Le pillage et les destructions, le viol, l’exécution de civils ou d’otages et les travaux forcés sont des exemples de crime de guerre et sont considérés comme des infractions graves aux Conventions de Genève.
Un crime d’agression est une attaque armée d’un État contre un autre État. Cette attaque (terrestre, aérienne ou maritime) porte atteinte à la souveraineté, l'intégrité ou l'indépendance du pays attaqué, qu’il y ait une déclaration de guerre ou non.
On parle de crise économique lorsque la situation économique d’un secteur d’activité ou encore de l’ensemble de l’économie mondiale se détériore rapidement. Les conséquences d’une crise économique peuvent être limitées, mais elles peuvent aussi toucher la plupart des secteurs d’activité économique et s’étendre sur plusieurs mois ou même plusieurs années. On parle alors de récession ou de dépression économique selon le cas.
On peut parler de croissance économique lorsque la quantité de biens et de services produits dans un pays a augmenté sur une certaine période. Généralement, la croissance économique d'un pays est mesurée chaque année.
Le cyberterrorisme correspond à l’utilisation, par un individu ou un groupe organisé, des systèmes informatiques comme une arme pour faire pression sur un adversaire et l’intimider.
Decolonization is the political process by which a colony gains independence and sovereignty from its mother country.
Deforestation is the human action of permanently eliminating an area of forest.
La délocalisation fait référence au déplacement des activités ou d'une partie des activités d’une entreprise vers un autre pays afin de réduire les couts de production. Ce déplacement se fait généralement des pays développés vers des pays en développement ou émergents.
A demand is a requirement or request by a group for something it considers to be theirs or considers itself entitled to.
La densité de population permet de mesurer le nombre moyen d’habitants et d’habitantes qui occupent une surface donnée. Elle est calculée selon le nombre d’habitant(e)s par kilomètre carré (habitant/km2).
A developed country is an industrialized country whose economy includes many high-tech industries and where the people enjoy a generally high standard of living.
A developing country is less industrialized and the standard of living for people is often low.
A diaspora is the dispersion of part of a people or ethnic group around the world. For example, the Haitian diaspora or the Jewish diaspora.
Diplomacy is the practice of a country in managing its international relations. The purpose is to conduct negotiations between nations to resolve conflicts without using violence.
Discrimination is the unequal or unfavourable treatment of people based on their ethnicity, name, gender, physical appearance, religion or membership in a group. They are then said to be a victim of discrimination.
Disparity is inequality between two things.
La discrimination se produit lorsqu’un individu est traité de manière inégale et défavorable en raison de son origine, de son nom, de son sexe, de son apparence physique, de sa religion ou encore de son appartenance à un groupe. On dit alors qu’il est victime de discrimination.
La discrimination positive fait référence à l’ensemble des politiques et mesures ayant pour objectif de favoriser certains groupes sociaux qui sont habituellement sujets à une discrimination fondée sur leur origine sociale, ethnique ou religieuse, leur sexe, leur âge, leur handicap, etc.
La disparité représente l’inégalité entre deux choses.
Le droit d’asile assure une protection dans un pays d’accueil à une personne dont la vie est menacée dans son propre pays. Cette personne doit obligatoirement en avoir fait la demande pour pouvoir bénéficier de cette protection.
Un droit d’émission représente la permission d’émettre 1 tonne de CO2. Deux termes sont employés pour représenter un droit d’émission : une unité (d’émission) ou encore un crédit carbone.
Le droit de veto représente le pouvoir de bloquer l’application d’une décision, d’une résolution ou d’une loi.
Le droit international rassemble les règles et les normes qui dictent les relations entre les États, les personnes et les organisations sur la scène internationale. Celui-ci touche des sujets variés comme l’environnement, le commerce, le transport des biens et des services, les droits de l’Homme, etc.
Le droit international humanitaire (DIH), aussi appelé droit des conflits armés ou droit de la guerre, détermine les règles de base à respecter lors d’une guerre (traitement des blessés et des prisonniers de guerre, interdiction sur les attaques contre la population civile et interdiction de certains types d’armes). Son but est de protéger les personnes qui ne participent pas ou ne participent plus à la guerre. De manière générale, le DIH veut empêcher que la population, les soldats blessés et les prisonniers de guerre souffrent.
The ecological footprint is an estimate of the surface area of land or water required for an individual, company or country to support their way of life or activities. It includes all the resources needed to meet their needs and to ensure the disposal of the waste they produce.
Ecology is a science that studies living things, their environment and the relationship between the two.
An economic crisis occurs when the economic situation of an activity sector or the entire global economy rapidly deteriorates. An economic crisis may have limited consequences, but it can also affect many sectors of economic activity and last for several months or even years. This is known as a recession or economic depression, depending on the case.
An economic depression is a severe economic crisis that lasts for several years, as opposed to an economic recession which is shorter.
Economic growth occurs when the quantity of goods and services produced in a country increases over a certain period of time. A country’s economic growth is usually measured annually.
Economic integration refers to common economic policies adopted by all member states, such as customs tariffs, the free movement of workers, goods, services and capital and the adoption of a common currency. The level of economic integration is determined by the number of common policies adopted as well as their scope.
Economic recovery occurs when the economy experiences a new period of growth after a period of crisis, recession or depression.
An economic shortage of drinking water is when water is physically available, but is poorly managed due to lack of money or resources. This still results in people having no access to drinking water.
An economic system is a way of organizing the economic activities of a state. It determines how a state’s production is managed and how the labour market functions.
The economy is the management of a region or country’s resources. The economy generally involves the exploitation of resources and the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.
An ecosystem refers to the interactions between all the living species (animals and plants) in a natural environment. For example, a lake’s ecosystem contains water, mud, algae and fish. Other factors influence a lake’s environment, such as climate and pollution.
Un État est un ensemble territorial et politique administré par un gouvernement et délimité par des frontières à l'intérieur desquelles vit une population.
An embargo is a political and diplomatic measure that puts an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.
An emerging country is a country experiencing rapid economic growth with an unequal increase in the standard of living. Its GDP per capita is lower than the GDP of developed countries and its economy has not reached the same level of development.
An emigrant is a person who leaves their country (country of departure) to settle in another country (host country).
Emigration is when a person leaves their country (country of departure) to settle in another country (host country) for a fixed period of time or permanently.
An emission right represents the permission to emit 1 tonne of CO2. Two terms are used to represent an emission right: an emission unit or a carbon credit.
Equity means acting with impartiality and justice to ensure everyone is treated fairly. This translates into favouring certain people (for example in employment) to reduce the effects of discrimination or to provide additional help for those facing significant difficulties.
An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common history, language, culture and/or way of life.
A financial market is a physical or virtual place where people buy and sell financial products, such as company stocks or bonds.
A financial security (share, bond, etc.) is a property right issued by a company or a state.
Fiscal policy is used to determine the ways of financing public spending (state spending), whether through taxes or duties. It ensures that the state has stable and sufficient income to support its spending while not placing too heavy a burden on businesses and taxpayers. It also determines the tax rate.
Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources that come mainly from hydrocarbons (oil, natural gas, coal, etc.).
Free trade is an economic policy that seeks to eliminate all trade barriers between states that have signed an agreement.
Full employment refers to the labour market situation of a country when everyone in the labour force has a job.
A fund is money dedicated to the implementation of the policies and projects of a state, group or organization.
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is a living organism whose genes have been modified by humans. An example of a GMO is corn with modified genes to make it tastier or more resistant to the cold.
The Geneva Conventions were adopted in 1949 and set out the rules of international humanitarian law. These treaties protect, among other things, the rights of civilians, wounded soldiers and prisoners of war.
A genocide is the deliberate and organized extermination of an ethnic, religious or social group. It is a crime against humanity under international law.
The Gini index, or Gini coefficient, measures income inequality among a country’s population. It is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100. At 0, all incomes within the country are equal. The closer the index is to 100, the greater the income inequality.
Globalization is a phenomenon that pushes states to open their national economy to the world market in order to increase trade between countries, making them interdependent. Trade can include services, goods, capital (money) or the movement of workers.
Governance is the process of setting measures and rules that allow a state, an organization or a company to operate. It is the action of governing.
Granting of concessions is when a state transfers the exploitation of a resource to a private company. In exchange for a concession, companies sometimes have certain conditions imposed by the government.
Gross domestic product (GDP) is used to calculate a country’s wealth by measuring the total value of all goods and services produced within that country over a given period (usually 1 year).
Guerrilla warfare, also known as small-scale warfare, is based on combat strategies such as ambushes, harassment, surprise attacks and blitzes.
Hegemony is the political or military dominance of one group or state over others.
High-tech industry refers to industries that invest heavily in research and development and produce high-tech products. This includes industries like IT, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a socioeconomic indicator that determines the average quality of life of a country’s population by measuring life expectancy, level of education (access to education) and economic output (GDP per capita). The HDI ranges from 0 to 1. The closer the index is to 1, the higher the quality of life.
For example, Canada’s HDI in 2014 was 0.91, while Ghana’s was 0.58.
A humanitarian emergency is one or more events occurring over a large area that threatens the health, safety or well-being of a group of people.
A hydrocarbon (HC) is an organic compound made up of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms. Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are hydrocarbons.
Un groupe ethnique est un groupe de personnes qui ont en commun une histoire, une langue, une culture et/ou un mode de vie.
An ideology is a set of ideas and beliefs that influence the actions of the people who subscribe to them.
An immigrant is a person who settles in a foreign country (host country), temporarily or permanently, after leaving their country of origin (home country).
Immigration is when a person settles in a foreign country (host country) temporarily or permanently.
Impartiality is the act of not taking sides and treating all parties equally in a given situation.
Industrialization is the widespread mechanization and massive increase in factory work. Industrialization is also explained by the transition from an artisanal mode of production, where goods are made by hand, to an industrial mode of production, where goods are made in factories.
Inflation is the general and continuous increase in the price of goods.
Infrastructure includes all facilities that allow a company, a region or a state to function. Roads, bridges and buildings are examples of infrastructure.
An institution is an organization governed by rules and laws that plays a specific role in society. Its role may be political, social, economic, religious, etc.
Integration refers to common political, economic, diplomatic or social policies adopted by all member states. The level of integration is determined by the number of common policies adopted as well as their scope.
Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs as well as symbols and commercial names and images. Examples: a soft drink recipe, a logo or the lyrics to a famous song.
Interdependence refers to the mutual dependence between people, companies or governments.
The interest rate refers to the amount a person or institution has to pay to access a loan. This amount is calculated as a percentage.
Interference is the involvement of a country or international organization in the political, economic, social, cultural, religious or humanitarian affairs of another country without its authorization. Interference goes against the sovereignty of a state.
The term international refers to anything that affects more than one state. For example, an international agreement involves several states.
Les infrastructures regroupent l’ensemble des installations qui permettent le fonctionnement d’une entreprise, d’une région ou d’un État. Les routes, les ponts et les bâtiments sont des exemples d’infrastructures.
L’ingérence désigne l’intervention d’un État ou d’une organisation internationale dans les affaires politiques, économiques, sociales, culturelles, religieuses ou humanitaires d’un autre État sans son autorisation. L’ingérence va à l’encontre de la souveraineté d’un État.
Une institution est une organisation, encadrée par des règles et des lois, qui joue un rôle précis dans la société. Ce rôle peut être de nature politique, sociale, économique, religieuse, etc.
International community refers to all the players who participate in international discussions, such as states, international organizations (IOs) or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
An international convention is an agreement negotiated between several states or international organizations.
International humanitarian law (IHL), also referred to as the laws of armed conflict or the law of war, determines the basic rules to be respected during war, including the treatment of wounded soldiers and prisoners of war, the prohibition of deliberate attacks on civilians and the prohibition of certain types of weapons. It aims to protect people who are not or are no longer participating in the war.
International law combines the rules and norms that govern relations between states, individuals and organizations on the international level. These laws cover a wide range of issues such as the environment, trade, transport of goods and services, human rights, etc.
An international organization (IO) is an organization that brings together representatives of different states to achieve common objectives on global issues.
Interventionism refers to a policy where the state intervenes in a country’s economic affairs.
Life expectancy is the average period that a person may expect to live in a given country.
A lobby group is a pressure group whose members share common interests. To promote their own interests, it tries to convince the government to adopt certain laws and regulations.
The market is a place of exchange where commercial activities take place. This is a meeting place for sellers (supply) who have a good or a service to sell and buyers (demand) who want to pay money for a product.
There are regional (Quebec), national (Canada), continental (North America) and international (global) markets.
Mass communication refers to all the technical means of communication (mass media, like television, newspapers, social media) that allow a company, organization or state to reach a vast audience anywhere in the world in a short period of time.
Mass consumption refers to the consumption of goods and services in large quantities and on a large scale, usually in industrialized societies.
A mediator is a person or organization acting as an intermediary to help resolve a conflict. A mediator is a neutral and impartial party that should not be directly involved in the conflict.
Migration is the movement of individuals from their place of origin to another location inside or outside the country.
Migration flows refer to the displacements of populations. These displacements can occur within the same country or from a country of departure to a host country.
La migration est le déplacement d’individus de leur lieu d’origine vers un autre endroit, dans le même pays ou à l’extérieur de celui-ci.
Une milice est un groupe de combattants civils indépendants du gouvernement de leur pays.
A militia is a group of civilian fighters who are independent of their country’s government.
The mortality rate is the number of deaths per 1000 inhabitants in a given population in one year.
A mother country is a state that owns and administers its colonies, which involves exploiting territories outside its own country.
The term multilateral is used when something involves three or more states. For example, a multilateral agreement is an agreement made between at least three states.
A multinational corporation is a company that carries out activities in countries other than its country of origin (exploitation of resources, production of goods or services, research and development, etc.).
Nationalism is an ideology that fosters a sense of belonging and pride that people feel for a nation. This ideology often leads to a group of people demanding more power and autonomy within a state. It is a political ideology that ultimately aims to create a sovereign nation.
Nationalization occurs when a state takes ownership or control of certain goods, resources or private companies. A good example of this phenomenon is Hydro-Québec, a company that was created after the nationalization of electricity. It became a public company owned by the Quebec government.
Natural increase is the growth in population caused by the difference between the number of births and the number of deaths. Natural growth is positive when there are more births than deaths and negative when there are more deaths than births.
Neocolonialism refers to a situation where a state is dependent on another state. This dependence is not official and can be economic, cultural or scientific.
Net migration is the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants within a country.
Immigrants - Emigrants = net migration
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit organization made up of citizens who defend a cause and act independently from the government.
Outsourcing refers to the relocation of part or all of a company’s activities to another country in order to reduce production costs. Relocation generally occurs from developed countries towards developing or emerging countries.
Overconsumption refers to the act of consuming more than is necessary to meet reasonable needs.
A paramilitary coalition is a military force that is not part of a state’s armed forces.
The term party refers to a person, organization or state involved in a negotiation, or who takes part in a contract or agreement. It is used in particular when referring to a state that agrees to a treaty. This means that the state becomes a party to the treaty and must respect it.
A permanent resident is someone who has immigrated to a foreign country and who, without having citizenship of that country, is granted the right to reside and work in that country indefinitely.
A physical shortage of drinking water is when there is not enough water to meet the needs of a population.
Political ideology is a set of ideas about the operation and structure of society.
A political regime is the set of rules and institutions that determines how a state exercises its powers. It defines who governs and how.
Population density measures the average number of people living in a given area. It is calculated based on the number of inhabitants per square kilometre (inhabitants/km2).
Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a region, country or continent over a given period of time.
Un pays développé est un pays industrialisé dont l’économie compte notamment une forte présence d’industries de pointe et dans lequel la population bénéficie d’un niveau de vie généralement élevé.
Poverty refers to the state of people who do not have enough money to live in adequate conditions.
Power of influence is the ability to persuade a person, organization or state through negotiation.
Pricing is the act of applying a tariff, meaning an amount of money, to something. Applying a cost to pollution, more specifically to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is an example of pricing.
A program is what a group, organization or political party plans to do in relation to a specific subject. It is the group's set of projects.
Propaganda is a way of persuading people to adopt a certain idea, opinion or ideology.
Prosperity refers to when a state enjoys strong economic development and a favourable financial situation.
Protectionism is an economic policy that opposes free trade and seeks to protect a state’s economy from competition with other countries. This protection is implemented through measures that reduce imports, such as taxes or tariffs (customs duties).
A protocol is a slightly less formal agreement that complements and sometimes modifies an international convention.
Public debt refers to all money borrowed by a state.
Purchasing power parity (PPP) is a way of converting the different currencies around the world into a common currency to compare the purchasing power of each currency.
Le produit intérieur brut sert à calculer la richesse d’un pays en comptabilisant la valeur totale de tous les biens et services produits à l’intérieur de ce pays pour une période donnée (généralement 1 an).
Un programme est ce qu’un groupe, une organisation ou un parti politique prévoit faire en lien avec un sujet précis. C’est l’ensemble des projets de ce groupe.
La propagande est un moyen de persuader la population à adopter une idée, une opinion ou une idéologie.
On entend, par propriété intellectuelle, les droits sur des créations intellectuelles comme les brevets, les marques de commerce, les droits d’auteur, etc. Par exemple, la recette d’une boisson gazeuse, un logo et les paroles d’une chanson célèbre sont des propriétés intellectuelles.
La prospérité est le fait d’avoir un bon développement économique (par exemple pour un État) ou d’être dans une situation financière favorable.
Le protectionnisme est une politique économique qui s’oppose au libre-échange, puisqu’il vise à protéger l’économie d’un État contre la concurrence des autres pays. Cette protection se fait par la mise en place de mesures qui font diminuer les importations, comme des taxes ou des droits de douane.
Un protocole est un accord, un peu moins formel, qui complète et peut parfois modifier une convention internationale.
Un putsch est un coup d’État ou un soulèvement organisé par un groupe politique armé en vue de prendre le pouvoir.
Un quota est une quantité définie qui ne doit pas être dépassée. Par exemple, un quota de carbone indique la quantité maximale de carbone qu’une industrie peut émettre.
Ratification is when a state approves and confirms its participation in an agreement or convention.
A recession occurs when economic growth slows down or declines significantly and last more than a few months.
A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their home country to escape a natural disaster, war or persecution that threatens their life and safety.
A refugee camp is a temporary facility used to house displaced people (refugees) and provide them with basic supplies and care, such as shelter, food, health care and education.
Relative poverty is calculated in comparison to a country’s average income. The proportion of people living below this income is the relative poverty rate. This type of poverty is used to measure social and economic inequalities in developed countries.
Repression is intended to end movements of revolt or protest by using force and violence. These actions do not respect human rights.
A resolution is a decision made by an assembly based on a vote.
The right of veto is the power to block the enforcement of a decision, resolution or law.
The right to asylum provides protection in a host country to a person whose life is threatened in their own country. This person must request this protection.
Royalties are amounts of money that a company or state must pay to another state in exchange for the right to exploit a resource.
The rule of law refers to the idea that all individuals, even those with political or military power (governments, leaders, etc.) are accountable under the same laws. In other words, no one is above the law. Laws and their application must be independent of any other authority so as not to be influenced or corrupted. The laws must also be compatible with international human rights.
A rural exodus is a demographic phenomenon that occurs when people move from rural areas (the countryside) to cities.
The Sahel is a region in Africa that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. It extends through several countries. It is a semi-arid area with a Saharan desert climate in the north and a humid tropical climate in the south.
La souveraineté est le pouvoir absolu d’un État à se gouverner lui-même en faisant ses propres lois et en les faisant respecter sur son territoire. Un État souverain est indépendant, c’est-à-dire qu’il ne peut être soumis à aucun autre État ou institution.
Self-determination is the process by which a population freely controls their own political, economic and international status.
One example of this is a colony declaring independence. It then becomes a sovereign state.
The term shadow economy refers to all economic activities that take place outside of a country’s official economy. These are often illegal activities, which can take place on the black market, or legal activities carried out illegally, such as working under the table.
Shoah is a Hebrew word meaning annihilation. This is the word used to refer to the persecution and systematic extermination of 6 million Jewish people by Nazi Germany. This genocide is also called the “Holocaust.”
A signatory country is a country that has signed an official document such as an agreement, convention or treaty.
A slum is an area with precarious and unsanitary housing, often located on the outskirts of large cities, where the poorest people live. The inhabitants rarely have access to basic sanitary infrastructures such as sewer systems, waterworks and electricity.
Smuggling is the act of illegally transporting goods or people from one country to another.
Social solidarity refers to the bond of mutual support and cooperation that exists between members of the same society.
Sovereignty is the absolute power of a state to govern itself by making its own laws and enforcing them within its territory. A sovereign state is independent, meaning that it cannot be controlled by any other state or institution.
Speculation is the act of making financial transactions by trying to predict prices in order to profit from market fluctuations. This can involve buying stocks when prices are low and selling them when prices are high to make a large profit.
A state is a territorial and political entity administered by a government. It has defined borders within which a population lives.
A stateless person is a person who does not possess the nationality of any country. Because these people are deprived of their nationality, they are also deprived of many of their fundamental rights.
The stock exchange is where securities (stocks and bonds) are bought and sold by investors.
Each stock exchange has a stock market index that provides its return on investment (performance) in relation to other stock exchanges.
Stocks are ownership titles that represent a portion of a company’s capital.
The term supranational refers to an organization that is positioned above the governments of each state.The European Parliament is an example of a supranational institution, since it has greater authority than the political institutions of each European Union member state.
Sustainable development is a concept that seeks development that respects the environment, the population and the economy so as not to compromise the needs of future generations.
Termination of employment is when an employer fires an employee. This can be for a number of reasons.
Terrorism refers to all acts of violence and intimidation committed by a political or religious group. The purpose is often to create a sense of insecurity or terror to put pressure on a state, make demands or draw public attention to a situation.
Third-world is a term used to refer to developing countries.
Undocumented migrants are people living illegally in a foreign country without identity documents (ID) or residence permits.
Unemployment refers to a period of time when a person is without work, but is able to work and is actively seeking employment.
The unemployment rate is the percentage of the population that is not working and is actively seeking work.
Urban planning is the development and organization of all or part of a city by the public authorities. It includes laws, projects and long-term planning.
Urbanization is when a greater number of people live in cities, creating a larger urban area. This process is directly linked to industrialization. Cities offer more jobs and other attractions such as cinemas, shops and theatres.
The urbanization rate is represented by the number of people living in cities compared to the total population.
For example: An urbanization rate of 45% in a country would mean that 45% of people live in cities.
A war crime is a violation of the laws of war committed against civilians or adversaries.
Looting, destruction, rape, execution of civilians or hostages and forced labour are examples of war crimes and are considered serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions.
A welfare state refers to a state that actively intervenes in the economic and social sectors to promote the development of society and the equitable redistribution of collective wealth.
Working life refers to the time in a person’s life when they are on the job market and part of the labour force.
Une urgence humanitaire est un ou plusieurs évènements survenant sur un large territoire et qui menacent la santé, la sécurité ou le bienêtre d’un groupe de personnes.
La vie active fait référence à la vie lorsqu’on est sur le marché du travail. Pendant cette période, on fait partie de la population active.