Social Issues

According to the World Health Organization, every year 32 million people in India fall below the poverty line compared to the year before, due to a health event in the family. This is an extreme example but proves a point that is true world-wide: government and non-government organizations alike should ensure every human's right and access to affordable and quality health services, so that one medical event doesn't lead to catastrophic circumstances.
As a transformational leader, how do you plan to lead the way towards a better healthcare system in your country or your state? What technology or system redesigning do you propose in order to improve the general public's health, especially among those who are limited financial means?

Poverty is a global problem and it needs to be addressed properly and wisely. Although poverty has an impact on all age groups and demographics, children are especially affected in negative ways because they are dependent on adults for their basic needs.
As a transformational leader, what changes to society and government/non-government structures would you propose to help fight poverty? What specific role(s) can young people play in this fight?

Hunger is a terrible symptom of poverty, especially on a global scale. If efforts are made to only provide food and shelter, the roots of the problem remain even if the problem seems solved temporarily. Effective efforts must be long-term, sustainable, and able to be scaled-up. Did you know that just the amount of food wasted in Europe in one day is enough to feed all of sub-Saharan Africa for a day? As a transformational leader, how would you tackle the problem of food scarcity? Which patterns should be adopted to save food, reduce waste, and feed the hungry in effective, long-lasting ways?

Human trafficking includes any acts of recruiting, transporting, harboring or receiving a person(s) through the use of force, coercion, or other illegal means, usually for the purposes of forced labor or non-consensual sexual acts. Trafficking is a horrific, serious global issue, and it is one where the responsibility falls on both the government and individuals to put an end to it. As a transformational leader, what do you propose be done to fight against human trafficking? How could technology be leveraged to aid in anti-trafficking efforts?

The United States of America has the highest rate of incarceration among all developed nations on the planet. Each day more and more people end up in prison. Young people and people who are financially challenged are statistically the ones most likely to commit crimes and end up incarcerated. Do you ever wonder why? Do you have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the legal system which creates and perpetuates this issue? As a transformational leader, what can you do to help individuals, governments, and society work together to lower the rates of incarceration around the world?

Substance use and abuse causes mental and physical health problems, fractured relationships, and the deterioration of the whole self. These problems not only affect the individual but also their family and other interpersonal connections. The abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs costs the U.S. over $700 billion dollars annually, if you added up the costs of crime, health care, and lost work productivity. And among all demographics, young people are the most prone to struggle substance abuse. As a transformational leader, what technological resources and/or rehabilitation structures do you propose in order to reduce substance abuse?

Violence permeates our society today. Miscommunication, racism, selfishness, desperation, hatred, and other conflicts lead to horrific acts of violence like mass shootings. Topics like gun control are some of the most hotly debated and difficult areas of legislation to make progress in. As a transformational leader, what do you suggest to individuals, organizations, and governments to mitigate and reduce acts of violence? In what ways could technology be helpful in the fight to prevent and even see the end of mass shootings?

Treating, or proposing to treat, anybody in an unfavorable or offensive way because of their religious beliefs, skin color, gender, political affiliation, age, socio-economic status, etc. is not only morally and ethically wrong, it is counter-productive to the flourishing of a diverse and healthy society. As a transformational leader, what will you do to help people learn to live peacefully with others who look, act, live, and believe differently than themselves?

Higher education produces experts in many fields of study and work which improves the lives of millions of people. But not everyone has access or the financial resources to pursue education. Many children from low-income families or areas become trapped in cycles of stress, behavioral issues, and poor academic performance, and thus are not able to rise above through education. Improvement in access and cost of education is a major issue that needs to be fixed. As a transformational leader, what changes to the educational system do you propose to improve or fix these difficult circumstances that so many people face? How might you help children and young adults become more interested in pursuing opportunities for more education, rather than calling it quits as soon as they can?

Millions of graduates and trainees enter the workforce each year, but the landscape has changed in the past decade and now a job that pays a living wage is no longer a guarantee. Costs of living continue to skyrocket in both rural and urban contexts. Add into that mix the desire that most people have to work a job that they truly enjoy, and you see that not only is steady employment the key to survival but also to good mental health. As a transformational leader, how do you propose to improve the job market for those seeking employment? How do you lead and influence businesses to treat their workers better and create more jobs?

Many children and young adults experience bullying at school. Some statistics claim that around 1 in 7 students is a victim of regular bullying. Being bullied often compromises a student's academic performance and negatively impacts their confidence and sense of self-worth. As a transformational leader, what measures do you propose schools take to promote peace in the hallways and healthier interpersonal relationships? How might those who are doing the bullying be cared for so that they no longer feel the need to act that way?

Water is vital to life and without clean, safe water humans face death and disease. Globally, 1 out of 10 people (around 800 million people based on current population) lack access to safe drinking water. Lack of expertise, management, and maintenance along with corruption and greed all contribute to compromised water supplies or no supply at all in many places. As a transformational leader, how do you think clean water scarcity can be addressed? Is raising awareness enough, or do more drastic measures need to be taken to reduce pollution and conserve sources of clean water?