Lizzie Ochs

Honors World Regional Geography

Mr. Sebestyen

1/8/17

Due to 19th century imperialism, both Africa and South Asia had struggling education and

ethnic differences. However, Africa had experienced major genocides while South Asia had a

major civil war over the land of Kashmir.

The education in both Africa and South Asia is alarming. Africa is an unschooled

population and civil wars have basically destroyed the school systems. Without a good education

system, children started to not attend school, so the educated population was low. In 2001, it was

estimated that of Africas 16 to 20 year-olds attended school. In some parts of Central Africa,

most children leave school at the age of 12. This is horrible for the education of Africans. There

was also the event of the Brain Drain. Many intelligent people from Africa migrated and left the

country leaving a lower percentage of intelligent people. In South Asia, education funds are

limited. India spends only about 300 dollars per pupil annually on primary and secondary

education. This is way less than other countries spend. For example, the United States spends

6,582 dollars per pupil annually on primary education and over 8,000 dollars on secondary

education.

There are many ethnic differences in both Africa and South Asia. In Africa there was the

Apartheid that created complete separation of the races. Even though the blacks had the majority,

the whites still took over and created the Apartheid. The whites banned social contact and
segregated schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods. The blacks were only given little land and

whites had the best land. The blacks did not feel that these laws were fair and just, especially one

man named Nelson Mandela. He was the man that helped the blacks fight for their rights. Nelson

was thrown in jail for 27 years for what he had done, but he was released in 1996 when the

government passed a law guaranteeing rights to all citizens. He then became president. This

proved to the blacks that of they kept fighting for their rights, eventually they would gain their

independence. In South Asia the law of purdah was passed. This created a major lack of womens

rights. It prevented women from having contact with men who were not relatives and made them

wear veils when they were in public. These laws were not suggested, but forced. Households

were centered around men and few women had jobs after they married. Husbands and wives

would also eat separately. Both women and blacks were treated with no respect, until someone

decided to step up and do something about this problem

One major difference was the genocides in Africa verses the Pakistan verses India war in

South Asia. These events are different because when there is a genocide the work force isnt even

able to fight they are just killed with no say. But, during this Civil War Pakistan and India could

fight for themselves and had a chance, whereas the people being killed did not. Two genocides

that occurred in Africa were the Rwandan and Congo genocides. During the Rwandan genocide,

the Tutsis were in minority and were favored. This did not go over well with the Hutus. They

were angry and jealous, and reacted violently. They set up roadblocks and began slaughtering

any Tutsi that stood in their path. At the end of the next three months, 800,000 Tutsis were killed.

The other major genocide was in the Congo. It occurred during the rule of King Leopold when

over half of the population died, roughly 10 million people. This ruler was a horrible man who

used forced labor to make children work under brutal force to gather raw materials. The people
were so terrified of what King Leopold would do that they had to do what they were told. In

South Asia, during the war over Kashmir, both Pakistan and India wanted control of Kashmir.

Pakistan invaded Kashmir, and after years of fighting a cease-fire was signed, but the situation

remains unresolved. India and Pakistan each control a part of Kashmir along with China. They

also wanted control of Kashmir because the Indus River flows through it and is a critical source

of drinking water and irrigation. So, Pakistan was unwilling to let India control such a vital

resource. India and Pakistan both started testing nuclear weapons and everyone was scared that

South Asia would be destroyed. Both countries have decided to solve their issues politically.

In conclusion, both Africa and South Asia have their similarities and differences. The

similarities can be found in ethnic differences and their horrible education. The differences can

be found in the fact that Africa experienced genocides and South Asia experienced the war over

Kashmir.