What Does It Mean to Live in Poverty?
(PovertyYouTube Video)
What does it mean to live in poverty?
- The poorest 40% of the world’s population account for only 5% of the world’s income
- Of the 6.5 billion people in the world, 2.6 billion live on less than $2 a day
- 640 million children do not have adequate shelter
- 400 million children do not have access to clean water
- 270 million children do not have medical care
- 800 million go to bed hungry every night
These statistics(from 2007 and 2005 data)only begin to describe the scale of global poverty. Those in poverty live on an income not sufficient enough to support themselves and their families. Because of this and many otherfactors, they have limited access to resources many people in developed nations take for granted such as clean water, medicine, shelter, and food.
Besides these tangible items, those living in poverty lackrepresentation, especially those under corrupt governments. They do not have the freedom to take advantage of the growing opportunities available in the world today, such as those created by globalization.
Why should we care?
As overall global wealth increases, the income gap between the rich and the poor widens. If this trend continues, the poorest individuals, who make up a large percentage of the world’s population, will be stuck in their current state of poverty and the chance of recovery will be further out of reach.
Furthermore, billions of people, including children, live in deprivation everyday. Many individuals will unfortunately lose their lives as a result of disease or starvation simply because they do not have access to or can not afford the resources necessary to survive.
How can you help to take action?
There are many campaigns you can join in the fight against poverty. The following listed below are just a few that millions have already joined to help:
ONECampaign
Make Poverty History
End Poverty 2015 Millennium Campaign
(one.org “Click” Video)
Additional Resources:
Rural Poverty
World Bank
Millennium Development
Block 6 Group 1
Blake Bogese, Franky Chung, Pat McKeegan
Maddy Picker, Joanna Ronquillo
What are the root causes of poverty?
Overpopulation limiting available resources
In developing countries, poor living conditions can result from high population densities due to high birth rates. Overpopulation provides less space for individuals, limits resources, and contributes to problems such as sanitation.
Infrastructure & political systems inhibiting growth
Many developing countries lack important infrastructure such as roads and power facilities.Without these, developing countries will have difficulty moving out of agriculture-based economies and into industry-based economies.Further, corrupt governments add to the inhibition of the country’s growth through their unjust policies and behavior.
Environmental problems hurting livelihoods
Problems with the environment lessen the amount of food, clean water and other resources that are essential needs. For example, deforestation is a problem in developing countries.Forests are relied upon for food and resources. In developed countries, people are protected from harm that comes from environmental degradation due to technology and regulation.
Lack of education restricting job opportunities
Illiteracy is a barrier to jobs that pay adequate income. Poor people are forced to give up education in order to work, most of which only pay minimum salaries. Also, since there are few employment opportunities in developing countries, school seems unnecessary to many.
Economic trends slowing development
Because jobs are leaning towards service-related activity and away from the manufacturing industry, those who cannot afford college education cannot get high-paying jobs. While globalization allows businesses to grow rapidly, the poor in certain regions are not gaining wealth at the same rate.Instead, there is a growing gap between the rich and poor.
Low wages preventing purchase of necessities
In many developing countries, meeting basic needs such as shelter and food are expensive.Even when working and earning minimum wage, these needs might not be met. Some governments do have welfare programs.However, dependency on these programs is also a problem as it does not motivate people to find a way out of poverty.
Who is affected by poverty?
Womendo not have equal rights
In some developing countries' cultures, women have a lower social status relative to men.These women often depend on men for support but do notget it. In poverty-stricken areas, women are often forced to work in harsh conditions, such as in sweat shops or prostitution.
Children, Elderly, Disabledlack necessary support
Children, the elderly, and the disabled depend on their working family membersand on outside entities,like the government, to survive. In developing countries however, poor families and governments do not have sufficient resources to support this demographic. Children are at risk especially because they are more susceptible to starvation and disease in unsanitary living conditions.
Where is poverty found?
Comparison of Developed and Developing countries
Poverty takes a different form in developed and developing countries. People who grow up in poverty in developed countries find it difficult to escape as low income restricts nutrition and education. As a result, many suffer life-long mental and physical effects. Also,poverty in developed countriesleads to more exposure to crime and violence. In developing countries, poverty is an issue of life or death - starvation and disease have already taken many lives in the past decade.
Poverty Map
(2004 World Bank)
Poorest regions:
Africa, South East Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia
What steps have been taken to reduce poverty?
While government agencies, non-governmental organizations, international organizations (i.e. World Bank), and individuals have been fighting poverty for years now, a collective agreement between world’s nations produced what has been a major thrust and guide to eradicating poverty in recent years.
In September 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted. The MDGs were set up in the hopes of reducing poverty by half by 2015. The MDGs consist of the following eight goals:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
- Ensure environmental stability
- Develop a global partnership for development
(2004 World Bank)
What progress has been made?
In the past years, there have been trends indicatingdeclines in global poverty. According to the World Bank, from 1991 to 2001, there was a 7% reduction in the amount of people who live on less than $1 a day. Much of this progress however, is concentrated in China and in the East Asia and Pacific regions. The number of poverty-stricken people in Sub Saharan Africahas actually increased by 150 million from 1981 to 2001. To achieve the MDGs, this region will have to go under major changes to improve the nation’s growth.