Fight Against Poverty

Seminar on Development, Socio-Economics and Global Issues

UHP 6013

Date of Submission: 20th December

2011

Huma Chaudhry [ME 111012]

The fight to reduce poverty around the world:

1.0 Introduction:

Lets think for a moment, if we did not have food in our belly, and if were not warm

enough to feel comfortable in the cold weather, would we still care what law says?

Would we still listen to the Police force? Would we be patient, even if we tried to

be? Or, is it more probable that we would be so drenched of our soul, that in

months, we had forgotten how to even smile, or try to put up a smile, on our face?

So, does it ring a bell? Could it really be true that poverty, could be a reason a

human forgot to smile for?

If it‘s such a powerful thing, that it can disable such an non-trivial task of even

simply smiling, then I am sure, it‘s that powerful thing that brings fights,

revolutions, civil war, and world wars.

Let‘s have a better understanding of this global issue:

1.1 Poverty:

What does it mean to be poor? How is poverty measured?

The Third World countries are often labeled as ―developing‖ whereas the First

World, industrialized nations are often referred to as ―developed‖. What does it

mean to designate a nation as ―developing‖? A lack of ‗material wealth‘ does not

essentially mean that one is disadvantaged. A strong economy in a developed

nation doesnot mean much when a significant percentage of the population is

struggling just to survive and endure life, itself.

Successful or ‗real‘ development can imply many things, such as:

An progress in living standards and access to all basic needs such that a

person has enough food, health, clothing, water, shelter, education, etc;

A stable socio-political and economic environment, with accompanying

political, social and economic freedom, such as rightful ownership of land

and property;

The ability to make non-coerced, free and informed choices;

Ability to participate in a democratic kind of an environment with the

capacity to have a say in one‘s own future;

To have the full potential for what the United Nations calls Human

Development:

―Human development is about much more than the rise or fall of

national incomes. It is about creating an environment in which people

can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in

accord with their needs and interests. People are the real wealth of

nations. Development is thus about expanding the choices people have

to lead lives that they value. And it is thus about much more than

economic growth, which is only a means—if a very important one—

of enlarging people‘s choices.

— What is Human Development?, Human Development Reports, United

Nations Development Program”

At smallest to highest level, household, community, national and international

levels, various aspects of the above need to be provided, as well as pledge to

various democratic institutions that do not become, and are not even likely to

become corrupted by special interests and agendas, of army or party.

Yet, for a variety of reasons, and at a variety of places around the world, these ―full

rights‖ are unavailable in many sections of various societies, ranging from the

richest to the poorest. When political agendas deprive these possibilities in some

nations, how can a nation develop, or even be termed as one? Is there any expected

progress?

Unfortunately, politics have led to terrible conditions in many poorer nations. In

many cases, international political interests have led to a diversion of available

resources towards the governments with purchase potential, only. This has

stemmed in a lack of basic access to water, food, health, education and other

important social services. This is a major obstacle to a reasonable development.

1.2 Types of Poverty:

In my point of view, there are more than one kinds of poverty. Not only is the lack

of resources or food, a definition of poverty, but poverty also includes:

Lack of faith in your government

Discontent, and the caprice of having more

Shortage of Time, to even not have the time to attend to a young orphan

kindly

These types also point to an impression of resources, a nation might be struggling

for, or maybe, the entire world may be struggling for.

1.3 Poverty: Facts and Figures:-

1.3.1 Study of demographics:

Let‘s study some facts and figures in order to better understand and acknowledge

the presence of the problem, throughout the globe.

Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50

a day.

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

The poorest 40 percent of the world‘s population accounts for 5 percent of

global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world

income.

A mere 12 percent of the world‘s population uses 85 percent of its water,

and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World

Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated

to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of

the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of

halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million

children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan

Africa.

Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world.

An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million

deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350–500 million cases of malaria, with

1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and

African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.

The total wealth of the top 8.3 million people around the world ―rose 8.2

percent to $30.8 trillion in 2004, giving them control of nearly a quarter of

the world‘s financial assets.‖

In other words, about 0.13% of the world‘s population controlled 25% of the

world‘s financial assets in 2004.

1.3.2 Effects:

Water problems affect half of the humanity, which is the crucial need for one to

live.Following is the source information from the World Bank‘s study‘s facts and

figures, which I would use for further discussion, later.

Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to

water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.

Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the

wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.

More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day,

and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day.

Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less

than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.

1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometre, but

not in their house or yard, consume around 20 litres per day, which is the

amount of one Coke bottle, for instance, that we normally consume.

In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 litres of water

a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a

day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters

day.)

Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhea.

Indoor air pollution resulting from the use of solid fuels [by poorer segments

of society] is a major killer. It claims the lives of 1.5 million people each

year, more than half of them below the age of five: that is 4000 deaths a day.

To put this number in context, it exceeds total deaths from even more

serious threats, malaria and rivals the number of deaths from tuberculosis.

1.6 billion people, which is a quarter of humanity , lives without

electricity.Which adds up to worse living conditions, certainly.

For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)

400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)

270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

For economic growth and almost all of the other indicators, the last 20 years

[of the current form of globalization, from 1980 - 2000] have shown a very

clear decline in progress as compared with the previous two decades [1960 -

1980]. For each indicator, countries were divided into five roughly equal

groups, according to what level the countries had achieved by the start of the

period (1960 or 1980). Among the findings:

Growth: The fall in economic growth rates was most pronounced and across

the board for all groups or countries.

Life Expectancy: Progress in life expectancy was also reduced for 4 out of

the 5 groups of countries, with the exception of the highest group (life

expectancy 69-76 years).

Infant and Child Mortality: Progress in reducing infant mortality was also

considerably slower during the period of globalization (1980-1998) than

over the previous two decades.

Education and literacy: Progress in education also slowed during the period

of globalization.

1.3.3 Other main effectsinclude:

From the study of World Bank, as they note in a demonstration of their results:

Health is related to income differences within the rich societies.

Health and social problems are worse in unequal and unbalanced rich/poor

countries, where the gap is high.

Health and social problems are not related to average income for the rich among

the masses in the countries

For the future population, it‘s notable that a child well-being is enhanced in more

equal patterned rich countries. Child welfare is isolated from average family

incomes in rich countries.

Altitudes of conviction are higher in more equally rich countries.

The frequency of mental illness and dissatisfaction is greater in more unequal rich

countries.

Due to the sense of deprivation and isolation, drug use is more common in more

unequal countries

Life expectancy is higher in more equal rich countries.

Due to poor equal attention to patients, based on status differences, the infant

mortality rates are higher in more unequal countries.

More adults are overweight due to greater stress levels in more unequal rich

countries.

Educational learning and successful advancements are higher in more equal rich

countries

Rates for Teenage giving birth are higher in more unequal rich countries

Homicide rates are greater in more unequal rich countries

In more unequal societies, the rates of imprisonment are higher

Social mobility is higher in more equal rich countries

Societies that are equal are more innovative

The equal countries rank better on recycling awareness and implementation

An interesting point the world bank has made is that only the economic growth ,

which is supposed to raise the income of all individuals, is not essentially a good

determining factor of life-expectancy and well-being, because the individuals in

some developing countries can reach a level of life-expectancy analogous to

industrialized, or developing nations even, when their income may be far lower,

even.

Income per head and life-expectancy: rich & poor countries, The Spirit Level Slides, The Equality Trust, 2009

In one deduction, economic growth ‗is‘ important when developing ‗only‘, but

after that, the equality and gap between rich and poor may be more important.

Generally, the more unequal the society, the worse the problem is generally.

Violence is more common in more unequal societies,

Evidence: Violence, The Equality Trust, 2009.

The link between inequality and homicide rates has been shown in as many as 40

studies, and the differences are large: there are five-fold differences in murder rates

between different countries related to inequality. The most important reason why

violence is more common in more unequal societies is that it is often triggered by

people feeling looked down, disrespected and loss of face.

Now, lets comparethe social freedom of movement or the ability for someone to

move up the social ladder, escape poverty and have a chance for a better life while

within an unequal system.

courtesy:http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world

Social mobility is higher in more equal rich countries.It is noteworthy that the

social mobility is higher in more equally rich system based countries,

--Evidence: Social Mobility, The Equality Trust, 2009.

It may be astonishing to see the United States at the low end of ‗social mobility‘

when it is advertised as the ‗land of dreams‘ and ‗promises‘ for anyone, no matter

who they are. The UK is also surprisingly at the low end.

Interestingly, the US and UK are the biggest advocates of ‗neoliberal economic

ideology‘, which has frequently played down any concerns about inequality and as

an alternative focused more on raising the lot for everyone (as the interview with

Tony Blair reveals).

Yet, it looks as if the ‗American Dream‘ is far more likely to continue a dream for

Americans than it is for people living in, for instance, the Scandinavian countries.

The greater inequalities of system seem to make it easier for rich parents to pass on

their advantages. While income differences now have broadened in Britain and the

USA, the ‗social mobility‘ has slowed and maybe braked. Now, the bigger income

differences may make it tougher to attain equality of opportunity because they

surge social class differentiation and perhaps chauvinism and prejudice within the

society.

— Evidence: Social Mobility, The Equality Trust, accessed December 7, 2009

The implications of all these findings are important in many ways. For example, it

is often said that to develop and industrialize, developing nations‘ carbon

emissions needs to increase, as industrialization implies a more Energy-intensive

economy thriving for momentum well-paced. However, what is less discussed is

whether that means that the carbon emissions of poorer countries must be similar

to today‘s industrialized nations, or should they be given leverage.

Many of today‘s developed or industrialized nations are often seen as over-

consuming with respect to the planet‘s health (Emission of gases into space and

causing climate change being something largely a result of greenhouse emissions

of Carbon, Sulphur Dioxide, etc from wealthier nations, for example).

2.0 Preventive Measures:

2.1 Eradicating Child labor:

Yoday more than 200 million children are In child labor. 115 million girls and

boys can be found in the worst kind of child labour in hazardous environment and

slavery like condition, in armed conflict, in prostitution and pornography or work

in illicit activities. Most children can be found in hazardous agricultural field.

Child labour has increased but the pace has slowed down. The global economic

crisis puts pressure on more children to work. Child labour works for longer hours.

This all happens while other children are learning.Breaking the cycle of poverty

requires to curb the child labour. We can resolve to do voluntary work for

educating them, and especially their parents to understand and feel the need to

educate their children so that poverty paracite can be killed from their generation

after generation.

2.2 Discouraging street beggary:

The government needs t ensure to have a strict law against street beggary. Only

with strict punishment and warnings can this menace be curbed. The families,

including parents as well as very young children, are begging on the streets and

earn substantial living while begging. This must be followed as to how to provide

small scale business opportunities to these people instead, so that instead of

earning through begging, they can actually work and earn law-ful earnings.

2.3 Free Education:

There has to be participation from the youth of the country to volunteer and feel

the need to educate the cildrem of poor famileies, who can‘t afford tuition or extra

classes fee, or even school fee. If only they get free education and get looked after

by the government, they can look after not only themselves, but their family their

relatives, their country, and hence this ripple of goodness can bring a very strong

and big impact on the welfare of the poor people of the country.

2.4 Fight against Poverty and women:

President Haleengayle, of CARE, the UN organization working to put an end to

poverty by 2015 mission, says that: ‗ One of the worlds‘ leading poverty fighting

organization, CARE is on the leading role to fight against poverty. By seeing

poverty up close, one thing is clear.More often than that the face of poverty is

woman. Did you know that women work 1.4 billion people living on just over 1

dollar a day, 70 % are women. Women work 2/3rd

of world work but only get 10%

of the income. They produce half of the worlds‘ food but own 1 % of land. And of

900 million adults who are illiterate, 2/3rd

are women. So women and girls are the

poorest most excluded group on the face of the earth. That‘s why promoting

gender equality of the goal number 3 of the UN MILLINIUM DEVELOPMENT

GOAL is so important In fact cutting poverty by ½ by 2015 depends on it. In

CARE we empower marginalize women and girls so that they can perform a

positive and significant role in society. We look at their whole life and intervene in

their life by knowledge, tools and resources. With only little help they can find last

in solution to poverty and bring change to their community. Ending poverty means

creating the world where everyone has an equal opportunity to realize his or her

potential, this starts with gender equality. If we all do our part, it‘s a world within

our reach.‘

3.0 Benefits of eradicating poverty:

3.1 Benefit to the poor and the world:

Gradually, due to increasing poverty as a result of economic breakdown, may of

the countries are becoming economically polarized. And through this fight against

poverty, the decades-old dominant economic dogma that growing wealth among

society‘s highest earners would trickle down to those less fortunate is being

challenged by an alternative approach: Eliminate crushing poverty among the

lowest earners, and wealth will ooze up.

‗Human development is about much more than the rise or fall of national incomes.

It is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential

and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. People

are the real wealth of nations. Development is thus about expanding the choices

people have to lead lives that they value. And it is thus about much more than

economic growth, which is only a means—if a very important one—of enlarging

people‘s choices.‘

— What is Human Development?, Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Program

3.2 Benefit for You, in fighting against Poverty:

Poverty of any form is a loss. Since the entire mankind is connected to each other

through the tree of Even and Adam, its our moral duty to attend to a matter which

afflicts such a vast majority of our family at large. Instead of filling our belly three,

or more times, a day, if we sacrifice one meal, and give it to those who haven‘t had

a single one since days, would reap us complete happiness and satisfaction. The

purpose of life is defined only when we stop seeing ourselves as individuals,

consumed with our own interests, but instead, see ourselves as an element of the

galaxy.When trying to cut someone‘s sufferings and pains, it will be worth it to see

that happy shine in their eyes become another star of the galaxy.