Poverty is the lack of basic necessities that all human beings must have: food and water, shelter, education, medical care, security, etc. A multi-dimensional issue, poverty exceeds all social, economic, and political boundaries. As such, efforts to alleviate poverty must be informed of a variety of different factors.
Some Facts:
4.4 billion people live in developing countries
Of these …
Three-fifths lack basic sanitation
Almost one third have no access to clean water
A quarter do not have adequate housing
A fifth have no access to modern health services
Percentage of people living below the poverty line
Europe and Central Asia
3.5%
Latin America and Caribbean
23.5%
Sub-Saharan Africa
38.5%
Middle East and North Africa
4.1%
South Asia
43.1%
Causes of third world poverty
Trade
Third world countries lose out through unfair trade agreements, lack of technology and investment, and rapidly changing prices for their goods.
Work and globalisation
Better communications and transport have led to a “globalised” economy. Companies look for low-cost countries to invest in. This can mean that, though there are jobs, they are low-paid.
War or conflict
When a country is at war (including civil war) basic services like education are disrupted. People leave their homes as refugees. Crops are destroyed.
Debt
Third world countries have to pay interest on their debts. This means they cannot afford to spend enough on basic services like health and education; nor on things like transport or communications that might attract investment
Land
If you have land you can grow your own food. But many people in the Third World have had their land taken over by large businesses, often to grow crops for export
Health
Affordable or free health care is necessary for development. In poor countries the percentage of children who die under the age of five is much higher than in rich countries. HIV/AIDS is having a devastating effect on the Third World
Food and education
Affordable, secure food supplies are vital. Malnutrition causes severe health problems, and can also affect education. Without education it is difficult to escape from poverty. This becomes a vicious circle – people who live in poverty cannot afford to send their children to school.
Gender
When we measure poverty we find differences between the level experienced by men or boys, and women or girls. Women may be disadvantaged through lack of access to education; in some countries they are not allowed to own or inherit land; they are less well paid than men.
He and She are poor;
Not because they are borne so;
In fact, it is the failure of the institutions,
polices and programme
that they continue to be poor and
marginalized.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of him/(her)self and his/(her) family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services... Everyone has the right to education
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THIS RULE HAPPEN?
Ø Donate our old clothes to the poor.
Ø Join an NGO working for the poor.
Ø Cut down our unnecessary needs and wastage.
Ø Give our old books and magazines to unprivileged children.
Ø Take literacy classes in our spare time.
Poverty Targets
2015 poverty targets
Members of the Organisation for Co-operation and Development (OECD) agreed these after the 1995 Copenhagen summit. They aim to reduce poverty in third world countries by at least one half by 2015.
20/20 initiative
At the same summit some governments agreed that 20% of aid and 20% of the budget of the developing country receiving that aid would be spent on basic services.
Summing it up:
Poverty doesn't know your age, or the colour of your skin, he
doesn't even care about the poor state that you're in.
He doesn't want to know, if you're hungry, or you're cold, he just
keeps calm and quiet, while head bent you hold.
Many who have met him? are still with him today, not through
their own choices, but by him not giving way.
Desperately needing clothes or shoes, so into purse you peer, you'll
have to wait another week, or visit charities you fear.
He knows you've little money, and this he never defends, he knows
you'll have to borrow, from loan sharks, or from friends
He doesn't even blink an eye, when you're worse off than before, he
swears, that it's your own fault, you must have known the score.
Let's end poverty ... NOW!
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