Poverty

Poverty

1. Absolute Poverty: Estimate at <$1.50 a day. Lack of basics needs - food, water, safety, shelter, water

2. Relative Poverty: In comparison with others in the same area/situation

3. Why Does Poverty Exist?

   • Government
     • Corrupt
     • Focus on some groups and not others
     • Spend money badly
     • Pursued policies that actually harm successful development
   • Education
     • Lees than 1% of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000, and yet it didn't happen
     • Lack of education
       • Lack of skills
         • Limited Employment
   • Globalisation
     • Behind this there are global decisions, policies and practices. These are typically influenced, driven or formullated by the rich and powerful. These can be leaders of rich countries or other global influencers such as multinational corporations, institutions and influential people.
     • In the face of such enormous external influence, the governments of poor nations and their people are often powerless. As a result, in the global context, a few get wealthy while the majority struggle.
   • War
     • Armed Conflict further exacerbates extreme poverty. It destroys assets, undermines livelihoods, and diverts public resources from economically productive investments.
     • Conflcit can have long lasting negative impacts on poverty eradication. Data suggests that it takes an average of 14 years to restore pre-war economic growth trajectories in countries that experienced civil war.
     • Recover demographic losses as a result of post-war baby booms
     • The most developed countries recover economically from immense destruction on one generation. For less developed societies, the outcomes are mixed. The recover only a portion of their pre-war performance. The least-developed societies suffer the most and fall into lasting poverty. They endure the highest costs of conflict and are the least able to recover.
   • Natural Disasters
     • Less economically developed countries will be less able to recover and will take much longer to go back to their pre-war circumstances
     • Destroys infrastructure, crops etc.
     • Can lead to spread of disease
   • Extreme Climates
     • Too hot/cold/wet/dry
       • Will affect what crops the country can grow etc.
   • Lack of resources
   • Inequality
     • Only men allowed to work, women earn less
     • Government focused on the wealthy, spend money on things that help the wealthy but may have a negative impact on the poor
   • Lack of investment/narrowly focused investment
   • Disease
   • Economic Situation
     • Debt?
     • Failure and closure of industries

4. 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children worldwide). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (roughly 29,000 children per day)

5. Example

   • Nepal
     • Generally most people appear to have the basics but they seemed to be in relative poverty compared to the UK
     • Many people involved in farming, most have to rent their fileds
     • Poverty more focused on the older generation who didn't receive the education and opportunities,that the younger generation are getting now
     • People have negative views on the government, they don't focus on the right areas, no one trusts the political parties
     • GNI per capita tripled since the start of the 21st century, however still on $730 per person per year. On average Nepal is still a very poor country
   • Antigua and Barbuda. St Lucia
     • Inequality based on what business type you're involved in, tourism related jobs may provide more than other jobs
     • Lacking good quality infrastructure
     • St Lucia - GNI per capita, $7,390
     • Antigua and Barbuda - GNI per capita, $13,400

6. Ways to reduce Poverty

   • Opportunities for poverty reduction post-war are significantly better as a result of the influx of foreign aid and post-war economic growth. However, a focus on maintaining security and 'kick-starting' the economy means the needs of chronically poor people are at risk of being ignored. Those especially at risk of being neglected are women, younger children, and the elderly. A focus on teh chronically poor is important for escaping poverty traps and preventing future conflict.
   • Quality Education
     • Government put more money into education
       • Train teacher, build new schools
     • Break barriers that prevent many children, especially girls, from attending school
     • Provides children with the knowledge and life skills that they need to realise their full potential
   • Access to healthcare
     • More government spending on healthcare
       • Build health clinics, train health care workers and invest in equipment and medicine
     • Allows children to grow up healthier. Provides expectant mothers with better health care
   • Water and Sanitation
     • Essential for every child's survival.
     • Build latrines, community water points and establish organisations to ensure the continued management and maintenance of water points
   • Economic Security
     • Overcome poverty by helping communities around the world gain the economic security they need to thrive.
     • For poverty to be overcome the government of that country must become more stable