Poverty is a state of lacking sufficient material possessions or resources necessary for a minimum standard of living. It encompasses inadequate access to essentials like clothing, healthcare, education, shelter, food, clean water, and sanitation. There are various forms of poverty, including absolute, chronic, urban, relative, gender, rural, multidimensional, and child poverty. To eradicate poverty, a multifaceted approach is required, involving healthcare, sustainable economic opportunities, investment in education, fair trade, social safety nets, addressing inequalities, and collaboration between NGOs and governments.
Poverty manifests in diverse forms categorized by specific conditions. Some common types include absolute poverty, marked by severe lacks in essentials like food, water, shelter, and healthcare, endangering survival. Relative poverty compares an individual's resources to the wider society, leading to exclusion and restricted opportunities. Rural poverty occurs in remote areas with constrained access to resources, employment, and services, challenging land ownership and development. Urban poverty prevails in cities, typified by inadequate housing and services for marginalized populations, compounded by high living costs and job scarcity. Child poverty pertains to insufficient resources hindering children's physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, affecting their well-being long-term. Gender-based poverty results from gender disparities, with women and girls facing economic, educational, and healthcare disadvantages, perpetuating inequality and impeding development. Multidimensional poverty goes beyond income, considering health, education, living standards, and social inclusion for a more thorough grasp of deprivation's interconnected impacts. These forms of poverty globally present distinct challenges with significant consequences for communities and individuals.
This is my mind map done with Coogle
Global Problem related to my World Goal: End poverty in all it forms everywhere
We can classify the problems related to poverty in the 9 following categories:
1. INADEQUATE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD
More than 2 billion people lack access to clean water, and over 800 million suffer from hunger. Poverty and water and food insecurity contribute to the cycle of extreme poverty. Insufficient food and water lead to weakened individuals who cannot work effectively and are prone to illnesses. Seeking medical helpfurther drains resources, pushing families into extreme poverty. Even whenclean water sources exist, they are often far from poor communities, forcing women and girls to spend significant time fetching water instead of working or
pursuing education.
2. LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO LIVELIHOODS OR JOBS
The importance of having a job or a means to generate income to avoid poverty. However, it points out that obtaining employment is not always easy, especially in developing and rural areas. Factors such as land scarcity, resource exploitation, and conflicts over land contribute to the struggle for traditional livelihoods. The Democratic Republic of Congo serves as an example, where the population depends on plundered natural resources and has been displaced due to land disputes, resulting in over half the country living in extreme poverty. It emphasizes that even inconsistent or low-paying jobs can lead to poverty, while no work at all necessitates dependence on assistance for survival.
3. CONFLICTS
Conflict can have various impacts on poverty. Prolonged violence, as seen in Syria, can bring society to a standstill, leading to the destruction of infrastructure and causing people to flee their homes. As a result, families are often forced to sell their assets or leave them behind. In Syria, approximately 70% of the population now lives below the poverty line, despite extreme poverty being uncommon in the
past. Women are disproportionately affected by conflict, with many female-headed households emerging during periods of violence. Since women often face challenges in accessing well-paying jobs and are excluded from community decision-making processes, their families become particularly vulnerable topoverty.
4.INEQUALITY
Inequality exists in various forms, such as economic disparities and social inequalities based on gender, caste systems, or tribal affiliations. Regardless of the type, it signifies a lack of access to essential resources needed to uplift families from poverty. Inequalities can manifest in subtle ways, like certain voices being unheard in community decision-making processes, depriving affected individuals and groups of the necessary tools to improve their circumstances. For vulnerable families, these inequalities can be the determining factor between being poor or living in extreme poverty.
5.POOR EDUCATION
Poor education is another critical factor in perpetuating extreme poverty. While not all individuals without education are in extreme poverty, a significant majority of the extremely poor lack formal education. Barriers such as financial constraints and the need for child labor prevent many families from sending their children to school. Additionally, the undervaluation of girls' education remains a significant obstacle. Education is often regarded as the great equalizer as it provides access to opportunities, resources, and skills necessary for not just survival but thriving. UNESCO estimates that if individuals leave school with basic reading skills, around 171 million people could be lifted out of extreme poverty, and with further education, global poverty rates could be halved.
6. CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is projected to push more than 100 million people into poverty within the next decade, affecting vulnerable communities disproportionately. Many impoverished populations rely on agriculture or subsistence activities for their livelihoods, making them susceptible to climate events like droughts and floods. With limited resources and no reserves to rely on, a poor harvest or natural disaster can worsen their poverty situation, making recovery even more challenging.
7. LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE
The lack of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and basic utilities such as electricity and internet,also contributes to extreme poverty. Without proper infrastructure, rural communities become isolated, limiting access to education, employment, andmarkets for buying and selling goods. The additional cost and time required to reach essential services further hinders families' ability to escape poverty. Overall, the absence of infrastructure denies opportunities and exacerbates the difficulties of breaking the cycle of extreme poverty.
8. LIMITED CAPACITY OF THE GOVERNMENT
the limited capacity of the government and the lack of reserves among impoverished individuals and communities. In some countries, governments are unable to provide social welfare programs and support to their citizens, leaving vulnerable families without a safety net. This can lead to a further decline into extreme poverty when they encounter difficulties. Ineffective governments also contribute to other causes of extreme poverty by failing to provide infrastructure, security, and basic services to their citizens.
9. LACK OF RESERVES
Individuals living in poverty often lack the financial means or assets to cope with adverse events like droughts, conflicts, or illnesses. For instance, in Ethiopia, recurrent droughts have resulted in failed harvests and widespread hunger crises. To survive, families may resort to selling their assets and pulling their children out of school, but this unsustainable coping mechanism leaves them vulnerable to further poverty. Communities constantly facing climate extremes or prolonged conflicts experience repeated shocks that push families deeper into extreme poverty, making it difficult for them to recover. This lack of reserve can also be caused by a country debt which can create unrest and riots in that country.
The causes of poverty in the United States are multifaceted and interconnected. Impoverished families often have lower levels of education, face more health problems, lack access to healthy food, and are more likely to live in high-crime areas. Education plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of poverty, as individuals with advanced education have greater chances of achieving economic security. However, certain ethnic groups, such as African American and Hispanic students, have lower high school graduation rates and higher poverty rates compared to other groups. Lack of education limits upward mobility and perpetuates poverty across generations. Paradoxically, educational opportunities can also limit financial security due to high student loan debt.
Health is closely linked to income, with poor individuals having higher mortality rates, increased prevalence of diseases, and more emotional and behavioral issues. There is a significant disparity in life expectancy, with the richest 1% living considerably longer than the poorest 1%. Impoverished neighborhoods are associated with higher risks of mental illness, chronic diseases, higher mortality, lower life expectancy, and elevated levels of lead in children's blood.
Access to nutritious and affordable food is another factor contributing to poverty. Poorer families tend to have limited access to healthy food, resulting in low fruit and vegetable intake and a higher consumption of junk food. This leads to increased rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. While poverty and food insecurity are related but distinct issues, they often go hand in hand. Food insecurity affects 12.8% of U.S. households, with black and Hispanic populations facing higher levels compared to whites.
The relationship between poverty and crime is complex, influenced by factors such as unemployment, population density, high school dropout rates, and drug use. Although challenging to quantify, studies suggest that as poverty rates increase in a particular population, crime rates, especially violent crime, also tend to rise.
In Louisville, Kentucky, several local problems present obstacles to ending poverty. Education disparities contribute to the cycle of poverty, with unequal access to quality education and limited resources in low-income neighborhoods. Limited job opportunities also play a significant role, as many individuals struggle to find stable employment due to factors such as job market competitiveness, lack of skills, and limited access to job training programs. Racial and economic inequality further hinder poverty reduction efforts, leading to unequal access to resources, opportunities, and social mobility. Inadequate healthcare, including limited access to affordable services and health insurance coverage, exacerbates health issues within marginalized communities and increases healthcare costs. Food insecurity is another challenge, with many individuals and families lacking consistent access to nutritious and affordable food, negatively impacting their overall well-being. High crime rates in certain communities further complicate poverty alleviation efforts, as safety concerns impede economic development, community engagement, and investment. To address these issues, a comprehensive approach involving collaboration between government agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, and local businesses is necessary.
To eradicate extreme poverty, the following strategies such as Encourage economic growth and job creation ,Enhance access to quality education and skill training, Establish social safety nets to provide immediate relief, Promote gender equality and women's empowerment, Ensure access to basic services like water, sanitation, and healthcare, Enhance sustainable agricultural practices for food security, Combat corruption and ensure effective governance ,Foster international cooperation, fair trade, and market access, Promote conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and Address long-term sustainability and environmental protection. Collaboration between various stakeholders is essential for effective change
How to eradicate extreme poverty?
Enforcing readiness for global economic, environmental, and social disasters requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach involving various stakeholders. Steps to improve preparedness include promoting international cooperation, implementing early warning systems, building capacity, conducting risk assessments, promoting sustainable development, investing in infrastructure, establishing policy frameworks, raising public awareness, monitoring and evaluating preparedness initiatives, and ensuring adequate funding and resource allocation. By working together collaboratively, countries can enhance their readiness for disasters on a global scale.