Sunday, March 18, 2007

IS THIS POVERTY?


The concept of poverty according to different organizations such as the UN includes different dimensions of deprivation. In general, it is the inability of people to be able to meet economic, social and other standards of well-being. The multi dimensionality of poverty is now widely accepted. It covers measures of absolute poverty such as child and infant mortality rates, and relative poverty, as defined by the differing standards of each society.

2.8 billion people most of them in developing countries still live on less than $2 a day. Of these, 1.2 billion earn less than $1 a day and are hungry. The poor are relentlessly fighting for survival each day, as they are victims of drought, illness, chronic financial hardship, collapse of world market prices of their cash crops, conflict just to mention a few.

Most poor people in the world as reported to reside in sub-Saharan Africa and poverty is constantly rising within this region.


Poverty as a result of conflict

To reduce poverty in the long term, all types of interventions should be integrated in a global framework that create synergy and, therefore, is able to tackle all forms of poverty. A number of challenges for poverty reduction in African countries still need to be addressed. Well-focused programs need to be developed so that the poor are better targeted of the delivery of services.


Further reading:
Jeffrey Sachs, “The End of Poverty” Penguin, 2005

4 comments:

Rama said...

I just want to say that i really enjoy your articles, i'm a new blogger myself and i've taken the liberty to include a link to your blog on my blog (swahili vibes)

Well done and keep up the good work.

AFRICAN LIZ said...

Habari Rama,

Thank you for visting Saharan vibe.
I hope you find the blog informative and at the same time thought provocative. I am having a great time working on this blog as I get to share alot on motherland and at the same time learning alot about Africa.

I welcome ideas and suggestions that you may have that you feel should be covered.


Liz

luihamu said...

Kunatofauti kubwa kati ya African Culture na poverty.

Kwa mtazamo wangu nadhani poverty is man made it is not natural.we are the ones who decide to be poor.Begging is man made not natural we Africans can overcome poverty if we are willingly to stop fighting one onother.

If we Africans use LOVE as our Shield to defend ourselves we will win.Jah created LOVE,PEACE AND TOGETHERNESS.

Man created guns to kill neverto defend himself out of hatred.

Liz,LOVE is the solotion to African poverty.Jah live.

Anonymous said...

The solution to poverty and related problems lies within Africans. The problem is that we look to the west to sort out our problems, despite the fact that they will never do that. A poor trouble laden African continent is good for the west's exploitative policies.

The African Union must be used as our vehicle to claim our rightful place globally by providing African leadership in solving Africa's problems with home grown solutions.

 
Afrigator