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