Poverty refers to a condition of being enormously poor. Now, the definition of ‘enormously poor’ may vary from state to state and laws prevailing there. The World Bank describes “absolute poverty” when one has to survive with as little as $1.25/day. Though the statistical data of different studies may vary, it is not difficult to establish that all over the world almost one billion people or even more are living in ‘absolute poverty’, as per World Bank’s definition.
If we don’t take legal meaning into consideration, we can say that poverty is a forced substandard status of living that adversely affects all facets of the life an individual and family. Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian leader, went to the extent of saying that poverty is the worst kind of violence.
Those affected by poverty have low standards of living, meaning surviving on poor quality food with almost zero facilities for healthcare and education.
Sad realities:
- As per assessment of the UNICEF, the cause of fifty thousand deaths per day is connected to poverty. Of this, the number of children dying daily due poverty is thirty thousand.
- Global population is over seven billion, of which almost fifty percent is forced to survive on less than $2.50/day.
- The population of children without any shelter is about 640 million.
- Population of one billion with over 400 million children has no access to any source of potable water.
- Population of nearly 5 billion lacks access to satisfactory sanitation.
- Almost fifty percent of the population of developing countries experience problems as a result of unsafe water and inadequate sanitary conditions.
- There are nearly 270 million children who can’t access any type of health service while over thirty million of them haven’t got any vaccination.
- Poverty prevents above 120 million children from getting educated, particularly girls, mainly due patriarchal system of societies the world over.
- As a consequence of above mentioned point, almost one billion people are not educated enough to read any book.
- Though most countries have made it illegal to employ children, nearly 250 million of them are compelled to work to guard themselves plus their families against hunger.
- Though diseases like malaria and pneumonia are not troublesome in the present world, the two diseases put together kill above five million children per annum.
- It is estimated that a population of almost 500 million in the Americas, Latin America and Asia live in “absolute poverty”.
- Over eighty percent of global resources are consumed by just twenty percent of the population of developed countries.
Though the world prides itself of the technological developments taking place during the 21st century, it continues to turn a blind eye to those on the other side of the fence. It will take a prolonged, concerted effort to eradicate poverty from the face of the earth. Thankfully, there are governments, non-government organizations and international bodies making efforts to eliminate the inequities caused by poverty. You can also help, visit http://www.pciglobal.org/end-poverty/ to find out how. Let’s join up together and achieve success in our mission!