Sep 22, 2006

Poverty vs. extravagance


In the modern world, facts regarding human been welfare are striking, especially if we focus on the poor and vulnerable. The question is do we (as AGC) have any important role in the elaboration and implementation of poverty reduction strategies in developing countries ?. Maybe this issue will need more contribution from the governments, but still the nation has to do more efforts rather than chasing disarm. Yeah one can say that Arab Gulf Countries are pledging billions to rebuild and help poor countries. What is the real situation then?

Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names. Less than one per cent 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. 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 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 (or roughly 29,000 children per day).

After all these tragedies .. Can we live in peace isolated from these facts and figures, closing our eyes and shut down all possible solutions we could establish ?

Well .. who’s responsible first for the situation?

“ Behind the increasing interconnectedness promised by globalization, are global decisions, policies, and practices. These are typically influenced, driven, or formulated by the rich and powerful. These can be leaders of rich countries or other global actors 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.
Can’t we defeat poverty ?


© Inspiration es vida

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