ESSENTIAL QUESTION

• What does it mean to be poor?

• Is prevention of ever becoming poor possible?– Yes, because…– No, because…

Money Per Day…

• How would you “live” on just $1.25 per day?– ($456.25 a year)

• What would you buy to eat?• What would you buy to wear?• Where would you find affordable living?• Other needs?

• % of people living on $1.25 or less per day in the world…– Blue = less than 2% Aqua = 2-5%– Yellow = 6-20% Orange = 21-40%– Red = 41-60% Burgundy = 61-80%– Gray = No Data

Social Definition of Poverty• Some people describe poverty as a lack of essential items needed for a

proper living…

• At the UN’s World Summit on Social Development, the ‘Copenhagen Declaration’ described poverty as “…a condition characterized by severe deprivation (lack) of basic human needs:

a) Foodb) Safe drinking waterc) Sanitation facilitiesd) Healthe) Shelterf) Education g) Access to Information

• When people are deprived of basic human needs they can be considered to be in poverty, regardless of their income.

Statistical Definition of Poverty• There are various numerically methods to measure and

quantify poverty, but two are simple enough and are often used to define poverty:

• I. Relative Poverty measurement

• II. Absolute Poverty measurement

• Both are based on income or consumption values making gathering information to compile statistics on poverty much easier.

Relative Poverty Measurement• The entire population is ranked in order of income

per capita (income per person)– The bottom 10% is considered ‘poor’ or ‘impoverished.’

• This works for country-wide measurements, but has drawbacks in global usage: – If, 10% relative poverty measurement was applied in a

global setting, both the U.S. and Africa would have the same 10% poverty rate• Even though the conditions of the poor in Africa are much

worse than poor conditions in the U.S.

• For this reason, absolute poverty measures are more often used to define poverty on a global scale.

Absolute Poverty Measurement• There is a set ‘poverty line’ for income and consumption amount

per year, based on the estimated necessities for proper living:• Food• Safe drinking water• Sanitation facilities• Health• Shelter• Education • Access to information • Other…

• The most commonly used definition of global poverty is the absolute poverty line set by the World Bank. • Poverty is set at an income of $1.25 a day or less

Poverty Line: 1-Person Family

• $11, 161

• Divided by 365 days…

• $30.58 per day

• Is it possible to have a proper living?

Poverty Line: 2-Person Family

• $13, 991

• Divided by 365 days a year…

• $38.33 per day– $19.16 per person

• Is possible to have a proper living?

Poverty Line: 3-Person Family• $17, 098

• Divided by 365 days a year…

• $46.84 per day– $15.61 per person

• Is it possible to have a proper living?

Poverty Line: 4-Person Family

• $21,954

• Divided by 365 days a year…

• $60.15 per day– $15.04 per person

• Is it possible to have a proper living?

Poverty Line: 5-Person Family

• $25,991

• Divided by 365 days a year…

• $71.21 per day– $14.24 per person

• Is it possible for a proper living?

Poverty Line: 10-Person Family or More…

• $44,366

• Divided by 365 days a year…

• $121.55 per day– $12. 15 per person

• Is it possible for a proper living?

Poverty Cycle

What Causes Poverty?

• CRIME

What Causes Poverty?

• Lack of Food and Health

What Causes Poverty?

• Lack of Adequate Housing

What Causes Poverty?

• Lack of Education

What Causes Poverty?

• Lack of Efficient Transportation

What Causes Poverty?

• Environmental Concerns– Global Warming

What Are Ways We Can Prevent Poverty (Being Poor)?

• List several solutions– Solution #1– Solution #2– Solution #3– Solution #4– Solution #5– Other Solutions…

• Discussion