1 IGW : Global Gender Issues

POVERTY Written by: Zarah Khan

2 IGW : Global Gender Issues

“The test of our progress is not whether

we add more to the abundance of those

who have much; it is whether we provide

enough for those who have too little.”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt

3 IGW : Global Gender Issues

Objectives

1. Know the factors that influence poverty

2. Understand the distribution of wealth

3. Understand childhood mortality rates

4. Compare Australia with the rest of the world

“FREEDOM FROM WANT – an end to extreme poverty”

World leaders committed themselves to “spare no effort” in reducing extreme poverty in the

Millennium Declaration of 2000, but with the 2015 deadline coming up quickly, how close

are we to achieving this goal?

What is poverty?

Poverty is the state of lacking money, material possessions or means of support. Extreme

poverty is lacking in basic human needs such as food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter,

healthcare and education.

Activity

Q When you hear the word ‘poverty’ what are the first 3

things you think of?

4 IGW : Global Gender Issues

Factors that influence poverty

Access to clean water and sanitation

Agricultural land and crop yield

Access to electricity

Access to healthcare

Immunisation rates

Education level & literacy rate

Population growth and age distribution

Prevalence of infectious disease

Industry development

Road development

Income level & rate of unemployment

Government debt

U5MR = the under 5 mortality rate

In 2010 7.6 million children died before their 5th

birthday. Most of these children lived in the

developing world in extreme poverty.

Child mortality rate is a measure of:

Income and food availability in the family

The availability of safe drinking water and basic sanitation

The level of immunisation

The nutritional status and health knowledge of mother

Availability of maternal and child health services

The overall safety of the child’s environment

5 IGW : Global Gender Issues

The World’s Wealth

80% of people live on less than $10 per day. If you own a refrigerator, sleep in a bed, have

more than 2 sets of clothing, and have a roof over your head at night you are richer than

75% of the world’s population. Only 12% of people own a computer, and only 8% have

access to the internet.

20% of the world’s population account for 75% of the worlds wealth

Each year approximately $1.24 trillion US is spent on military activities and weapons, but

only $100 million is given as aid to developing countries. The wealthiest nation on Earth, the

United States, has the widest gap between rich and poor.

Poverty in developing countries

In developing countries, 75% of people live on less than $2 a day. Many are illiterate, have

no access to electricity or sanitation and go to be hungry most nights. 1 in 3 children live

without adequate shelter and 1 in 5 have no access to safe water. Air pollution kills 4000

people a day and over 8 million children die each year from malnutrition and preventable

diseases.

Activity

Q TRUE OR FALSE

• The world's population is nearly 7 billion people of which

2.2 billion are children

• 1 billion children live in poverty

• 18,000 children die each day due to poverty

• 1.8 million children die of diarrhoea each year

• 25% of all children in developing countries are

underweight or stunted

• 20% of the world's population live without electricity

• 2.2 million children each year die because they are not

immunised

• Each year approximately 11 billion US dollars is spent on

ice cream in Europe

• 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 per day

• 70% of the world's population live on less than $10 a day

6 IGW : Global Gender Issues

What can be done?

You can only fight poverty if you know about it. Small acts can make a big difference.

World Vision’s 40hr famine

Make Poverty History Campaign

End Poverty 2015 Millennium Campaign

Antipoverty Week

United Nations World Food Program

Red Cross Appeal

Poverty in Australia

Although Australia does not have the same extreme level of

poverty as developing countries, 1 in 8 Australians live below the

poverty line and have difficulty meeting their basic needs. Groups

most at risk include the unemployed, singles over 65, Indigenous

Australians, lone-parent families and households reliant on social

security. People living in poverty have inadequate healthcare,

housing, education, employment opportunities and food. Some

people are force to skip meals, are unable to pay bills or rent on

time, have to pawn possessions, and regularly rely on assistance

from welfare or community organisations.

Resources Understanding Poverty

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats#src4

http://www.statisticbrain.com/world-poverty-statistics/

http://www.povertyprogram.com/statistics.php

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/mdg2007.pdf

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator

What can we do to help people living in poverty?

http://www.wfp.org

http://www.makepovertyhistory.com.au

http://www.endpoverty2015.org

http://www.antipovertyweek.org.au

http://www.unicef.org

Videos

The Miniature Earth Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4639vev1Rw

200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo