Attacking Poverty

Case Study

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Mass poverty is the single most important economic and social issue on our planet. On a daily basis, it seriously affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide, most of whom live in developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. Poor people, however, live in all countries, including the world's wealthiest countries. The alleviation of poverty is the global community's greatest challenge.

It is important to understand poverty so that it can be alleviated. It is also important to realise that alleviating poverty will help make a better world for all people, including those people who believe they are not affected by poverty. What exactly is poverty? What are its causes and consequences? How can poverty be alleviated? What will be the benefits for everyone?

The United Nations Development Program defines poverty as not having sufficient resources to ensure a minimum, nutritionally adequate diet or to obtain essential non-food items. These resources may include the economic resources of land, labour, capital and enterprise. The World Bank supports the definition and provides strong images of poverty: 'Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not being able to go to a school, not knowing how to read, not being able to speak properly. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.'

Poverty can also occur at a national level, because of a country's insufficient or under-developed economic resources, its political views and economic policies, and the views and policies of other countries connected to it, for example, through trade. At national level, poverty can cause political instability and civil unrest, which can have regional and global implications.

The causes and consequences of poverty make solemn reading. So does the fact that 1.3 billion people, nearly a third of the world's population, lives beneath the 'poverty line' of access to adequate nutrition and non-food items. At times, poverty may seem vast, entrenched and unsolvable. But poverty can be alleviated, and much is already being done. Australia is amongst those countries working to alleviate poverty through development projects in the world's poorest countries.

Improvements in health, education, infrastructure, agriculture and government are the keys to helping people emerge from poverty. In short, people have a far greater chance of working their way out of poverty if they eat well, are of good health, are educated ideally beyond primary school level, live in a community with adequate basic services such as safe water, and live under a fair and stable government.

Gender is also an important consideration in alleviating poverty. In most societies, women are more likely to be poor than men, primarily as a result of the huge roles they play in the lives of their family and community. From an early age, the women and girls perform all domestic duties including caring for the young and the aged. They often work other jobs, some involving hard labour, and often for less pay than men or boys. In many rural communities, they grow the food to feed their families. Subsequently, they are less likely to go to school, or for as many years as boys, and the heavier workload affects their health.

On the other hand, healthier and better-educated women are more able to look after themselves, and avoid personal poverty and exploitation. They are better equipped to assist their families and communities, as well as care for their local environment. They are more able to contribute to the overall wealth and stability of their country. They are also more able to understand and use family planning methods, discuss the use of these with men, and have fewer children if they wish.

The roles and responsibilities of men and boys are an equally important consideration. Poverty can be alleviated when all people are working equitably and to their maximum potential. The ability of men and boys to contribute positively to the lives of their families and communities needs to be encouraged. This is best achieved through education programs, often delivered by men, assisting men to build positive relationships with women, and increasing their understanding of women's rights and needs.

Some of the achievements of projects to alleviate poverty, including assistance from Australia, have been remarkable. The causes and consequences of poverty have been tackled in many ways, and the lives of millions of people have been improved:

• In developing countries in the past 10 years, food production has increased by more than 20 per cent.

• In developing countries over the past 20 years:
  • the combined primary and secondary school enrolment of girls has increased from 38 per cent to 68 per cent
  • fertility rates have declined by more than a third.

• In developing countries over the past 30 years:
  • the infant mortality rate has been more than halved from 149 per thousand live births to 65 per thousand live births
  • the population with access to safe water has almost doubled from 36 per cent to 70 per cent.

Ecologically sustainable development is also important if poverty is to be alleviated in the long term. Desperate efforts to alleviate poverty in the short term may have lasting, serious environmental consequences, putting future generations at risk of poverty and poor health. A healthy and well-managed environment benefits its current residents and, over time, benefits future generations. Also, because all people share the world's water and air, caring for the local environment contributes to a healthier global environment for all people to enjoy.

Through the Australian overseas aid program, Australia is helping to alleviate the causes and consequences of poverty and to make the world a better place for all people. The program consists of five priority areas helping to alleviate poverty - health, education, infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, and government - with gender and ecologically sustainable development as important principles in all projects.

Poverty is a huge global problem, but development projects in each of these areas, and achievements such as those described above, prove without doubt that it can be alleviated.