1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children).

WhyWhy Poverty?Poverty?

We all understand that poverty exists and that something needs to be done but to what extent? Why do we need to address this global issue? A look at WHO poverty is affecting, WHAT it is, WHEN it has existed, and finally WHERE it is prevalent will tell WHY poverty can’t be ignored….

Fact Check: 2001 1.1 billion people live on less than $1 a day and 2.7 billion live on less $2 a day

HALF of the WORLD’S POPULATION is

experiencing the consequences of poverty

Who does poverty affect? Although poverty affects people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities, women, children, and African-Americans are disproportionately affected. Often times residents of rural areas experience more poverty than those of urban residences. Less educated individuals are also more susceptible to poverty. Because poor education is a consequence of poverty, its cyclical nature helps perpetuate its existence.

1 bill ion children live in poverty…that’s 1 in 2 children

1950-income gap between the richest and the poorest was

35-1 but is now 72-1 Per capita income has

fallen in 50 countries in the last decade- mostly those in the Sub Saharan region of Africa

What is poverty? DEFINITION-Deprivation of basic life necessities, including food, clean drinking water, shelter, and proper medicine and health care. SYMPTOMS-Disease, such as AIDS and malaria, often very prevalent in impoverished areas CAUSES-

• Environmental factors-severe climates, drought, & deforestation

• Human factors-war and crime • Economic factors-unemployment • Governmental factors-weak/unstable

governments often have higher poverty levels

Sub-Saharan Africa: private capital flows as a percentage of GDP has fallen from 4.3% in the 1970’s to 1.5% in the 1990’s

"Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. 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."- The World Bank

When has poverty existed? Poverty has persisted through time. Some signs indicate it is on the decline, while others suggest it is merely becoming more concentrated. Sub-Saharan per capital income as well as capital flows as a % of GDP have fallen severely. The entire globe has seen a decrease in the percentage of people living on $1 a day except for Sub-Saharan Africa. China, on the other hand, after opening its borders to Western business in 1978, has more than halved the number of people living in poverty since. Unfortunately this does not take into account the inequality the country faces between its urban and rural areas.

Where is poverty located? Poverty is visible across the entire globe to varying extents. Areas particularly affected include sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. Of these, the sub-Saharan Africa is the area that suffers from the most poverty due to the fact that Africa has a uniquely inhospitable environment for agriculture. The soil is worse, the rainfall patterns are harder, and there are far fewer opportunities for irrigation. Furthermore, civil wars and gang wars in these countries have torn up countries and alongside AIDS pandemics have caused many young men to die.

Fact Check:

10 most impoverished countries: Niger, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Guinea- Bissau, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Burundi and Mozambique.

In most areas, the percentage living on less than $1 per day has declined. Sub-Saharan Africa has steadily increased.