Poverty is one of the biggest issues that the world has been facing for a very long time now. Many countries are still underdeveloped and many are still developing. According to the UN, only 36 countries can be considered developed countries.
Tomorrow being the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
The 2022 theme of the UN for this day is 'Dignity for all in Practice.'
According to the World Data Lab, by 2030, 359 million people will be living in extreme poverty. The first International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was observed on October 17, 1987, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence, and hunger.
Even though poverty is a global issue, the level of poverty differs from country to country as the level of income and standard of living can define poverty.
Three major effects of poverty:
Hunger:
Hunger is a worldwide issue that has affected every country. Millions of people continue to struggle to afford nutritious food, especially children. Many people still sleep with an empty stomach, and many more suffer from serious illness as a result of their inability to get proper food. Children are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. Children who reside in unsafe surroundings have much lower school attendance and completion rates. Living in diliapitated homes lead to ruining of their school material and also making them ill.
Homelessness:
Due to the low income many people could not afford house with the current inflation which, due to which they need to find a substitue or at some cases they become homeless. Habitat for Humanity estimates that about 1.6 billion people are believed to live in "inadequate shelter".
Education:
Education is the one factor that gets affected the most, as many people are forced to stop education as they cannot afford the educational fees anymore due to the low income of their families.
Conflict:
One of the most prevalent types of risk causing poverty today is conflict. For example, Syria's ongoing violence brought civilization to a standstill, devastated infrastructure, and forced people to escape.
However, even minor acts of violence can have a significant negative effect on already troubled communities.
Living in troubled areas of a town/city can also pose major threats to poor people.
Little or no access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene:
At the moment, more than 2 billion people live without access to safe water. This indicates that people travel great distances for water.
A variety of waterborne diseases, from chronic to life-threatening, can also be brought on by contaminated water. The inadequate water infrastructure affects sanitation and hygiene facilities. It can also create other obstacles to overcoming poverty, like preventing girls from attending school while they are menstruating.
