49th Session of the Commission for Social Development Approach, focus and growth: An intern's viewpoint (Part 3 of 3)
Rethinking Poverty: The Gap between What We Know and How We Act
With such a large focus on the Millennium Development Goals at this time, especially in international discussions, it has been interesting to see the progress which is being made in how the MDGs are being related to social development, especially MDG 1: The Eradication of Poverty and Hunger. I have been curious to see how realistic member states and independent bodies (Special Rapporteurs etc.) and experts are in regard to their completion. What has become evident is the fact that not only is the goal of halving world poverty by 2015 an unrealistic one but that even if it is halved it will leave over 900 million people suffering in abject poverty. It will also leave an even larger number of people living just above the poverty line, in a precarious and unstable state which is highly susceptible to any variations in economic growth within a nation.
It is increasingly obvious that the $1 (now $1.25) per day poverty line is an unambitious and dissatisfactory approach to the eradication of poverty. What is even more disheartening is that it has become such a focal point, a buzzword, in conversations relating to the MDGs. In the ‘Report on the World Social Situation 2010; Rethinking Poverty’ it states:”The main problem concerns the intrinsic worth of the poverty line as a meaningful representation of poverty. There is evidence to suggest that the poverty lines underestimate the actual extent of poverty… the numbers provided often have little utility and may actually serve to mislead, albeit unwittingly, as highlighted by a pioneer in poverty studies.”
Much like the GDP measure of wealth in a nation this measurement of poverty has tunnel vision and lacks universal applicability. Poverty needs to be measured not only as a lack of capital, but rather in a holistic fashion that includes many of the other aspects of poverty such as access to clean water, food, shelter, clothing, services, access to information, education etc. These basic rights are all interconnected with and (in the vast amount of cases) are actual causes of poverty. “Poverty can be described as the absence of those ethical, social and material resources needed to develop the moral, intellectual and social capacities of individuals, communities, and institutions”: The Baha’i International Community; Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward As One.
An effective example of how this poverty line’ is falling short of the mark was shown by Jimi Adesina; Professor of Sociology at Rhodes University, South Africa and Director of the Transformative Social Policy Programmed. He used his own small village in South Africa as example for his demonstration. In South Africa if you are to convert $1.25 into Rand, it works out as roughly 9 Rand in current exchange rates. This 9 Rand is estimated to be an adequate daily income to keep one above the poverty line. However Mr. Adesina went on to say that in his village a loaf of white bread costs roughly 7 or 8 Rand. Hence while the people in his village may not go hungry with their 9 Rand daily income; they will be naked, homeless, and diseased.This put the whole issue into a very different perspective in my mind. It is very disheartening to see that the international community is aiming towards such a feeble goal. At the same time, progress is being made towards this goal. But is it really an achievement to help people reach this lesser level of poverty? They may not be abjectly impoverished yet they are still in a position of immense suffering and difficulty in their day-to-day lives. The subjective and fluctuating nature of this measure of poverty leads me to believe that it should not be the main measurement of poverty and its eradication. What is needed is a multifaceted approach which includes the various aspects described above.
What is most worrying and frustrating in the eradication of poverty is the unwillingness of member nations to see the issue as an unavoidable and critical one. Many member states will ignore issues such as poverty eradication because of the implications attached to engagement in the solutions. Wealthy nations, while willing to donate aid and cancel debt, are not willing to fully engage in the rejuvenating processes which are needed in order to redistribute world wealth in an fair, just and equitable manner. The delegates may use the right words; however in reality the practice and application of agreements made is rather underwhelming. Nations need to begin to understand the crosscutting nature of poverty and realize that it is both their responsibility and their prerogative to adequately provide for Less Developed Countries, which for all too long have served the West’s interests and priorities.
There is also a responsibility on Less Developed Countries themselves to utilize the funds, resources, services and facilities available to them currently in order to coherently provide for their peoples to the best of their abilities. It is not enough to see the magnitude of the challenge and give up; it is imperative that these states are proactive and passionate about the eradication of their own poverty for the sake of the most vulnerable groups in their nations, without discrimination or inequality. Interestingly the will of the people in impoverished and oppressed nations is increasingly being seen of late with the uprisings across the Middle East. It is now for the governments to heed to the cries of their people and help people living in poverty.
It is also imperative that poverty is no longer looked at as an illness, which can be healed by a ‘Band-Aid’ solution. It is not an issue, which purely affects the people who suffer from it. The world is like a human body; each part is inextricably connected. When one part is suffering, the whole body suffers and we must view poverty in such a manner. Poverty is not a matter of Africa, Asia, Latin America and small sectors of Europe and the rest of the Western World but rather an issue, which affects each and every one of us. As long as there are people who cannot fully enjoy their fundamental human rights and cannot express their inherent capabilities then the world cannot progress as a united whole in a sustainable
development model which will allow everyone to prosper and stay prosperous. We must stop thinking of mankind as the poor and the rich but rather as organs of one body; our body, which is suffering, each part feeling the other’s pain and challenges. The poor are not a lesser people than the rich, they have simply been born into a set of circumstances such as sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, etc., which make it incredibly difficult for them to build their capacities and enjoy the fruits of their inherent potentialities. While this is widely acknowledged; I do not believe it has taken root in the consciousness of all humanity as a universal truth.
I learned a lot from my experiences at the Commission on Social Development. On a very basic level, the opportunity to spend time at the UN itself and absorb the day to day atmosphere of the environment there was quite remarkable. The magnitude of what the institution symbolizes was greatly impressed upon me and my learning’s will be of great benefit to me in my future. I met many wonderful and diverse people as well as hearing some remarkable talks and presentations from experts on varying fields.
Unfortunately there were also negative aspects to my experience. Over the course of my time at the Commission I became more and more disheartened at the meager level of commitment shown by the member states to this crucial issue. While five draft resolutions were agreed on and passed, the progress made within them is very limited and no groundbreaking concrete action promised. It seems that the international community is all too comfortable ignoring the major issues of our time in favor of feigning progress so as to avoid contest and contempt between states. It is my ardent hope that sooner rather than later, this can change and we can begin to see real progress in these issues from the international level down. The United Nations is better placed than any other body in history to deal with the pressing matters of concern to humanity; it just requires the bravery of a small few to really influence the masses in a spirit of true cooperation, coherence and progress for the sake of humanity.
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