The current state of poverty in the world
Despite significant progress in the fight against poverty since 1990, more than 800 million people around the world still live in extreme poverty. According to global statistics, 70 percent of this population is women, reflecting deep gender inequality in access to economic resources. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a comprehensive framework for tackling this global problem, with the goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.
Why is poverty still a major challenge?
The poor are vulnerable to a variety of crises, including:
- Economic and political crises
- Environmental degradation and biodiversity loss
- Natural disasters such as floods, droughts and cyclones
- Violence and social conflict
To ensure that people who escape poverty do not fall back into it, it is essential to strengthen livelihood resilience and build social protection systems.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 1): End poverty in all its forms
The first Sustainable Development Goal is to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”. To achieve this goal by 2030, the following actions must be taken:
Eradicate absolute poverty
- Resolve the problem of people living on less than $1.25 a day.
- Improve access to sustainable employment and income generation.
Reduce multidimensional poverty
- Halve the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty according to national definitions.
- Address the multiple dimensions of poverty, including access to education, health and housing.
Implement social protection systems
- Establish national social protection systems for the poor and vulnerable.
- Ensure a minimum income and social services for all.
Equal access to economic resources
- Equal rights for women and men in the use of economic resources.
- Access to land, property, inheritance, technology and financial services.
Increasing resilience to shocks
- Reducing the vulnerability of the poor to climate and economic crises.
- Developing disaster risk management programs.
Practical solutions to combat poverty
Inclusive economic development
- Creating sustainable job opportunities in disadvantaged areas.
- Supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses.
Investing in education and health
- Improving access to free and quality education.
- Providing affordable health services for the poor.
Strengthening social security systems
- Implementing support schemes such as subsidies, health insurance, and retirement pensions.
- Precisely targeting vulnerable groups.
Protecting the environment and reducing natural disasters
- Implementing climate change adaptation projects.
- Developing sustainable agriculture for food security.
Empowering women and reducing gender inequality
- Increasing women’s access to financial and educational resources.
- Combating discrimination in the labor market.
Conclusion: A future without poverty is possible
Ending extreme poverty by 2030 requires global cooperation, smart policymaking and sustainable implementation. This ambitious goal can be achieved by
strengthening protection systems, improving access
to economic resources and increasing the resilience of poor communities.
Investing in people is at the heart of sustainable development. Only by ensuring social justice and equal opportunities can we build a world free of poverty.
