More than 3 billion people around the world live off $2.5 every day. In other words, almost half
of the humans on this planet live in poverty. Out of these people, 1.3 billion have to survive in
extreme poverty, or off $1.25 a day. It’s an unfortunate and sickening truth, but poverty is
prevalent around the globe.
Why is there poverty?
The reasons behind poverty aren’t simple, and nor are there few. Poverty is a result of a
multitude of internal and external factors affecting people and their financial status. Here,
though, are just a few reasons that can be addressed.
1. Lack of education
A population lacking in education can occur either due to the absence of facilities provided by
the government, or because there is simply no encouragement. Regardless of the reason, a lack of
education leads to poverty. Without education, a person struggles to find employment, and with
no income, falls under the poverty line.
2. Overpopulation
Overpopulation affects a society in several negative ways. When a population is increasing at an
uncontrollable rate, then the authoritative system struggles to provide the people with necessary
facilities, such as education. As we mentioned above, a lack of education can lead to poverty.
Additionally, a large population consumes the country’s resources at a faster rate, meaning that
soon, an inefficient supply of resources is present. This leaves many with a deficiency in food,
water, and even shelter.
3. Natural disasters
There are several examples that can be given to illustrate how natural disasters can generate
poverty.
In times of droughts, farmers struggle to grow crops. Without any crops to sell, they gain no
profit, and as such, fall into poverty.
When extreme flooding or an earthquake occurs, people are evacuated from the affected area,
leaving behind their homes, jobs, and property. Often, they are not immediately compensated for
their losses, and due to that, they suffer from a state of poverty.
Characteristics of poverty
Poverty means the inability to afford basic necessities. However, what is life under poverty like?
To say the least, it is life-threatening. Every day, 22,000 children die due to inadequate amounts
of food or water, or because they were unable to afford medication for their health conditions. In
fact, 2 million children die annually from preventable diseases such as diarrhea because they
could not afford treatment.
Hunger is a common trait of poverty. Globally, 805 million people lack the money needed to
afford sufficient amounts of food.
750 million people under the poverty line cannot access clean water. This, along with a general
lack of hygienic conditions, claims 2,300 lives every day.
What is being done about it?
Despite this, there is hope. Every day, the efforts of governments and non-governmental
organizations work towards providing people with education, shelter, food, and water. Since
1990, about 1.1 billion people have moved out of poverty, and it is expected that through
continuous efforts, extreme poverty can be eliminated by 2030.