10 Interesting Poverty Facts

Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to being unable to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today. Relative poverty refers to lacking a usual or socially acceptable level of resources or income as compared with others within a society or country. Below is facts about poverty

1. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

$10

2. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.

More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening

3. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income

4. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”

22,000 children die each day due to poverty

5. If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa

6. Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.

primary school age in the developing world were not in school

7. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names

8. Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.

Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons

9. Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world. An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350–500 million cases of malaria, with 1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.

Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world

10. Poverty factsTo these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit. The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions are greatest in some of the poorest countries. Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003.

To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit