This Essay written by Master Imliwapang, a student of class IX from Christian Higher Secondary School won the first prize in the Essay and Painting competition for High School Students organized by World Vision India, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project: Dimapur, on 8th September 2005 at Imliyanger Memorial Center.
Poverty is a very complex problem. The simple meaning of poverty is the inability to get the basic requirements for life, health and efficiency. In general terms, poverty is the denial of opportunities to lead a long, healthy, creative life and to enjoy a decent standard of living.
Kofi Annan, the present Secretary General of the UNO, has placed a call to all the nations of the world to join hands to remove poverty from the world. It is not only for the governments to do this job but every person in this world has to contribute to it.
There are many parts of the world where people are leading a life of poverty and want and sometimes, we even hear of people dying due to extreme poverty. Some many people have died and are still dying in many countries like Somalia, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and many others. Even the richest nations like the America have people living in poverty.
There are several factors for the cause of poverty in many parts of the world. Disparity between the developing and the developed countries is one of the major factor. The developing countries like India, most of the African and Asian countries and South American countries lack financial and technical support. Their economic conditions go from bad to worse. Finally, the people have to face poverty face to face.
A great majority of the people of the world are still illiterate and do not know how to pull themselves out of their misery. They stick to their old social customs and waste whatever little resources they have at their disposal. The moneylenders, taking advantage of this, exploit them to their best.
Rapid growth of population is a common phenomenon in almost all the developing countries of the world. This neutralizes much of their economic resources and with little income and big families, many people of these countries cannot make both their ends meet which finally leads them to abject poverty.
Most of the countries of the world lack a strong industrial base. Hence, they cannot convert their raw materials into value added goods to provide more jobs for their citizens and for the welfare of the country. So, they cannot uplift the standard of living of their citizens nor can they keep away from poverty and hunger.
Backwardness in agriculture is also a major factor for the cause of poverty. Most of the economies of the developing countries are based on agriculture. So, the slightest change in seasons or any other defect would prove disastrous to the economy. Moreover, their tools and implements are still primitive, and so, no progress can be expected on the lot of the farmers. In all the cases, the result is still poverty and hunger.
There has been a rapid growth of the population of the world since 1850. it has increased from 1000 million in 1850 to 6000 million by 2000. This means that the pressure on resources has increased by six times between 1850 and 2000. This is a serious universal concern. There are several factors for the population growth.
The Industrial Revolution has helped man to produce more. The increased production has led to an increase in population. The discovery of new lands and colonial expansion by the Europeans has also led to a tremendous increase in population.
Control of diseases and epidemics through medicines and health measures has decreased the death rate to a large extend. This has increased the birth rate to a high extend. If there is a decrease in death rate, it should be counter-balanced by a check in birth rate. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness among the present generation to keep a check on the birth rate. This has led to a rapid growth of population.
India, today, faces the problems of poverty, hunger, over population, malnutrition, etc. and many others. There has been a steady rise in its population. The problem of unemployment exists side by side with poverty and hunger. In India, 34.6 percent of its population lives below the poverty line. India is placed 128th among 174 poor nations of the world.
There is a high rate of illiteracy in the country. Although the government has achieved significant positive results, in comparison to other countries, we still have a lot to be achieved. Majorities of the people in India are either unemployed or underemployed. We also find that, almost everywhere in the country, there is the unlawful practice of child labour. The living conditions of these children are very pitiable and they live in unhygienic areas, which further add to their misery. Poverty, hunger and lack of proper education have led to an increase in cases of child delinquency and juvenile crimes. Also, due to poor health conditions, the efficiency of the children in work also declines. Finally, these children are rendered illiterates and unemployed when they grow up.
Beggary is also a problem that the country faces today. Although the government is trying its best to ban beggary, it has achieved no significant results till date. Price rise is still another problem faced by the country. Frequent rise in prices of commodities has created an atmosphere of uncertainty. The worst affected part of the society then are the poor people who sink deeper into poverty.
China, also a developing country faces many problems. It faces the problem of over population, as it is the nation with the highest population in the world. Accordingly, it faces poverty and shortage of food supply to feed its hungry citizens and the problem of unemployment is also acutely felt. They are still following some of the old social practices due to which they lack behind in some fields.
The Chinese government is on its part trying its best to help its citizens. It is still lacking but then, has also achieved significant results.
Bangladesh, like most other countries of Asia, is a developing country. Like other developing countries it also faces many problems like poverty, hunger, malnutrition, over population, illiteracy, unemployment and many others. Bangladesh is no doubt a small country, but it has a very high density of population. It has to provide food and shelter for all its citizens.
Flood prone, this country often suffers heavy drain of economic resources. As the economy is based on agriculture, floods, droughts, etc. often renders them economically helpless. Heavy loss of both human lives and property takes place frequently.
Illiteracy prevails among its citizens. Being a newly formed country, it is still weak in almost all aspects. Unemployment is also present in a very high rate.
Likewise, parts of the world like Africa and South America are the centers of concentration of a large number of poverty stricken people. Especially Africa, millions of people die due to poverty and hunger every year. Sickness, malnutrition, hunger, starvation, etc. are all very prominent there.
Heavy drain of capital occurs during wars in the economy of a country. The country cannot tend to the economic development and the welfare of the citizens. Thus, the citizens are plagued by poverty and rendered helpless.
Arms race is also an important factor that costs heavily on the economy of the country. The money wasted could have been better utilized for the development of the weaker and poorer sections of the people.
Nowadays, widespread corruption is clearly visible everywhere. The money allotted for the development of the people and for economic benefits are pocketed by the development in-charge while the people are left to struggle on their own.
Sometimes natural calamities like floods, droughts, earthquakes, etc. causes much destruction and loss of huge amount of economic resources. The people losses whatever little they were struggling with. Now they have nothing of their own. Even the government is not capable of helping them. These things render the people totally helpless.
If we have to get rid of the evils of poverty, it has to start from the local level then the national level. Several measures can be taken for this.
The developed countries will have to come to the rescue of the developing countries and show some spirit of sacrifice. This could be the first step towards the banishing of poverty from the world.
The second step could be the help rendered by the United Nations Organisation through its special agencies. The UNO is already doing a great job towards this.
The international as well as national community should educate the people, specially the people of the developing countries to adopt measures to slow the growth of population; otherwise all measures to eradicate poverty would be neutralized by the rising population.
And now, last but the most important all lets join together to fight this evil that is taking over many of our fellowmen. Lets cry out to the world and for once, stand together as one to remove poverty from the world.
