Global Poverty - A Global Responsibility

Global Poverty - A Global Responsibility

Global Poverty

Poverty is a global issue that has not only affected many countries but is still worsening the human life in different parts of the world. Poverty can be described as a condition that deprives an individual or community from the basic necessities of life and the impact of that condition is obvious at global scale (Hulme, 2010). In other words, people living with poverty do not achieve the minimum standard of their fundamental needs that are required to have better life. United Nations (UN) describes poverty as a shortage of basic ability that prevents individuals to make effective participation in the society. UN's definition of poverty mainly focuses on the power disparity, sense of insecurity, and unavailability of basic rights (United Nations, 2011). In addition, the World Bank also adds that poverty is the result of low income that does not generate individuals' capacity to gain basic essentials (Banerjee & Duflo, 2011).

No doubt, poverty has been explained with different angles by different researchers. Some researchers explain poverty as the lack of material resources including healthy food, clean drinking water, quality education and shelter. Others, on the other side, relate poverty with social resources and claim that less or no opportunities of education, healthcare and limited access to information are important element of poverty. In addition, they also claim that poverty also prevents equal social status, balance in political power and development of social bonding among people in a poor society (Schwartz, 2007). In addition, the economic perspective of poverty cannot be avoided as this view explain poverty as a constant lack of economic, social and political contribution that stops individuals to get benefits of economic as well as social development around the globe (Blanco, 2002).

Poverty is an Issue of Justice or Common Good

There is no doubt about the fact that poverty has been recognised as an increasing global problem as its impact can be seen across the world. In fact, poverty need serious attention from global community as more than 15 million people die every year around the world just because of poverty, which also accounts for one third of global deaths (Banerjee & Duflo, 2011). It can also be seen that there are many regions of the world where people are suffering with this serious global problem. Example of Africa and South East Asia stays on forefront where people living in poverty face dire problems related to food, health, diseases, illiteracy and hunger.

It is also a fact that people with low income spend major part of their earnings on food in comparison of rich people of the society (Kerbo, 2005). The issue of low income or no government assistance in Bangladesh, India and other Southeast Asian countries has also increased illiteracy due to limited educational opportunities to poor people. It is also a reality that poverty has resulted in increasing problem of homelessness not only in Africa and Asia but even in developed countries like United States, Australia ...