Dignity For All In Practice

“Poverty is a denial of human rights for every individual. Indeed, poverty is utterly appalling. Not only does it lead to a life of daily deprivation, hunger and suffering, but it also prevents the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms, which every human being should be able to enjoy without hindrance."- Kofi Annan- Former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dignity for all in practice is the theme of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. On December 22, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The dignity of the human being is not only a fundamental right in itself but constitutes the basis of all other fundamental rights. Therefore, “Dignity” is not an abstract concept: it belongs to each and every one. Today, many people living in persistent poverty experience their dignity being denied and disrespected. Data from the United Nations (UN) shows that an estimated 1.3 billion people still live in multidimensional poverty with almost half of them children and youth. The UN states inequalities of opportunities and income are sharply on the rise and, each year, the gap between the rich and poor gets even wider. In the past year, as millions struggle through the erosion of workers’ rights and job quality to make it to another day, corporate power and the wealth of the billionaire class have recorded an unprecedented rise. The UN further argues that Poverty and inequality are not inevitable. They are the result of deliberate decisions or inaction that disempower the poorest and marginalized in our societies and violate their fundamental rights. The silent and sustained violence of poverty – social exclusion, structural discrimination and disempowerment – makes it harder for people trapped in extreme poverty to escape and denies their humanity. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this dynamic, exposing social protection system gaps and failures as well as structural inequalities and diverse forms of discrimination that deepen and perpetuate poverty. Background The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to 17 October 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on October 17th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor. What is Poverty? Poverty entails more than the lack of income and productive resources to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, as well as the lack of participation in decision-making. In 2015, more than 736 million people lived below the international poverty line. Around 10 per cent of the world population (pre-pandemic) was living in extreme poverty and struggling to fulfil the most basic needs like health, education, and access to water and sanitation. There were 122 women aged 25 to 34 living in poverty for every 100 men of the same age group, and more than 160 million children were at risk of continuing to live in extreme poverty by 2030. In a world characterized by an unprecedented level of economic development, technological means and financial resources, that millions of persons are living in extreme poverty is a moral outrage. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, but rather a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses a lack of both income and the basic capabilities to live in dignity. Persons living in poverty experience many interrelated and mutually reinforcing deprivations that prevent them from realizing their rights and perpetuate their poverty, including: dangerous working conditions, unsafe housing, lack of nutritious food, unequal access to justice, lack of political power, unequal access to education, restricted access to healthcare. According to the World Bank the countries with the highest poverty rates are: South Sudan at 82.30%, Equatorial Guinea at 76.80%, Madagascar at 70.70%, Guinea Bissau at 69.30%, Eritrea at 69%, Sao Tome and Principle at 66.70%, Burundi at 64% and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 63.90%. Alarmingly, all these countries are in Africa. On the other hand, the Scandinavian and Benelux countries tend to have the lowest rates of poverty. The Scandinavian countries are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland while the Benelux is an economic union comprising three neighbouring monarchies: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The global poverty rate currently stands at US$1.90 daily, however, how many of us can survive on that amount of money daily? Impact of COVID-19 on Global Poverty According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have pushed between 143 and 163 million people into poverty in 2021. Almost half of the projected new poor will be in South Asia, and more than a third in Sub- Saharan Africa. Some of countries in South Asia include: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan. Among the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are Somalia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia. Data from the UN states the potential short-term economic impact of COVID-19 on global monetary poverty through contractions in per capita household income or consumption show that COVID-19 poses a real challenge to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty by 2030 because global poverty could increase for the first time since 1990 and, depending on the poverty line, such increase could represent a reversal of approximately a decade in the world’s progress in reducing poverty. In some regions the adverse impacts could result in poverty levels similar to those recorded 30 years ago. Under the most extreme scenario of a 20 per cent income or consumption contraction, the number of people living in poverty could increase by 420–580 million. Jamaica Jamaica is a land of extremes. Jamaica’s wealth is distributed largely along racial lines, reflecting Jamaica's slave-plantation history. In this post –slavery period of development the descendants of black slaves tend to be among the poorest classes in Jamaica, while white and mixed-race descendants of plantation owners and traders tend to be better off. The economic privileged Jamaicans tend to be those of Middle Eastern backgrounds such as Lebanonese. Those with the economic means send their children to expensive exclusive schools at the secondary level and oftentimes send their children to universities abroad for higher education. The extremes in the Jamaican society play out in the fact that those descendants of slaves often work for those who are descendant of plantation owners. These extremes are reflected in the nation's distribution of income: in 1996 the wealthiest 20 percent of Jamaicans controlled 43.9 percent of the wealth, while the poorest 20 percent controlled only 7 percent. Some research indicates that More than 400,000 people in Jamaica live in poverty and 14,000 live in extreme poverty. Jamaica’s heavy reliance on tourism makes the island vulnerable in many regards. This was especially the situation in 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourism industry accounts for more than US$60 billion and provide employment for many Jamaicans both directly and indirectly. Data from the Ministry of Tourism indicates that a minimum of 50,000 employees directly employed in the tourism sector have been laid off, and this figure could be even higher when considering indirect impacts and the informal sector. Jamaica's economy is not insulated from external shocks. The rise in inflation and relatively low wages and salaries and the shrinking purchasing power have also fuel levels of poverty within the society. In order to improve the state of poverty in Jamaica, the government has expanded the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme. Among of the objectives of the PATH are to increase educational attainment and improve health outcomes of the poor by breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty as well as serving as a safety net for the most vulnerable. The PATH programme was launch of 2022 and is administered by the Ministry of Labour of Social Security (MLSS). The government also has a Social Pension Programme for the Elderly again administered by the MLSS. Global Action It is rather doubtful that we will live to see a world with no poverty. In spite of the implementation of poverty alleviation programmes by governments poverty is unrelenting. The 2030 Agenda for the United Nations Sustainable Development promises to leave no one behind and to reach those furthest behind first. Meeting this ambitious development agenda requires visionary policies for sustainable, inclusive, sustained and equitable economic growth, supported by full employment and decent work for all, social integration, declining inequality, rising productivity and a favorable environment. In the 2030 Agenda, Goal 1 recognizes that ending poverty in all its forms everywhere is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. While progress in eradicating extreme poverty has been incremental and widespread, the persistence of poverty, including extreme poverty remains a major concern in Africa, the least developed countries, Small Island developing States, in some middle-income countries, and countries in situations of conflict and post-conflict countries. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), states that the sustainable fight against poverty requires the strengthening of individual’s capacities through education, science and support for a creative economy, which are sources of employment. Poverty for the most part is perpetrated by governments to keep a portion of the society dependent. Oil- importing countries are particularly at risk given the ever increasing cost of oil. Additionally, the ongoing war in Ukraine as a result of Russia's invasion and annexation has also driven global poverty. Global leaders are required to show maturity in bringing an end to this senseless war. Working to end poverty takes multiple forms. Undoubtedly, there needs to be collaborative effort with all stakeholders to end poverty in all its form. In the words of Nelson Mandela, overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #EndPoverty #DignityForAllInPractice #InternationalDayfortheEradicationofPoverty #SDG1 #Jamaica