Poverty as a Social Issue - Research Paper Example

? Poverty as a Social Issue of Poverty as a Social Issue Poverty is one of the most pressingsocial problems all over the world, and especially in developing countries. Poverty may be defined as a situation whereby a person is not in a capacity to live by certain standards stipulated by their society, or when a person has inadequate resources to cater for their basic needs. According to Burton (1992), it may also be defined as situation whereby someone does not have certain minimum standards required for a person to live comfortably as well as safely. The “relative deprivation definition,” which addresses a person’s inability to reach certain living standards “customary in the society” considers poverty in terms of both material goods and the psychological impacts the situation has on the individual in question, especially when such an individual lacks some resources that those people around them have (Yilmaz et al., 2003). There are three basic approaches to defining and measuring poverty. The first approach is the absolute approach, which sees poverty as that situation where an individual earns income or consumes below some given minimum standards “for the poor.” The second approach is the relative one, which looks at poverty as a “proportion of the median income or consumption of the rest of the society.” The definition addresses issues pertaining to distribution as well as equity. It makes an assumption that every individual has some kind of a right to not only share but also to use their nation’s resources and wealth that is made by this particular society as a whole. The last approach is the subjective approach which mostly bases its arguments on the opinions of certain people who believe that they are poor. It considers, for instance, a household’s assessment of what they consider as minimum or even sufficient income or even consumption which they need. This approach is more comprehensive as compared to the other two, since it takes into consideration the two approaches (Yilmaz et al., 2003). However, regardless of the definition, each and every nation has its own official “poverty line” which sets the standards below which an individual may be viewed as poor. Poverty is measured by determining a certain amount of money that if a person’s income and consumption falls below, then such individual is considered as poor. Most nations tend to adjust this level every year, especially considering the inflation rate. Recent years have seen most international development agencies adopt the US$1 as a standard measure for comparing poverty across nations (Yilmaz et al., 2003). There are certain social categories that are more susceptible to poverty than others. The “DAC Guidelines on Poverty Reduction” define poverty within a very broad framework of factors that lead to the social problem and appropriate actions that should be taken to lower the rates of poverty. The guidelines consider five major dimensions of poverty, which address the limitations it has on the human capabilities. One of such dimensions is the economic one, which is concerned with people’s income, their livelihood, and even decent work. There is also the human dimension, which mostly considers health and education. Then there is the political perspective which is mostly concerned with empowerment, people’s rights, and voice. In addition, there is the social-cultural perspective that deals with poor people’s status and dignity. The last dimension is the protective one, which addresses insecurity amongst the poor, risks that they face, and their vulnerability. The DAC Guidelines show that there are certain social categories that are mostly affected by poverty, and severe for that matter. These categories include indigenous populations, the minorities, and socially excluded groups. There are also refugees, the mentally or physically challenged, and those living with AIDS/HIV. The DAC Guidelines show that these groups consist of the poorest people among the poor in various societies. Gender inequality also contributes to some members of the society, women and girls to be precise, to be poor. Poor women and girls are even worse off when it comes to property ownership in most societies, especially in the developing countries. This inequality is majorly attributed to certain socio-cultural beliefs that distinguish between the roles of women and men in such societies. Moreover, certain categories of women as well as children are particularly vulnerable. These include elderly widows, female-headed families that are unsupported, child-headed families, and street families (DAC Network on Poverty Reduction, 2003). Over time, society has changed a great deal in regard to poverty. One of the few developments that have been made is the realization that there is need to empower those social categories that are more prone to poverty. As such, many organizations have come up with projects to empower women, orphans and vulnerable children, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS. Most societies have also developed holistic approaches to poverty reduction, a situation whereby all members of a society are involved in the fight against poverty, and all societal structures are put into consideration. The biggest step has been the introduction of various community development and self-help projects as well as human delivery services. Most organizations today mostly deal with poverty through community empowerment, unlike in the past when there was overdependence on relief services (Catholic Charities USA, 2011). Poverty reduction can only succeed if special attention is given to the various social categories which are more vulnerable to poverty. As noted above, one of such categories comprises of women and girls. Educating girls seems to be one of “the most effective ways of poverty reduction.” Providing quality education to parents means a better future for their children. Educating mothers seems to be even more influential on not only children’s life but also their education in future. Educated mothers have a greater influence on “household negotiations,” and as such they have better chances of securing more “resources for their children.” In addition, educated mothers help their husbands in taking care of various bills and therefore their contribution is very crucial when it comes to joining hands in taking care of their families, thereby reducing the burden on their husbands who have for long been considered as sole breadwinners. Educated mothers also tend to bear few children, a factor which not only helps in population control, but also helps in giving the few children the kind of attention they need as they grow up. These mothers no longer have to choose which amongst their children to go to school and which ones to remain at home. Education also helps women and girls to not only know their rights but also to gain the appropriate confidence to claim those rights. According to ICPD Program of Action, education forms part of those most crucial tools for women empowerment, through knowledge and skills, as well as by giving them the necessary confidence they need to fully participate in development projects. Another way of reducing poverty is through collaborations between the community, the government, and various NGOs. Numbers work miracles when it comes to solving social problems. Most developing countries have very scarce resources but the people’s needs are relatively high. Therefore, when like-minded organizations come together, they not only pool their resources but they also assist one another in decision making and policy implementation (Catholic Charities USA, 2011). Poverty is indeed one of the most pressing social issues. However, emergence of different groups that seek to empower the poor has helped a great deal in reducing poverty levels, especially in developing countries. Even though a big percentage of world population is still languishing in poverty, there seems to be hope for a better future. References “Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America” (2011). Catholic Charities USA, p.1. Retrieved 25 January 2012 from www.catholiccharities.org/page.aspx?pid=2070. DAC Network on Poverty Reduction (2003). Poverty and Health. Paris: OECD Publishing. Yilmaz, Sertdar et al., (2003). Sub national Data Requirement for Fiscal Decentralization: Case studies from Central and Eastern Europe, Part 232. Washington DC: World Bank Publications. Read More