Poverty is Africa’s greatest Challenge
30 000 children die everyday, one in three seconds because of extreme poverty. More than I billion people around the world live on less than $1 per day and have no access to clean water. This situation can be reversed by a 1%increase in developing countries share of the world’s export.
GCAP is an International NON Governmental Organisation whose main mandate is to fight poverty also say that such an increase could lift 128 nations out of poverty.
Poverty has remained one of Africa’s major challenges and has played a critical role in the continent’s poor health delivery systems. Poverty also has a had in the development of disease in Africa and has delayed efforts to deal with HIVand Aids which affects 25 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
South African president Thabo Mbeki once described HIVand Aids as nothing more than a disease of poverty. Mbeki’s observations may be inaccurate but the facts on the ground all point to poverty having a hand in the spread of the pandemic t
Mitigation measures need to be put in place to eradicate extreme poverty. The seriousness of this problem has given rise to a number of human rights abuses for instance if a person is too poor to access health services, their right to health has been infringed.
When a child cannot go to school, their right to education has been taken and when there is no access to food and shelter their rights are also infringed upon.
Own initiative needed
Another NGO, Actionaid say the fight against poverty can only be won if local communities are empowered to gain access to resources and opportunities necessary to overcome barriers to prosperity.
This can be done only when national governments provide basic essential services to citizens. African nations must also play their part in creating an economic environment that provides decent jobs for their citizens.
Governments must protect their citizens especially women and children from violence
However rich countries must provide the resources that spur development and push for fair international rules with developing countries to make it pro-poor and sustainable.
G8 Intervention necessary
During the recently ended G8 Summit, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to increase aid to Africa. If the leaders of the eight most economically successful countries make good on their word, it could be a starting point for the eradication of poverty.
Their gesture of goodwill will be strengthen further when they ensure that the money arrives on time and also that they deliver on the 8billion which is owed since 2006.
Regional Director of Oxfam Charles Abani says that the gesture of goodwill would be meaningless if the Aid comes with conditions.
“The G8 must move away from the tendency of attaching economic conditions to aid and debt relief as it hinders development in Africa,” he said.
