Poverty

**Definitions and Measurement of Poverty**:
– Poverty defined by the United Nations as a denial of choices and opportunities, leading to insecurity.
– World Bank defines poverty as pronounced deprivation in well-being, encompassing low incomes, poor health, education, and inadequate access to basic goods.
– Different organizations and countries have specific criteria and approaches to measure poverty.
– Absolute poverty refers to severe deprivation of basic human needs, with the current threshold set at living on less than $1.90 per day by the World Bank.
– Relative poverty compares an individual’s standard of living to others in the same time and place.

**Impact and Causes of Poverty**:
– Poverty can be caused by diverse environmental, social, economic, and political factors.
– Over 40% of the global poor reside in conflict-affected countries.
– Social forces like gender, disability, race, and ethnicity can exacerbate poverty.
– Poverty is interconnected with societal issues like environmental degradation, climate change impacts, and social conflicts.
– Neoliberal policies may exacerbate inequality and poverty, as seen in some transition economies post-Soviet Union collapse.

**Global Prevalence and Characteristics of Poverty**:
– Share of the world’s population in absolute poverty fell from 43% in 1981 to 14% in 2011.
– Life expectancy has been increasing globally, with some regions experiencing declines due to specific factors like the AIDS epidemic.
– One-third of global deaths are due to poverty-related causes.
– Poverty contributes to diseases, disabilities, and lower life expectancy.
– Recent trends show fluctuations in global poverty rates, with improvements in some regions and challenges in others.

**Health and Social Impact of Poverty**:
– Poverty disproportionately affects hunger, disease, and lower life expectancy.
– Hunger and malnutrition pose significant threats to health, especially in developing nations.
– Poverty increases the likelihood of disability within a lifetime.
– Poor people lack access to healthcare, leading to severe diseases.
– Exposure to poverty-related stressors affects mental health and cognitive development.

**Education and Economic Impact of Poverty**:
– Poverty negatively impacts children’s success in school and cognitive development.
– Students from low-income families are more likely to drop out of school.
– Limited investment in education perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
– Economic stability is crucial to prevent falling into poverty due to medical expenses.
– Poverty leads to limited access to healthcare, hindering educational achievement and economic opportunities.