© 2010, Cate Biggs

Global Poverty

Know the facts. Understand the issues.Engage in the solutions.

http://graspglobalpoverty.wordpress.com.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Global Poverty

• Who are the world’s poor?• How is being poor in a poor country different from

being poor in a rich country?• Why are countries poor in the first place?• How can we help?• Why does all this matter?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

6 Billion People in the World:Haves and Have-Nots

• 1 billion people live in countries where they havewhat they need for a long quality life.

• 4 billion live in countries where they have the hope ofgetting what they need.

• 1 billion live in countries that have very little at all.

Being poor in a poor country is different from

being poor in a rich country.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

The Bottom Billion*…

Live on $1 per day,many of them on less than $1 per day

(the cost of an iTunes song)

Around $7 per weekClose to $30 per monthLess than $400 per year

*Credit: Paul Collier

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Where Do the Bottom Billion Live?

• In Poor or Least Developed Countries (LDCs) - alsoknown as the Global South or Third World

• Concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central andSouth Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean (Haiti)

• China and India are not considered LDCs.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Poor people in poor countries face hugechallenges…even if they work really hard.

• Water• Food• Electricity• Roads• Education• Disease• Health Care• Rule of Law• Land Rights

Poor countries lackInfrastructure

Like the systems ofyour body…

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Are Countries Poor?

The Five Ps

• Place• Past

• People• Peace• Politics

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Countries are Poor:Place

Size and Location

• Climate?• Coastlines?• Diseases?• Natural resources?• Neighbors?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Place: The United States(the world’s wealthiest nation)

• The third-largest country inthe world, spread out overhigh quality, arable land in atemperate climate.

• Abundant coastlines andrivers.

• Minimal climate-relatedpests and diseases.

• Diverse, rich base of naturalresources.

• Only two land neighbors,both of whom are mostlyfriendly and stable.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Place: Chad (Central Africa)(one of the world’s poorest nations)

• Small• Land-locked• Harsh climate with little

arable land. Inadequaterainfall. Main water sourceis fast disappearing.

• High climate-related diseaseand pest burden.

• Few natural resourcesbesides oil reserves,opening it up to the“resource curse.”

• Six land neighbors. Manyare unfriendly and in crisis.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Countries are Poor:Past

• History of slave trade?• Colonial history?• How were borders drawn?• When did independence come?• Outsiders meddling during Cold War?• Chance to develop own leaders?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

PastUnited States• British colony• Independence 1776• Peace and expansion

across continent• Civil War 1860s• Great Depression

1930s• Superpower 1940s-

present

Chad• French colony• Independence 1960• Civil wars 1960-1990• Invasions by Libya,

Sudan• Near constant civil war

up to present day• Involvement in

neighbors’ civil wars

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Countries are Poor:People

• How many?• What age?• How healthy?• Are they educated?• Where do they live?• Different ethnic groups and languages?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

PeopleUnited States• 2 children born per

woman• 1 in 4800 women die

during pregnancy,childbirth

• 6 of 1000 babies die• Life expectancy 78• Average age 37• 99% of adults can read• 82% live in urban areas• 3 main languages• Immigrant destination

Chad• 5 children born per

woman• 1 in of 10 women die

during pregnancy,childbirth

• 100 of 1000 babies die• Life expectancy 47• Average age 16• 25% of adults can read• 27% live in urban areas• 2 main + 120 languages• Refugee destination

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Countries are Poor: Politics

• Is there rule of law?• Are citizens and leaders educated about laws?• Do citizens participate in making laws and choosing

leaders?• Do people know what leaders are doing?• Are communities connected?• Leaders too strong?• Leaders too weak?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

PoliticsUnited States• Nearly all voters literate• Government institutions• Checks and balances• Free press (2,218 tv

stations)• Connected communities• Government is stable and

secure

Chad• Less than 25% of voters

literate• Dictatorship• Small group controls country• State-controlled press (1 tv

station)• People spread out with few

roads, phones• President in constant danger

of military coup

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Countries are Poor: Peace

• Wars with other countries?• Where are the wars fought?• Civil wars?• How many wars?• How long are wars?• Risk of wars resuming?

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Peace

United States• Few wars on US

mainland (1776, 1860)• No danger of invasion

by neighbors• Oceans keep other

enemies out• Neighbors at peace

Chad• Constant civil wars• War with neighbors• Borders easily crossed• Spill-over from

neighbors’ wars (Darfur)

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Poverty is a Cycle

For individuals and forcountries…

Things that make youpoor in the firstplace create otherdisadvantages thatkeep you in poverty.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Especially in a “globalized” world…

LDCs are not part ofthe global economythat has lifted othercountries like Indiaand China to the

middle income level.

Technology is linked todevelopment.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Why Should We Care?

Data and Graphics: The United Nations

© 2010, Cate Biggs

The United Nations MillenniumDevelopment Goals

(MDGs)

End Poverty and HungerUniversal Education

Gender EqualityChild Health

Maternal HealthCombat HIV/AIDS

Environmental SustainabilityGlobal Partnership

© 2010, Cate Biggs

International Development AssistanceHelping the Bottom Billion

Donor CountriesThe United Nations

World BankFoundationsIndividuals

CorporationsNon-GovernmentalOrganizations (NGOs)

Civil Society Organizations(CSOs)

Microfinance Institutions

Public ~ PrivatePartnerships ~ Collaborations

Global ~ Local

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Some Types of Development Assistance

• Cash Aid and Grants• Special Projects• Loans• Debt Relief• Microfinance• Foreign Direct

Investment (FDI)• Trade Policy• Peacekeeping• Climate Change

Prevention

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Aid to the Bottom Billion is controversial…

• How much?• How?

• To Whom?• Why?

Impact Mutual Accountability

Best Practices

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Effects of the Global Recession onthe Bottom Billion

Economic isolation hadits benefits initially.

But the second wavehas beendevastating…

• Aid levels• Investment• Consumers• Remittances

© 2010, Cate Biggs

Coming Soon:Haiti

The 5Ps explain much about why theearthquake was so devastating, and why the

relief and recovery process has been sodaunting.

© 2010, Cate Biggs

For More Information…

Grasp Global Povertyhttp://graspglobalpoverty.wordpress.com/

The World Savvy MonitorGlobal Poverty and International Development

Edition and Updatehttp://worldsavvy.org/monitor/