This inspiration and initiative to publically support the UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDG's is the brain child of the EMAS Business School with its Headquarters in Moscow, Russia, but with a number of partnership linkages world-wide. The school, through its community, and mainly its students is therefore spreading good will in the world through the amplification of the significance of embracing the SDGs acroos the planet for common good.
"Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty declined from 36 per cent in 1990 to 10 per cent in 2015. But the pace of change is decelerating and the COVID-19 crisis risks reversing decades of progress in the fight against poverty. New research published by the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research warns that the economic fallout from the global pandemic could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people, or 8% of the total human population. This would be the first time that poverty has increased globally in thirty years, since 1990.
More than 700 million people, or 10 per cent of the world population, still live in extreme poverty today, struggling to fulfil the most basic needs like health, education, and access to water and sanitation, to name a few. The majority of people living on less than $1.90 a day live in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, the poverty rate in rural areas is 17.2 per cent—more than three times higher than in urban areas.
For those who work, having a job does not guarantee a decent living. In fact, 8 per cent of employed workers and their families worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 2018. One out of five children live in extreme poverty. Ensuring social protection for all children and other vulnerable groups is critical to reduce poverty."
After having read through the explanations or definitions from the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it has become obvious why I am supporting these goals and specificallfy goal number 1. One out of 5 children live in extreme poverty!!!! Does that ring a bell? How many children in your country are roaming the streets? How many are without access to portable water and sanitation? How many have no access to health, not to meantion access to free health? How many children in your community do go to bed on a hungry tummy? The information shared earlier in this report hints that a person survives on U$1.90 a day in Sub-Saharan Africa. How much is that less than two U$ dollars if you convert it in your country's national currency. Can it buy a 10kg bag of maize? Can it buy 2kg sugar? Can it buy a loaf of break or cooking oil? Can it pay for pre-paid water and usage of the toilets per day - and air time to call a family member or friend in terms of emergency e.g. somebody bitten by a snake or a woman about to give birth especially at night when taxis (cabs/ubers) are not easily available on the road?
Do you encourage people to plant and have a small garden during the rainy season so that they can have potatoes, spinach and related relish or have fruit trees to support their diet? Do you encourage families that have access to water to also grow some veggies and team up with those in extreme poverty to come assist and get some produce in return as a work to eat from their own sweat and hard work? I am just mentioning about small practical things that can be done that come to mind? Do you buy some tomatoe seeds or cabbage seeds even if it its only two packs to share with the community members who need them most as your small contribution towards food secuity in your area?
That's why I am saying, this poverty issue is not abstract and neither is it international or needs international gathering to solve especially when it comes to communities and in our homes. The answer is with us as members of the communities and household leaders?
What can you and I do to contribute to the reduction of the total number of the 7 000 million people (which is 10 percent of the entire world popoulation (7 billion) who are currently living in extreme poverty and struggling to have access to education, water and sanitation as well as health services? Are we able to teach our communities and especially our children some hints to helep reduce poverty even going forward? For how long are we going to remain with poverty at our door steps?
I am aware that each person needs resources to address this challenge. But, are there some minor but significant efforts we can make to help feed that one of of five children who is hungry and lives in extreme poverty. Is there a child in your surrounding who needs to attend school but has not school fees, school uniforms, food to go to school with, dormitories or lodgiing fees or water and sanitation fees as well as medical aid cost? Can you build a small house for that child and family to live in? I am saying this because my family built a brick house for a family of almost ten people whose dad has been assisting our family with some domestic work at the country side. My family also assisted with the construction of the farm road of about 10 km from the main road to the village and now and then helped to grade it although this has not been an easy task. My family also extended the farm road feeder to other villages as a way to create access to various services in and around the districts where we live. I am sure each one of us can take a small step in our own way and as it fits a particular person or family to contribute towards poverty eradication.
Let's start now, it is your action including mine that will contribute to eradicating poverty. I do not need to blame another person or my government or international community or the UN for not eradicating poverty because it has to start in my backyard. They say charity starts at home - although I am clear that this call to action is not a charitable action, but a serios effort that has to be sustained before 2030. We are in 2021, meaning we have 9 years to the deadlines, but the information I lifted from the UN page on SDGs referred to the fact that although from 1990, poverty record decreased from 36% to 10% in 2015, the process to further reduce it has become slow, mainly because of the impact of COVID-19 on the various countries' economies.
I thefore, thank my Business School, EMAS for having introduced this initiative of supporting the UN SDGs among students and graduates and its partners. Let's support the successful implementation of UN SDGs in our own communities and countries, it's our own responsibility. No one else will eradicate poverty from our own houselds, but you and me. Yes, government and other international organization or non-profit making institutions can come on board, but that should be a plus - such help can already find us on the way.
As a way to remind you the reader of the 17 UN SDGs, I am again sharing those as lifted from the Wikipedia page.
(1) No Poverty, (2) Zero Hunger, (3) Good Health and Well-being, (4) Quality Education, (5) Gender Equality, (6) Clean Water and Sanitation, (7) Affordable and Clean Energy, (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (10) Reducing Inequality, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production, (13) Climate Action, (14) Life Below Water, (15) Life On Land, (16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, (17) Partnerships for the Goals
Author: Menesiah N Muinjo
EMAS Busines School DBA student
Disclaimer: This piece has been written as part of my EMAS Business School DBA students educational actities regulation orders.
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