WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Ending Poverty
What if we could end global poverty?
What if we could do it on a comparative shoestring?
The idea of ending poverty as a planetary goal of primary importance is gaining real traction. No one believes that we will ever end all inequality — in that sense, the poor are always with us. But an increasing number of people believe that we can eradicate absolute poverty: that we can raise every person on the planet above the basic thresholds of the Millennium Development Goals, that we can ensure than every man, woman and child on this planet has enough to eat and clean water to crink, some shelter, access to medical care, access to basic education and the basics of sustainable livelihood.
What would ending poverty do for us? Everything.
Ending poverty would provide rich soil in which development, even leapfrogging could take root. It would reduce global tensions, helping to fight terrorism and minimize conflict. It would take pressure off the environment, helping us respond better to biodiversity loss and climate change. In every imaginable way, progress will be made easier if more than a billion of us are not struggling for survival.
There are signs that the popular will is there: Make Poverty History, for instance, has launched a mass-movement complete with celebrities to advocate for fair trade, debt reductions and more aid; Sarah McLachlan’s World on Fire video, Bono’s efforts, projects like The Rough Guide to a Better World, even the outpouring of concern around last week’s tragic tsunamis… all seem to point to a larger trend.
But can we actually do it? More and more people seem to think the answer is yes….
No Responses