Poverty should be defined in multi-dimensional terms. Define, using Essay

Poverty should be defined in multi-dimensional terms. Define, using examples from your wider reading - Essay Example Conversely, there have been cases of poverty reduction is certain developing countries for example, Ghana, Bolivia, Cambodia and Tanzania. This is impressive though, the fight against poverty is real and it will take the collaboration of the people, governments and international organizations to win it. Poverty has been largely understood in terms of income until recently. Being poor meant that an individual could merely provide a proper diet at home. However, poverty is way more than a shortfall of income or food availability. It is more about the denial of choices and opportunities that are necessary for one to lead a decent, health and long life with self- esteem, respect and dignity. People simply live in campsites, slums and in poor living conditions because they have no other choice. Nearly half of the world’s population is faced by problems such as possessing few skills to compete in the market, multiple health problems and little or no income at all. There are many asp ects of poverty that are inter- linked resulting to a vicious cycle (Bhalla 2002:79). In other words, poverty is a multi- dimensional concept and some of its facets include: i. Mismanagement of Resources The world is endowed with numerous resources in the form of minerals, oil, and a massive work force among many others (Chen and Ravallion, 2008:56). In most incidences, resources are poorly managed leading to wastages and this contributes to increasing poverty levels. This is common to developing countries such as South Sudan where there are constant fights over resources. It also entails the unequal distribution of resources among different regions that contributes high poverty level. ii. Food Mismanagement and Insecurity Food is a key need for human survival and if not properly managed it could lead to hunger among the population (Ivanic and Martin, 2008). Food security is paramount for the growth and development of an economy since it ensures that there is a constant supply even during dry spells. Food insecurity is common in most developing countries owing to fluctuations in weather patterns and lack of appropriate storage mechanisms. iii. Poor Health Disease and disability may hinder individuals from working thereby limiting their income. If the bread winner is ill, it means that the entire family will be negatively affected. This not only translates to loss of income and an increase in costs due to the need for health care. Other causes of poverty include: war and insecurity, the spread of HIV/AIDS, poor infrastructural and institutional development and corruption (Department for International Development (DfID, 2009). This paper analyses poverty as a multi- faceted concept with regards to mismanagement of food and resources. It further looks at the perspective of poverty by organizations like the UN and World Bank. It also gives an in depth analysis of the progress made by countries towards the achievement of the MDGs. Finally, the paper examines some o f the indicators of poverty levels including different countries’ GDP and the human development index (HDI) Poverty from Mismanagement of Food and Security Thousands of people die every day of hunger- related causes according to recent reports. Regrettably, it is children who die most frequently yet there is an abundant supply of food for the world’