Eliminating World Poverty A Challenge for the 21st Century
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Eliminating
World Poverty
A Challenge for the 21st Century - extracted text
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Department For
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Eliminating
World Poverty
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A Challenge for the 21st Century
A summary
•• This booklet outlines the main themes of a new White Paper’ which
sets out our policies to help achieve sustainable development of the planet.
It is first, and most importantly, about the single greatest challenge which
the world faces
eliminating poverty. Nearly one in Jour oj the people of
the world live in absolute poverty. We cannot build a just and sustainable
world unless ire tackle this problem.
The good news is that ire can succeed. The overall successes of
development in recent decades have been remarkable
people live longer;
fewer mothers die in childhirth;Jewcr infants die from preventable diseases.
The problem is that the numbers oj people living in absolute poverty
are continuing to grow and the amount of human suffering is growing.
I he challenge now is to apply the lessons of success more broadly. This
White Paper commits Britain to using its influence directly and in
collaboration with others to mobilise a much stronger international
commitment to poverty eradication.
This is not just a moral duty, We also owe it to the next generation to
address these issues as a matter of urgency. If ire do not do so, there is a
real danger that, by the middle oj the next century, the world will simply
not be sustainable. The combination oj population pressures, environmental
degradation and the conflict and disease to which this will lead could
impose catastrophic pressure upon the planet.
There is real opportunity for Britain to use its influence to help
mobilise a new international commitment to poverty eradication. The
Government will need the support of the British people to succeed in this.
Ij we work together, ire can make real progress.
Clare Short
Secretary of State for International Development
November 1997
‘Eliminating World Poverty: A Challenge for the 21st Century is available from:
HMSO Publications Centre. See back page.
• • Together you and I will begin to
build the new society a society in
which each of us has the chance to
grow, to achieve, to contribute, to
create dignity for ourselves, and not
for ourselves alone but for others
also; a society in which each of us has
a stake, a share; and we will give
back to our children what they
deserve - a heritage of hope.
Tony Blair
April 1997
hese words not only reflect the British Government’s
hopes for the people of Britain, but for the people of
every country of the world.
Have you ever considered what life will be like when your
children grow up?
What sort of world will your grandchildren see?
Today’s world is very different to the one our
grandparents knew. What happens in one country can affect
the lives of people everywhere. Decisions we make in
London or New York can have a profound effect on those
thousands of kilometres away. We travel to distant places
and buy goods in our shops from every corner of the globe.
We all depend on each other. If our grandchildren are to have
a safe future, we must improve opportunities for all the
children of the world.
In May 1997 the British people elected a new
Government with a new agenda - a Government committed
to human rights, a more ethical foreign policy and a new
approach to international development emphasising more
strongly that development matters to all of us. The new
Department for International Development (DFID) is
responsible for taking this forward.
This is a summary of our new approach. It outlines our
plans for eliminating poverty in the world and helping to
improve the lives and opportunities of poor people. But
above all, it is about building a secure future for our planet
and its people.
T
The Challenge
of Develovment
e want to see a global society where everyone can live in peace
and security: have a say in how their community is run; and
have access to those things we so often take for granted, like clean
water, fresh air and the chance to earn a living and bring up healthy,
educated children. We want governments to be accountable to their
people; obey the rule of law; protect human rights and create
opportunities for economic growth.
But to create such a global society is a formidable challenge.
Today's world offers many opportunities, but poorer countries are
often unable to take advantage of them. To create the sort of global
society we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy, we must help
poor people towards a better future.
W
Why does international development matter?
First, because we have a moral duty to help the poor and needy and
to try to create a more just world.
Second, because it's in all our interests. Global warming, polluted
oceans, disappearing forests, shortage of fresh water, more and more
life shall refocus our international development efforts to
eliminate poverty. We shall support policies which create
sustainable livelihoods for poor people, promote human
development and conserve the environment.
mouths to feed and not enough land on which to grow food - these
things affect us all, rich or poor, wherever we live.
Around 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world’s
population - live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1
(65 pence) a day for all their needs. Seventy per cent of these people
are women. They have no access to health services or schools. They
feel isolated, powerless, and have little say in how their lives are run.
They are often victims of domestic violence, crime and conflict. For
many, the prospects of a better life are getting worse as
overpopulation and economic growth destroy the environment.
Regional Distribution of the
1.3 Billion People Living on Less
Than $1 (65 pence) per day, 1993
The number of people living on less than $1 (65 pence) a day at
1985 purchasing power parities adjusted to current price terms.
Source World Development Indicators 1997.
The Challenge
o/ Development
But there is a brighter side. On average, people are in better
health and live longer. Since 1960. child death rates in developing
countries have been cut by more than half. People have more food to
eat and the percentage of the population with access to clean water
has doubled to 70 per cent. In the last 50 years more people have
escaped from poverty than in the previous 500.
We can make even better progress if we build on this experience.
Meeting the Needs of Today and Future Generations
Development must be sustainable. That means we must meet our
needs today and those of future generations without sacrificing the
resources we need now and in the future. For without sustainable
development we will not be able to eliminate poverty.
What are the issues we need to think about?
For a start, we will not be able to achieve sustainable development
and make progress in eliminating poverty unless we protect
everyone's human rights, including those of the poorest and most
disadvantaged people. Every man. woman and child has a right to
such things as security, freedom and dignity, regardless of their race,
gender, religion or beliefs.
Everyone has basic needs - for fresh water, food, basic education
and health care. We must help provide these basic needs for all so
that poor people can take charge of their own future.
Another important factor for achieving sustainable development
and helping eliminate poverty is providing the right conditions for
economic growth. Poor people, particularly women, must be given
opportunities to work, generate income and share in the fruits of
development.
Meeting Targets
Britain is in a unique position to help lead the world in the fight against
poverty. If we are to win this fight we must have internationally agreed
policies which promote sustainable development and encourage
conservation of the environment. A number of international
development targets have already been agreed by the United Nations
and we intend to do all we can to meet them. The most important one
is to reduce by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty
by 2015.
Economic Well-being
• a reduction by one-half in the proportion of people living in extreme
poverty by 2015
Human Development
• universal primary education in all countries by 2015
• demonstrated progress towards gender equality and the
empowerment of women by eliminating gender disparity in primary
and secondary education by 2005
• a reduction by two-thirds in the mortality rates for infants and
children under age five and a reduction by three-fourths in maternal
mortality, all by 2015
• access through the primary health care system to reproductive
health services for all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as
possible and no later than the year 2015
Environmental Sustainability and Regeneration
• the implementation of national strategies for sustainable
development in all countries by 2005, so as to ensure that current
trends in the loss of environmental resources are effectively
reversed at both global and national levels by 2015
Building
k Partnerships
e need to get the balance right between helping countries
develop, helping people enjoy better lives and protecting the
environment.
We are committed to spending more money in developing
countries on basic education, basic health care and clean water. But
we must look at the wider picture.
Building new health centres alone will not reduce the number of
mothers who die in childbirth. Women also need to be able to exercise
choices, and benefit from improvements in obstetric services and
rural transport. Otherwise poor women will continue to be at least one
hundred times more likely to die in childbirth than women in Britain.
Building new schools alone will not be enough to improve
W
• We shall work closely with other governments and
organisations to eliminate poverty, and use our
influence to encourage others to achieve the
international development targets.
• We shall pursue these targets through partnerships
with poorer countries who are also committed to them.
• We shall work in new ways with the UK private and
voluntary sectors and with the research community.
• We shall measure how effective our efforts are against
the internationally agreed targets, including the aim of
halving the proportion of the world’s population living
in extreme poverty by 2015.
to
children’s education and their future well-being if their families cannot
see the benefits of sending their children to school, and that means
girls as well as boys.
Working with the International Community
Britain cannot achieve its development goals on its own. It is vital that
the international community work together to support developing
countries in their efforts to overcome poverty.
Britain already spends half of its money for development - about
£1.1 billion - through international organisations like the World Bank,
the United Nations, the European Community and the Commonwealth.
Their unique position allows them to take the lead on many of the
major problems facing the world today, such as the AIDS pandemic.
human rights, the plight of refugees and the environment.
Proportion in Primary School in 1995
Proportion in primary school is the number of enrolled pupils/students aged 6—11 as a proportion
of the total population in that age group.
Source: World Education Report J 995 (UNESCO/.
Building
Partnerships
The graph shows what is required to achieve the target of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters by 2015
Source: Human Development Report 1997.
The graph shows what is required to achieve the target of reducing infant mortality by two-thirds by 2015.
Source: Human Development Report 1997.
We will use our influence within these organisations to try and
ensure the international community is committed to eliminating
poverty. We will encourage them to support activities which help the
poorest people, including provision of schools, health services,
sanitation and transport. We would like them to think about achieving
equality between men and women and about sustaining the
environment.
Building Genuine Partnerships
There must be genuine partnerships between countries, both rich and
poor, if we are to address the problem of poverty effectively.
Developing countries will need to work out strategies designed to
achieve sustainable development and eliminate poverty. Britain and
the rest of the international community must be there to give them
support. Donors must work together and coordinate their efforts.
We are ready to enter into long-term partnerships with poor
countries which are themselves committed to getting nd of poverty
and are following the kind of policies needed to meet that goal. We will
give them a longer-term commitment, more resources and greater
choice in how they use those resources. These may range from
financial support for specific activities to training and sharing skills
and experience.
We will use these partnerships to encourage economic growth
which at the same time helps eliminate poverty. This might include
support for good government and human rights; investment in roads
and railways, health and education; measures to create jobs for poor
people and action to promote equality for women and to end the
exploitation of children.
We will concentrate our efforts on those areas where needs are
greatest and where we can get results. In countries whose
Building
Partnerships
governments are not committed to helping the poor, we will try and
help through other organisations like voluntary agencies or local
government.
Although our priorities will be focused on the poorest countries, we
will also help eliminate poverty in better-off places. We shall continue
to help those countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia
in their efforts to build democratic societies and market economies
and we shall try and make sure that all their citizens benefit from reform.
In Times of Emergency
More often than not. it is the poorest people who get hit by natural
disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes, or by man
made catastrophes.
In Britain, we've always responded to emergencies around the
world, helping reduce suffering and save lives. We will continue to
work with our partners in voluntary organisations and the private
sector to make sure help is always on hand wherever and whenever
disaster strikes.
Our aim is not only to save lives through emergency relief, but also
to help communities rebuild and protect against disasters in the future.
Partnerships in Britain
With the Private Sector
We intend to develop a new partnership with the private sector in
Britain. We want to work with British businesses, since long-term trade
and investment is essential to stimulate the growth which benefits
everyone, especially those most in need.
In future, developing countries are going to be increasingly
important markets for British goods and services so. it makes business
sense as well as moral sense for British businesses to be involved.
As part of this new partnership we will, for example, provide
information to British companies about trade and investment
opportunities in developing countries; make sure that development
projects make full use of British business skills, and work with British
businesses to develop local business networks in developing
countries.
With Voluntary Organisations
We want to strengthen our partnerships with voluntary and non
governmental organisations. We plan to work with them to win
stronger public and international support for the fight against poverty.
With the Scientific Community
• Over 11 million square kilometres of Africa are infested with tsetse
flies which bring illness and death to both humans and animals.
Highly effective trapping devices have been developed to replace
the use of environmentally-damaging insecticide in many African
countries.
• New wood-burning stoves which cut the amount of fuel wood
needed for cooking by half have been developed costing as little as
£2. This in turn reduces deforestation and air pollution and
the cost can be recovered in just a few days.
These are just two examples which illustrate the importance of
scientific research for improving lives and conserving the
environment. We will continue to invest in research in both developing
countries and through partnerships with the scientific community.
To eliminate poverty it is vital that we improve our knowledge and
help poor people gain access both to that knowledge and
technologies.
05874
A Consistent
V
Approach
hy do we need to adopt a consistent approach to development?
Development assistance plays an important part in tackling
poverty but it is not the only aspect of our relations with developing
countries. These cover many other things, including trade, defence
and security, the environment, agriculture and finance. All too often in
the past a trade or agricultural policy has undermined development. If
we are going to get rid of poverty, all our policies must be consistent
and aim for the same goal.
There are four important areas where all our policies must work
together if the world's poor are to benefit.
W
• We shall make sure that all Government policies
affecting developing countries promote sustainable
development.
• We shall build on our ethical approach to international
relations and see that everyone enjoys human rights,
that governments are accountable and that employers
adopt certain standards and human rights in the
workplace.
• We shall use our resources to promote political stability,
strong societies and effective responses to conflict.
• We shall encourage financial stability and reduce
the debts of developing countries to levels they can
cope with.
12
The Environment
What happens to the world's environment matters to every one of us.
rich or poor, north or south. We need to tackle environmental
problems at both national and international levels.
At the national level, poor people are often the ones who suffer
most from environmental damage and because vital resources such
as land have been badly managed. In poor rural areas, where people
have to compete for scarce resources to make a living, the poorest
get squeezed out leaving them no choice but to exploit precious soils
and forests. In towns and cities poor people often live and work where
pollution is worst, and their health suffers as a result.
We must conserve our precious natural resources or the world will
not be able to support growth in the future. In rural communities we
will work to promote sustainable agriculture which tackles hunger and
poverty but at the same time does not damage the environment. We
will help poor communities manage forests to benefit both present
and future generations.
By the beginning of the next century, more than half of the world's
population will be living in towns and cities. Air pollution, poor
sanitation and contaminated water will be major concerns for millions
of people. We want to work with local communities to develop urban
programmes that provide employment, shelter, schools, hospitals,
clean water and sanitation.
At the international level, we must address serious global
problems such as climate change in a coordinated way. If emissions
of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide continue to rise, by the
year 2100 average global temperatures will have risen between 1 and
3.5 degrees centigrade. Sea levels could rise by up to a metre over
the same period. Some 46 million people now live at risk from
A Consistent
Approach
flooding. By 2100 it could be 118 million. Britain is at the forefront in
combating climate change. We are reducing our own emissions of
greenhouse gases and urging other developed countries to do the
same. We are also helping developing countries limit their emissions.
We will also work with developing countries to help them manage
their forests and better natural habitats, to protect freshwater
resources and combat land degradation and the growth of deserts. We
will assist them in making their power generation more efficient and
support greater use of renewable sources of energy.
We will also continue to make money available through special
funds, on top of our development assistance budget, to help the
developing world play its part in conserving the global environment.
Trade, Agriculture and Investment
Why should there be fair trade?
Trade and investment are vital for eliminating poverty. They help
generate growth which in turn helps people get jobs and earn a
livelihood.
It is important that we help developing countries take advantage
of increasing international trade and investment. We support an open
and fair trading system which benefits all countries. We will work with
international organisations to make trade in goods and services
easier by dismantling trade barriers and improving access to markets.
One area where poorer countries find it difficult to compete is in
agriculture. We want to make it easier to trade in agricultural products
by improving access to markets and phasing out export subsidies. We
are committed to the reform of the European Union's Common
Agricultural Policy and will make use of the new opportunities this
presents to benefit developing countries.
Foreign investment can bring huge benefits to developing
countries - jobs, exports, new skills and new technology. But the
conditions must be right to attract that investment. This means having
stable and accountable governments and stamping out corruption.
Developing countries also need laws to deal with such things as
monopolies and mergers and restrictive business practices. We are
working within international organisations to develop the best ways of
putting these in place.
While it is essential to dismantle barriers to international trade
and investment, we must make sure that the benefits from this help
eliminate poverty.
Population Growth
1960
1994
World Population
3 billion
World Population
5.6 billion
Source. Human Development Report 1997; World Population Projections 199-195.
2015
A Consistent
. I pproach
We want to make sure workers everywhere enjoy human rights and
are free from exploitation. This is especially so of women and children.
Many millions of children are exploited in sweat shops, on plantations
and for sexual purposes. We want them to have more say in the
decisions that affect their lives. We will increase our support through
international organisations to eradicate abusive child labour, and
encourage employers to adopt human rights in the workplace.
We will also work with producers and importers to increase trade
in goods and services that provide income for poor people but come
from renewable sources and do not damage the environment.
We will also do our best to make sure that the export and
advertising of pharmaceutical products and items such as baby milk
is done in a responsible way. And we are working with other
governments to get a global ban on tobacco advertising.
Efforts to reduce poverty are often undermined by bribery and
corruption. Bribery often starts in developed countries so we strongly
support initiatives to make the payment of bribes to foreign public
officials a crime. It is generally poor people who bear the heaviest cost
of corrupt activities. If people are to be able to exercise their rights
and live in a just society, countries must have a framework of law and
regulation. To this end. we will support reforms in the legal sector and
help make governments and the civil service work more efficiently.
People in developing countries also need practical help in how
they can make the best of the new opportunities brought by fairer
world trade. How to set up customs procedures and trade regulations,
promote their goods and meet international product standards - these
are all areas where British expertise can be used to good effect.
Political Stability and Preventing Conflict
Half of the world's poorest countries are suffering, or have just
emerged from, serious conflicts.
Children, women and elderly people are 10 times more likely to be
victims of conflict than soldiers. Millions are forced to flee their
homes. Today there are over 30 million refugees and they are among
the poorest people in the world.
We all want to live in a peaceful and stable world. Without peace
and security we cannot eliminate poverty. We want to understand the
causes of conflict and help societies resolve their disputes without
resorting to violence. Working through international organisations,
such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth, we will try to
prevent and resolve conflict.
The protection of human rights will be at the centre of our
programmes of humanitarian assistance and we shall continue to
support organisations which help the victims of conflict.
We will also try to limit the means of waging war by playing an
active part in arms control negotiations. We want a global ban on the
use of landmines and have pledged more support for mine clearance
programmes.
Economic and Financial Stability
A major problem facing many poorer countries is that of debt. By trying
to pay back the money they owe to richer countries they no longer have
enough resources to spend on vital services such as health and
education. The fact that these countries still owe money discourages
others from investing in them.
A Consistent
J pproach
Britain has long had a policy of converting loans to grants, and
where possible we will cancel the debts owed to us by poorer
Commonwealth countries which are committed to eliminating poverty.
We will do all we can to encourage other donors to do the same.
We shall encourage financial stability and reduce the debts of
developing countries to levels they can cope with.
Money laundering - the movement of money made from crime to
hide where it has come from ■ can have a serious effect on a country's
economy, even corrupting the entire political and financial systems in
some extreme cases. So we are helping countries set up task forces
and controls to combat money laundering.
These measures also play an important part in the international
fight against the illicit trade in drugs - a trade which undermines the
social and economic development of many countries and poses a
serious threat in our own society. Britain is one of the major donors to
the United Nations Drug Control Programme. Through this we fund a
wide range of projects aimed at tackling the drugs problem.
Poverty is one of the root causes of drugs trading in many
developing countries. By tackling poverty and helping poor people
develop lawful occupations we can help to stem the drugs trade too.
Building Support
or Development
nternational development cannot succeed without the support of the
international community. That means the support of each of us.
The British people have always shown that they care about what
happens in poorer countries through their support for voluntary
organisations and the contributions they make to help the victims of
disasters. We want to strengthen that support by giving you the facts
about the forces that are shaping our world.
It is important that you know about the causes of poverty and
inequality in developing countries and what we can all do to help. It is
also important that you understand the threat to all our futures if we
fail to tackle problems like environmental degradation and
overpopulation.
We want to increase development awareness in Britain. We
believe children should learn about development issues at school and
that every adult should have the chance to influence the
Government's policies. So we are going to set up a working group to
take these ideas forward. We will also establish a special forum to be
D
• We shall increase public understanding of why we all
depend on each other and the need for international
development and we shall ensure that resources for
development are used as intended.
• We shall provide the necessary resources for the
development programme.
Building Support
lor Development
held every year where individuals and groups from all sectors of
society can share their experiences and ideas on development.
The Department for International Development will publish an
Annual Report so you can see the progress we are making.
We will consider the case for a new International Development Act
to update the legislation governing the use of public money provided
for international development.
In recent years, the international community has provided less
resources to support poorer countries. We want to reverse that trend.
We are committed to increasing the amount of money we spend on
development and in future all the assistance we give to developing
countries will be in the form of grants, not loans.
Numbers in Poverty Below $1 (65 pence) Per Day
Current Position 1995
World Population 5.7 billion
Estimated World Population 7.3 billion
The number in poverty is defined as the number of people living on less than $1 (65 pence) a day
at 1985 purchasing power panties adjusted to current price terms.
Source: World Development Indicators 1997. World Population Projections 1994-95.
The Future
<^ustainable development is central to our aim of
building a new society. Not just a new society in
Britain,
but a new global society. We must all be
committed to work for our children’s futures, their
children’s futures and the future of our world.
As taxpayers, consumers, parents and tourists you
can help us build a better life for everybody on this
planet. We hope we can count on your support.
U5874
DFID
Department For
International
Development
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