- World Day for Eradication of Poverty: A Stark Reality Check for Global Poverty Rates
By Wasif Ali Khan
TWA
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On the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a United Nations report has revealed alarming statistics about the increasing rate of poverty across the globe. According to the report, one-tenth of one billion people, or 100 million individuals, are suffering from extreme poverty. The rise in global poverty has been described as “dangerous,” with many nations facing unprecedented challenges in tackling this issue.
The Global Index highlights that Africa and South Asia are the regions worst affected by poverty, where five out of every six poor people in the world reside. This geographic concentration of poverty emphasizes the stark disparity between wealthier regions and those still grappling with poverty on a massive scale.
The report notes that almost half of the world’s 1.1 billion poor people are concentrated in just five countries. India, with its vast population of 1.4 billion people, sees 234 million individuals living in extreme poverty, representing a significant portion of the global total. Pakistan follows closely with 47% of its population living below the poverty line, alongside other heavily impacted nations such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Republic of Congo.
This bleak outlook stands in stark contrast to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include eradicating poverty by 2030. The growing gap between ambition and reality raises questions about whether the world is on track to meet this critical target.
However, the report does offer a glimmer of hope. According to UN data, with an investment of just over $14 billion, it is possible to reduce the growing global poverty rate and lift millions of people living on less than $3.65 a day out of extreme poverty. But the question remains—will world leaders and global organizations step up to allocate the necessary resources and prioritize poverty eradication efforts?
As the world observes the Day for Eradication of Poverty, the statistics serve as a sobering reminder of the scale of the challenge ahead. Without immediate and sustained intervention, the hope of achieving poverty eradication by 2030 may slip further out of reach.
