Solutions To Global Issues Soc 450 Week 5 Discussion

Solutions To Global Issues Soc450 Week 5 Discussionone Of The Intended

One of the intended outcomes of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was to “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” in the world. The MDGs, established by the United Nations in 2000, aimed to address critical issues affecting the world's poorest populations by 2015. These goals represented a global commitment to reduce poverty through targeted interventions, including improving access to education, health care, and economic opportunities. The success of this goal has been mixed, with significant progress made, but also notable challenges remaining.

According to the United Nations' 2019 report titled “We Can End Poverty,” the global community has made considerable strides toward eradicating extreme poverty. The report states that the proportion of people living on less than $1.90 per day—a standard measure of extreme poverty—has declined substantially from 36% in 1990 to approximately 9.2% in 2017. This decline represents a remarkable reduction in the number of individuals suffering from extreme poverty, corresponding to about 1.1 billion people who were lifted out of extreme poverty over this period. This progress suggests that the efforts undertaken as part of the MDGs played a crucial role in improving the lives of many of the world’s poorest populations.

Despite these advancements, the goal has not been fully achieved, especially in certain regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia. These areas continue to experience high levels of poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition. Factors such as conflict, economic instability, climate change, and inadequate infrastructure have impeded progress. For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for more than half of the world’s extremely poor people. Furthermore, while the overall percentage of people living in extreme poverty has decreased, the absolute number remains alarmingly high, with millions living on less than $1.90 a day.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and threatened to reverse some of the gains made. The World Bank estimates that between 119 to 124 million people could be pushed back into extreme poverty due to the economic fallout of the pandemic. This setback highlights the importance of sustained investment and policy measures to address the structural issues that contribute to poverty. It also underscores that ending extreme poverty requires ongoing global cooperation and targeted strategies beyond the Millennium Development Goals timeline, which concluded in 2015.

In conclusion, while substantial progress has been made toward eradicating extreme poverty and hunger since the launch of the MDGs, the goal has not been fully realized. The reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty demonstrates the potential of concerted international efforts, but persistent inequalities and new crises like COVID-19 continue to threaten these gains. Moving forward, Sustainable Development Goal 1 aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030. Achieving this ambitious target necessitates comprehensive policies that promote sustainable economic growth, social protection, and resilience-building among vulnerable populations worldwide.

References

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