BY Guest Writer
Poverty affects over 700 million people worldwide and is an issue that needs to be addressed. One of the most promising ways to reduce poverty is through a tech connect, which can benefit those in poverty-stricken communities. Poverty is both a global and an individual issue with many interconnected effects. For example, it can influence access to necessities like food, education, and health care, which often leads to a cyclical poverty cycle that can be difficult to break out of. However, in recent years, the world has made incredible progress in reducing extreme poverty. With the right strategies, interventions, and investments, we can get one hundred million people out of multidimensional poverty by 2030. This article will explore multidimensional poverty and how we can work together to achieve this ambitious goal from a technology worldview.
Multidimensional poverty is a term used to describe the simultaneous deprivation of several basic human needs. It is more than just a lack of income; it also includes factors such as health, education, and living standards. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), multidimensional poverty is defined as “the condition of being deprived in multiple ways, for example, in terms of not having enough income to purchase basic goods and services or facing deprivations in health or education.” In other words, someone considered multidimensionally poor suffers from several deprivations that make it difficult for them to lead a prosperous and fulfilling life.
While income poverty is certainly one aspect of multidimensional poverty, it is not the only factor. In fact, the condition of health, level of education and training, and standards are all important dimensions of poverty that must be considered when trying to understand the true extent of someone’s deprivation.
The UNDP’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) considers all these factors when measuring poverty. The index looks at ten indicators across three dimensions: health (including child mortality, nutrition), education (with years of schooling, child school attendance), and standard of living (cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets). Each indicator is scored on a scale from 0 to 1, with 1 indicating the worst possible score. Each of the three broad measures represents a third of the bigger impact, and a person is considered multidimensionally poor if they are deprived in at least 33% of the indicators used in the MPI. This means that they are likely suffering from a significant lack of resources.
At this point, we should examine the different types of multidimensional poverty. We will consider four different types of poverty categorized as multi-dimensional.
You will agree that technology can help get people out of this type of poverty by providing access to useful information and opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have. And with a sound and well-informed mind come several additions. For example, the internet can provide people in developing countries with access to education, training, and job resources that they wouldn’t otherwise have – from a personal view, Udemy and Coursera, among other online platforms, have helped developed me into a person with skill in high demand across the world. Along with this development of new skill sets comes the opportunity to work multiple jobs (from home) worldwide and earn foreign currency. Additionally, technology can help people in poverty start and grow their businesses with access to guides and tools. For example, mobile phones can allow people to connect with customers and suppliers, even in remote areas. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook let us connect with people from within our homes. Technology can also help people save money by providing them with access to banking services and other financial tools.
Moreover, we need to examine the causes of multidimensional poverty. Although it is a complex phenomenon with numerous causes, in many cases, it is the result of a combination of factors that interact with each other to create a situation of poverty. Some of the most common causes of multidimensional poverty include:
– Lack of access to essential services: This includes access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare, education, and others. When people lack access to these services, they are more likely to experience poverty.
– Lack of economic opportunities: This can be due to structural problems in the economy, such as a lack of jobs or growing underemployment numbers. It can also be caused by personal factors such as low levels of education or skills. Technology resolves all these with access to the right information and tools and unlimited exposure to opportunities within the global space.
– Social exclusion: This happens when people are excluded from participating in society due to their ethnic group, religion, caste, or other factors. This can lead to poverty because they miss opportunities and face discrimination due to factors completely outside their circle of control.
– Gender inequality: Women often experience greater poverty levels than men because they have less power and resources. This is especially true in patriarchal societies where women are expected to perform unpaid care work and have fewer rights.
– Natural disasters: Poverty can be caused or exacerbated by natural disasters such as floods, droughts, or earthquakes. This is because people lose their homes and livelihoods and may not have the resources to recover – one reason for the increase of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in a country like Nigeria.
Besides, the effects of multidimensional poverty are both immediate and long-term. Immediate effects include poor health, lack of education, and low productivity. These in turn lead to a vicious cycle of poverty that is difficult to escape. The long-term effects of multidimensional poverty are even more devastating, entrenching people in a cycle of poverty that is passed down from generation to generation.
Multidimensional poverty has far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. It traps people in a difficult cycle of deprivation to break out of. The immediate effects of multidimensional poverty include poor health, lack of education, and low productivity. Poor health leads to work absenteeism, which reduces earnings and increases the likelihood of being trapped in poverty. Lack of education limits job opportunities and earning potential, making it harder to escape poverty. Low productivity results in lower wages and fewer job opportunities, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. This is the most devastating blow and fuels the mindset that perpetuates this kind of poverty
The long-term effects of multidimensional poverty are even more severe. Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience stunted growth, poor health, and cognitive delays. They are also more likely to drop out of school and become trapped in a cycle of intergenerational poverty. Multidimensional poverty also has a ripple effect on communities, leading to increased crime rates and social unrest.
Addressing multidimensional poverty is essential for achieving sustainable development goals. Eradicating extreme poverty will require more than just a wish.
At this juncture, we will examine how to get one hundred million people out of multidimensional poverty. Like several other things of such nature, there are multiple dimensions to poverty and, as a result, multiple ways to get people out of it. To reach the goal, we must first identify the different dimensions of poverty and then create targeted interventions for each.
The most common way to measure poverty is through income. However, this only captures one aspect of what it means to be poor. Other important dimensions include access to basic services like education and healthcare, nutrition, housing, water, and sanitation. We must consider all of these factors to get a more holistic picture of poverty. However, with a good income comes many attending benefits; and technology is one notable way to address cash inflow on a massive scale.
The government and private companies can work on initiatives to improve access to educational opportunities for those living in poverty at the grassroots. This could include scholarships, after-school programs, or teacher training. The relevant type of skill is pertinent in this regard, and technology today accounts for over 50% of the highest-paying remote jobs globally.
Nutrition is another critical dimension of poverty. Malnutrition can lead to stunted growth, increased susceptibility to disease, and even death. To address this issue, we must ensure that poor people access nutritious food – tech connects people, and with well-localized systems, we can reach people in remote places from the surface of their mobile devices. This could involve food assistance programs, farmers’ markets, or daily tips on home gardening initiatives. If we want to get one hundred million people out of multidimensional poverty, it will require a multi-pronged approach that considers all aspects of their lives. By targeting specific interventions at people at the chain’s weakest link, we build the required teamwork and confidence to get the work and momentum going. Technology can provide opportunities for people to improve their lives in a number of ways, including:
– Education: Technology can provide access to educational opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable.
– Employment: Technology can create new employment opportunities and help people to connect with potential employers.
– Health care: Technology can help to improve access to health care services and information.
– Housing: Technology can help to improve access to affordable housing options.
Next, we consider some case studies of countries that drastically reduced poverty across their citizenry. In the past three decades, many developing countries have significantly reduced poverty. China and India, for example, have lifted millions of people out of poverty through economic growth and targeted social programs. Other countries, such as Bangladesh and Nepal, have also made considerable progress in reducing poverty, despite having much lower levels of economic development. There are several different approaches that countries have used to reduce poverty. One common approach is to invest in economic growth and target social programs specifically for poor households. Another approach is to improve access to education, health care, and other basic services. You will agree again that tech can be used to facilitate and simplify this access while also measuring impact and reach. Some countries have used a combination of these approaches to reduce poverty successfully. These case studies from countries that have successfully reduced poverty can provide useful insights for other developing countries working to achieve similar goals. China, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal all offer valuable lessons for other nations striving to reduce poverty levels.
In conclusion, the global challenge of getting hundreds of millions of people out of multidimensional poverty requires a multi-faceted approach. To achieve this monumental goal, it will be necessary to focus on measures such as economic development and social welfare programs, improve access to education and healthcare services, invest in infrastructure initiatives, and address issues related to gender equality. And the measurement and accessibility to the afore can be made possible on the wheels of tech. By considering all these elements and political commitment at local, national, and international levels, we can move closer to eradicating extreme poverty.
Thank you for the investment in time. Please follow me on Medium: https://medium.com/@roariyo and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olufemi-ariyo-923ba6130/
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