Bridging the Gap

2056 Words5 Pages

In a society where 85% of global wealth is held by a mere 10% of the population, we in developed countries, have the duty to take an active approach in bridging the gap between the social classes and working to end extreme poverty (“Pioneering Study”). Poverty is possibly the most serious issues we face on a global scale. A society is measured by the treatment of its vulnerable and many in our global community are struggling for basic human needs. Though eradicating poverty not only helps those less fortunate; but it helps us all, through a more equal distribution of wealth, bettering technologies, and access to more and better resources. Helping others is not only a moral accomplishment, but will raise the overall standard of living. Eradicating poverty is not only possible but proper solutions have already been found. As of now we have the means and resources to feed, educate, and maintain the health of the nearly 7 billion inhabitants of this Earth. All that is needed is for those with the means and opportunities to take an active approach in achieving these goals and for developed nations, such as the United States to spearhead the campaign.

What is poverty?

Extreme poverty is defined by lacking the annual income to meet the most basic of human needs including limited access to adequate food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation, health care, or education. Until 2008, the agreed upon line of poverty was defined by living on less than one US dollar a day. After much reassessment, it was determined that these basic needs could still not be met at under $1.25 a day, causing the number of people worldwide living under the poverty line to be raised by 40% (Singer 6). With the raising of this line, awareness was also raised to th...

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...nly had the opportunity. By helping them, we will all be bettering the future generations of our global community.

Works Cited

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Ki-Moon, Ban. “Address about MDG.” MDG side event. UNDP. 22 Sep. 2010.

Larivee, Rita. “Meditating on mud cakes.” National Catholic Reporter 44.18(2008):2. Print.

“Pioneering Study Shows Richest Two Percent Owns Half the World Wealth.” World Institute Institute for Development Economics Research. United Nations University. 5 Dec. 2006. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.

“Poverty Facts and Statistics.” Global Issues. Anup Shah. 20 Sep. 2010. Web. 23 Jan. 2011.

Singer, Peter. “America’s Shame.” Chronicle of Higher Education 55.27(2009) Print.

“What are the Millennium Development Goals?” United Nations Development Programme. United Nations. Web. 19 Jan. 2010.

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