Eradicating Extreme

Poverty & Hunger

Presentation by Lauren Johnson

UN General Assembly

The General Assembly (GA)

is the main deliberative,
policymaking and
representative organ of the
UN

Established in 1945 under

theCharter of the United
Nations

Comprising all193 Members

of the UN, allowing it to
provide a unique forum for
multilateral discussion on
international

Each country has one vote

Current president is Sam

Kahamba Kutesa

 Makes recommendations

GA
Functions

on international issues
Oversees all other UN

bodies which must

report to the GA
annually
Approves the UN budget

and apportions UN
expenses
Elects the Secretary-

General
Holds authority to admit

and expel Member

States

Millennium Development
Goals

Millennium Summit in September 2000 largest gathering of world leaders in

history

Adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing nations to a new global

partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of timebound targets

Deadline of 2015

MDGs are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing
extreme poverty in its many dimensions

MDGs also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to
health, education, shelter, and security

Sustainable Development
Goals

Eradicating Extreme Poverty and

Hunger
Three targets:
1.

Halve between 1990 and

2015, the proportion of
people whose income is
less than $1 a day

2.

Achieve full and

productive employment
and decent work for all,
including women and
young people

3.

Halve, between 1990 and

2015, the proportion of
people who suffer form
hunger

Indicators

Target 1.Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the

proportion of people whose income is less than
$1 a day

1.Proportion of population below $1 per day

(World Bank)

Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty]

(World Bank)

Share of poorest quintile in national

consumption (World Bank)

Target 3.Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the

proportion of people who suffer from hunger

Prevalence of underweight children under five

years of age (UNICEF-WHO)

Proportion of population below minimum level of

dietary energy consumption (FAO)

Poverty
In 1995 UN adopted two definitions of poverty.
Absolute poverty: characterized by severe

deprivation of basic human needs, including

food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities,
health, shelter, education and information.
Depends not only on income but also on access
to services.
Overall poverty: Includes all characteristics of

absolute poverty. Also characterized by lack of

participation in decision making and in civil,
social and cultural life.

Poverty
International poverty line set at $1 a day at time MDGs

established in 2000

Since 2008, World Bank has defined people living in

extreme poverty as those living on less than $1.25 a day

According to most recent estimates, in 2011, 17% of

people in developing world lived at or below $1.25 a day

Despite progress, some 1 billion people will still live in

extreme poverty in 2015

Additionally, 2.2 billion people lived on less than $2 a

day in 2011, the average poverty line in developing

countries

Poverty encompasses
Food
Shelter
Healthcare & Sanitation
Education
Autonomy
Social integration
Gender equality

Domestic Issues Perpetuating

Poverty
Lack of property rights
Inefficient institutions
Government corruption
Lack of infrastructure (i.e. roads, information

networks)
Disempowerment of agricultural workers
Gender inequality

Property Rights

Many poor people have no security in their assets because

they lack legal title to their property

In rural Peru, for example, 70% of poor peoples property is

not recognized by the state

Lack of legal protection limits the wealth-creating potential of

the poor because they:

cannot use collateral to get a loan

cannot take out insurance

find it difficult to plan in the long term

According to Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, assets of

the poor are worth 40 times value of all foreign aid since 1945

Wealth of Haitis poor, for example, is more than 150 times

greater than all foreign investment in that country since its
independence in 1804

Inefficient Institutions

Prison dormitory at Comayagua prison, Honduras

Government
Corruption

Corruption delays, distorts,

and diverts economic
growth

Cyclical: poverty invites

corruption, while corruption
increases poverty

In corrupt markets,
inefficient forms and
dishonest service providers
have major advantages
over honest competitors

Aid from non-governmental

organizations may be more
effective than
governmental aid in the
case, because it is more
likely to reach those in
need and will be better
controlled at the grassroots
level