Near poverty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Near poverty in economics refers to the state of living on an income marginally above the poverty line, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau at an income "between 100 percent and 125 percent of the poverty line".[1][2] The classification was first studied by the U.S. Census in a 2014 report that showed the number of people living just above the poverty line had decreased since the 1960s, believed to be due to an increase in the number of people who have fallen beneath the poverty line.[2]

UN Sustainable Development Goals[]

More than 10% of the world population i.e. more than 700 million people still live in extreme poverty and lack basic existential needs (healthcare, education, access to water and sanitation etc.). People who are living under 1.9$ per day are considered to live in extreme poverty. Most people living below poverty line live in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Also, high poverty rates are usually found in fragile, small and countries embroiled with conflict. 122 women aged 25-34 are living in poverty compared to 100 men of the same age group. And more than 160 million children are at risk of continuing trend of poverty by 2030.[3]

Number 1 goal of UN Sustainable development goals (SDGs) agenda is to end poverty worldwide till 2030. Fighting poverty means fighting inequality preventing from unemployment, social exclusion, and high vulnerability of certain populations to disasters, diseases. This all is detrimental to economic growth and sustainability. Otherwise, widening social inequality has consequences of increasing political tensions, social conflicts and may lead to instability and conflicts. Also, poverty rate in rural areas worldwide are higher than in urban areas.[4]

Facts and numbers[]

  • Children are more likely to be in near poverty situation than adults. Only about thirty per cent of adults (18-64 years old) live in a near poverty situation. In comparison, there is more than 44 per cent of children (under 18 years old) live in low-income households.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ Hokayem, Charles; Heggeness, Misty L. (May 2014). "Living in Near Poverty in the United States: 1966–2012" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  2. ^ a b El Nasser, Haya (May 1, 2014). "Census: U.S. has fewer 'near poor' as many slip into true poverty". Al Jazeera. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  3. ^ "Ending Poverty".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health (March 2, 2016). "Nearly half of American children living near poverty line". ScienceDaily.
Retrieved from ""