Aduta’s dismaying story is one example of the ominous poverty the Sudanese are daily exposed to. Such people live in a land that witnessed 15 years of civil war which has totally destroyed the region’s infrastructure, making it difficult for millions of aid dollars to reach the hungry.
The Sudanese crisis is not unique in the Arab world. It only illustrates the high levels of poverty several countries of the region, particularly in North Africa, are facing. UNDP reports show that while some Arab countries are advancing in their fight against poverty, hunger and undernourishment persist in several, particularly Mauritania, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq. In these countries, it is estimated that between 1 to 3 out of every 10 people go hungry and that more than 7 out of 10 are undernourished. While in the second half of the 1990’s poverty rates doubled in Djibouti, the proportion of people struggling to survive increased in Algeria and Morocco where poverty affects 20% of people, as it increased in Jordan and Tunisia, affecting 10% of the people.
Although all the MDGs are of crucial importance for the Middle East and North African region to thrive, Goal 1 is key as it is the pathway to the achievement of other goals. People need to eat and be healthy so that education may be achieved, child mortality reduced, gender equality promoted, maternal health improved, disease combated, and the environment sustained. However, in the UNDP report on the progress of the Millennium Development Goals in the Arab world, it was revealed by the statistics on the progress in the eradication of poverty and undernourishment that the Arab world is unlikely to meet the first Goal by 2015. This estimation is not misleading. Statistical data shows that action is urgent if Goal 1 is to materialize by the 2015 deadline.
In order to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in the Arab world, not only does global partnership have a role to play in opening markets, reducing external debt, increasing development assistance and making access to pharmaceuticals easier, but also, and primarily, the role rests in the hands of the Arab governments themselves. National governments must adopt sensible policy reforms and set priorities for human development. They must fight against social exclusion, increase employment opportunities, deal with gaps between rural and urban areas and indulge women and youth in development and decision making.
As stated in the interim report of the ad hoc working group for youth and the MDGs, youth, in particular, must be incorporated in the decision making process because they can aid in rural development projects and fight against corruption which is the major cause behind poor decision making and money waste. Moreover, with their creative ideas, young people can also start new social and environmental enterprises. Therefore, youth should be allowed to invest in their potential, and governments must generate instruments that would facilitate their participation in actions such as the development of poverty reduction strategy processes and several other development schemes.
For that to happen, young people must have their own national councils and organizations so that their proposals are heard. Their participation in decision making would facilitate the implementation of their proposed strategies and would guarantee that such strategies meet their local concerns. In the light of the severe poverty several areas of the Arab world are suffering, youth proposals must highlight the need to develop community projects in rural areas since they are the mostly affected by poverty. It is also in rural areas where infrastructure is most defective, and youth unemployment high. Similarly, projects must target urban regions where youth can participate in projects of ecological waste and management in slum areas. They can either work independently or as supporters of UN Habitat. Furthermore, youth must be made aware of corruption and be trained in its elimination through country-specific anti-corruption projects and should have access to anti-corruption commissions.
Extreme poverty is a severe anomaly that can paralyze all societal segments and expose entire human groups to the most dehumanizing conditions. In poverty and hunger, people will die from undernourishment, disease, dirty water and improper sanitation. It will not be easy for them to have proper education and all other aspects of their lives will be jeopardized. Unfortunately, many countries of the Arab world still face this dire threat.
This reality is no longer tolerated. The MDGs, and primarily Goal 1, are urgent if the Arab region is to stand on its feet and prosper in a global world. Therefore, not only is global partnership responsible for helping the region to achieve the MDGs, but also national governments. They are urged to adopt wise policy initiatives that can counter the threat of poverty. They are also responsible for allowing the different segments of society, particularly youth, to use their potential and become a powerful bulwark against poverty and hunger. With proper national policies, active youth involvement, and international support, there will be hope that eradicating extreme poverty and hunger may be achieved.
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