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Johannesburg, August (GYRP) – Drawing a map is not an obvious solution to tackling poverty. But two major development organisations believe that mapping the distribution of the poor in individual countries can be a big step in the right direction.
In their report "Where are the poor?" the World Resources Institute and UNEP/GRID-Arendal show how poverty maps in 14 countries can help decision-makers at all levels to target their investments to bring the greatest results.
For the first time we have the tools to end human deprivation, the report bravely declares.
"One essential tool is information. In all countries and at all times, information is power. Information forms the basis of knowledge, which can be used to direct finite human and financial resources to projects with the greatest impact on improving the lot of poor people."
Access to information is emerging as a key underlying subject at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), where the report was launched.
The maps provide empowering information in two ways. They help allocate resources, reallocate taxes, target the spread of disease and support social services. And people affected by these decisions are equipped with trustworthy information with which to hold governments, international agencies and the private sector to account.
For example, the map for South Africa helped to contain the spread of cholera in the KwaZulu Natal province in early 2001.
The map for Guatemala showed a direct link between the number of roads and the percentage of the country's poor in a particular region.
"People in the poor regions of the country need roads to get their crops out and tourists in," said Daniel Tunstall, WRI Director of Information Programs, speaking at a side event of the WSSD. "They are isolated."
The maps also can also illustrate the direct link between poverty and the environment.
"There is a supposed dichotomy between poverty and the environment. That notion is frankly silly. It's the press searching for conflict where none exists," said WRI President Jonathan Lash.
The environment is particularly important to poor people because they rely on it for subsistence and employment and suffer disproportionately from disease and premature death if it is degraded. Natural ecosystems are resources for human development. Merely knowing where the resources are or where severe degradation is taking place can unveil solutions to their poverty.
But of course, this is not enough. Mr Tunstall said: "You can change consumption patterns, create new jobs, remove trade barriers and modify policies but this still won't guarantee that you help the poor. You need pro-poor commitments and the ability to hold decision-makers to account."
© THE GLOBAL YOUTH REPORTERS PROGRAMME
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