Hunger
Hunger
Call for Progress on Climate Change and Poverty
Nobel laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, says almost one billion more people will face a life of extreme poverty unless world leaders make progress on poverty and climate change at two crucial summits this year.
Tutu is backing ‘action/2015’, a campaign which was launched by 1 000 groups - representing interests ranging from human rights and the environment to development and health - to put pressure on governments ahead of a United Nations summit in September 2014.
The New York summit is expected to see world leaders agree on a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years to replace and build on the 15-year-old Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which expire this year.
To read the article titled, “Malala, Tutu back global anti-poverty push,” click here.Source:Times LiveChild Grants Likely to Extend to 23 Years
Talks are under way in government to possibly extend child grants for needy children from 18 years of age to 23.
According to City Press newspaper, the proposal has been met with mixed reaction, with some roleplayers welcoming it and others questioning the timing of the move and saying that such a step will make people that much more dependent on government.
Lumka Oliphant, spokesperson for the minister of social development, Bathabile Dlamini, responded to enquiries by saying no policy decision had yet been taken, but Dlamini had begun talks about the issue.
“This is about our investment in human capital,” she adds.
To read the article titled, “Child grants until age 23,” click here.Source:City PressPolicies Lift Millions Out of Poverty
The World Bank says South Africa's fiscal policies lifted 3.6 million people out of poverty in 2010/11.
The South African Economic Update, found that South Africa's fiscal policies are cutting the rates of poverty and inequality, and that tax and social benefits are effectively redistributing income from rich to poor.
World Bank economist, Catriona Purfield, points out that, "We find that fiscal policy is very progressive in South Africa - it benefits the poor more than the rich."
To read the article titled, “3.6 million people lifted out of poverty by SA fiscal policies: World Bank,” click hereSource:Times LiveAfricans Worst Affected by Undernourishment
Africa is lagging behind in tackling hunger with reports showing that over 25 percent of Africa’s population suffer from acute undernourishment.
According to the 2014 Hunger Map and a report titled the ‘State of Food Insecurity in the World: Strengthening the Enabling Environment for Food Security and Nutrition’ jointly prepared by World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the number of hungry people has fallen by over 200 million since 1992.
The report says 805 million people, or one in nine of the world’s population, go to bed hungry each night, adding that sub-Saharan Africa is in the worst condition worldwide with one in four of its people suffering from undernourishment.
To read the article titled, “Sub-Saharan Africans worst affected by undernourishment,” click here.Source:Mail and GuardianCall to Tackle Poverty, Unemployment
Small Business Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, has warned that people will rise up if there is no change in the levels of inequality, unemployment and poverty in South Africa.
Speaking at the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference in Johannesburg, Zulu pointed out that, "When the people that have been struggling for many, many years find that the gap between the poor and the rich keeps on expanding, one day they will get up and say enough is enough…”
She is of the view that if that happens, the government that will go out with guns blazing to shoot them, adding that, “Marikana was a very good example for us, we are not going to make that happen again."
To read the article titled, “No change in inequality, poverty, unemployment will lead to people rising up: Lindiwe Zulu,” click here.Source:Times LiveCall for a Realistic Approach to End Hunger
Oxfam says that a more holistic and integrated approach needs to be developed to end the scourge of hunger in South Africa.
Oxfam Economic Justice Campaign manager, Rashmi Mistry, says that according to the report ‘The Hidden Face of Hunger in South Africa’, low incomes, rising costs, a lack of access to productive resources and climate change are amongst the reasons causing 13 million people to go to bed hungry.
“In our dialogue with government, we discovered that the gap between their implementation, policies and strategies is very far from what people actually need and are experiencing on the ground and that needs to change.”
To read the article titled, “Ending hunger needs a more realistic approach: Oxfam,” click here.Source:SABC NewsSouth Africans to Celebrate World Food Day
16 October is World Food Day and as the 20th World Food Day since the inception of democracy in South Africa, a grim shadow of hunger and malnutrition hangs over the gains of the democratic era.
In his article, Daniel Mclaren argues that while Section 27 of the South African Constitution guarantees the right to have access to sufficient food to all people in our country, a growing body of research on access to sufficient and nutritious food shows that this most basic of rights remains far from being fulfilled for millions of South Africans.
He further states that as a result of lack of access to nutritious food, South Africa is experiencing a double crisis of both underweight and overweight adults.
To read the article titled, “As World Food Day approaches, one in four South Africans are hungry,” click here.Source:All AfricaCalls for Renewed Global Push to End Poverty
In the report, ‘Financing Africa’s Future: The Fight Against Poverty’, the ONE campaign laments setbacks in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty around the world and called for a renewed drive to that end.
ONE says that some progress has been made, noting that the proportion of people living on less than US$1.25 a day has been halved over the past two decades.
The organisation praises such countries as Britain, Japan, Germany, Norway France, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands for increased aid.
The advocacy organisation of nearly six million people - cofounded by Bono of the music group U2 - aims to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, and is funded by foundations, individual philanthropists and corporations.To read the article titled, “Advocacy group urges renewed global push to end Africa poverty,” click here.
Source:The CitizenFragile States Unable to Meet Citizens Needs
According to Sue George, editor of Guardian Creative, fragile states - low-income countries where the state is weak due to disagreements over its legitimacy or capabilities – are often unable to meet their citizens’ basic needs.
According to the World Bank, progress to ending extreme poverty is much slower in fragile states than elsewhere and it estimates that by 2030, 40 percent of the world’s poor will live in states that are fragile or affected by conflict.
As a result, many organisations working in various parts of the development sector have projects designed to improve this situation.
To read the article titled, “Expect the unexpected: starting successful partnerships in fragile states, click here.Source:The GuardianAngola’s Poverty Programme Commended
Fernando Pontes Pereira, the State secretary for local Administration within Angola’s Ministry of Territorial Administration, states that the development works, in the framework of the integrated programme to fighting hunger and poverty are in a good path.
Pereira asserts that among the programmes in execution, greater attention has been given to the projects in education and water supply.
He further adds that, the quality of works must be taken in account - the human resources and other factors - as a situation that guarantees the materialisation of infrastructures.
To read the article titled, “State secretary praises works of programme against poverty,” click here.Source:All Africa
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