Social Worker's Vanity Fair: research on World Poverty

I recently had the opportunity to interview Nitika, a social worker. For almost seven years, she has been part of an NGO, called YUVA, working to reduce poverty in India. As an expert on matters of socio-economic and geo-political issues, Nikita uncovers the truth.

Interview Report

Q: What led you to work at an NGO?

A: I chose to work for and with non-profits because I liked working for mission-based organizations rather than profit-based ones. I liked where the priority is to work towards a specific goal that somehow helps fellow citizens rather than primarily working for a board of directors and investors. It is an incredibly humbling feeling to work for people through our NGO programs.

Q: What, according to you, is the leading cause of poverty?

A: According to me, overpopulation in India has led to high unemployment rates and has inhibited the provision of quality public services. The caste system in India has also contributed to the increase in poverty due to the separation of people into thousands of groups. Shortage of capital and able entrepreneurship is another reason poverty is ubiquitous here.

Q: Apart from general systems, are there any indirect ways poverty can potentially harm our society?

A: Poverty is detrimental to society in more ways than one: the vicious cycle of poverty means that lifelong barriers and troubles are passed on from one generation to the next. Unemployment and low incomes create an environment where children are unable to attend school. Children must often work to provide an income for their families. As for children who are able to go to school, many fail to see how hard work can improve their lives as they see their parents struggle with everyday tasks. Ultimately, poverty is a major cause of social tensions and threatens to divide a nation because of income inequality.

Q: What can we, as citizens, do to reduce poverty in our area? 

A: As citizens, the empowerment of women and economically weaker sections of society should be our priority. Their upliftment would definitely reduce poverty. Stress should be given on universal free elementary education. One should keep in mind that the spread of education can reduce poverty to a great extent. Hence, every educated person must try to spread education among illiterate people.

Q: What effects of poverty on our economy have you noticed?

A: Global poverty harms our economy and health to a greater degree than we can imagine. In a country where a household's per capita income and purchasing power fall below a certain minimum standard, there is a lack of medical care and health facilities, productivity is low, and there is illiteracy. This phenomenon, on a much larger scale, indirectly gives rise to epidemics and diseases in society.

Q: What are some of the works done by your NGO that you are proud of?

A: YUVA NGO has run massive awareness, sensitization, and development programs to end the factors that trigger poverty. Beyond that, they execute on-ground initiatives to empower communities.

Q: What are some programs/events that non-members can participate in?

A: Non-members have the opportunity to participate in awareness drives. They can always donate to help us build more free education centers and also participate in weekly lectures we give at various educational institutes.

Q: Personally, what drove you to choose this cause?

A: I chose this because I realized that poverty and inequalities hurt all of us in the long run. They erode social cohesion and create a burden on all taxpayers to pay for poverty reduction, healthcare services, unemployment, crime, and homelessness. Our economic system and well-being are at risk of serious deterioration unless we take action now.

Q: What are your thoughts on poverty being limited to rural sections of India?

A: Poverty is prevalent in urban areas as well. This was something that surprised me a lot. Urban poverty is a form of poverty that is particularly visible in megacities, characterized by poor living circumstances and income, as well as a lack of essential utilities for a decent standard of life. Urban poverty in India is unique, particularly in the way that it follows certain patterns of growth.

Q: According to you, is the “Eradicate Poverty” goal of the UN achievable before the allotted deadline?

A: Several years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are not where we need to be and we are faced with the existential threat of climate change. We face a $2.5 trillion annual SDG investment gap — a gap that is all the more acute in the world’s most vulnerable countries and regions. At the current rate of investment, it will be impossible to achieve the SDGs by 2030. This is bad for people, bad for society, bad for the environment, and bad for business.

Q: Do you think there is a strong correlation between poverty and future success?

A: Poverty unfortunately hampers a child’s future. Having an education is the first step to finding a job and earning money. Without an education, many are left jobless and stuck living in poverty for the rest of their lives. Statistics show that for children who live below the poverty line, the chances of having school success are much lower than their peers.

Q: What is your take on the government schemes that are aimed at eradicating poverty? Do you think that poverty is on a downward trend in India and the rest of the world?

A: Rural growth and poverty alleviation, fast development of infrastructure, speeding up human resource development, and development of non-farm employment are some of the things the government is doing in order to reduce poverty. Due to this, poverty is indeed on a downward trend.

Q: To conclude, what do you think is the best course of action to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor?

A: Increasing the supply of skilled labor and reducing income inequality due to education differentials should be prioritized. Some initiatives that might help mend the gap between the rich and the poor are:

Progressive taxation- the rich are taxed proportionally more than the poor, reducing the amount of income inequality in society.

Minimum wage legislation- raising the income of the poorest workers

Q: If everybody were listening to you now what would you tell them regarding this topic?

A: I would like to urge them to contribute to help eliminate this evil from our society. Education and mass awareness are essential weapons to fight this evil. Adults should encourage youngsters to work for this cause passionately and not just because it looks good on a resume.

Reflections

More needs to be done. We need to tackle the hardest‑to‑reach sectors, from oil and gas to steel, cement, and aluminum; we need to find and scale alternatives. We must ensure that the rapid technology revolution and evolution to 5G utilizes recycled wastewater and renewables to cool and power its data centers. We also must entirely transform our transport and energy infrastructures — we know how to do this, but costs must still come down and CEOs need to partner with national and subnational governments to build the systems we need in place.

While interest in sustainable investing is growing, it is still hampered by misaligned incentives and regulations, narrowly interpreted fiduciary duties, and challenges in identifying, measuring, and reporting on sustainable investments. This prevents the transition to sustainable investing from happening with the urgency the world needs.

The challenge is clear. To address the SDG investment gap, money needs to flow efficiently into sustainable technologies and innovative financial mechanisms. Investors and companies must recognize the key development challenges in the emerging and frontier markets where they operate, and the risks they present for business. At the same time, they must see these markets as a source of potential growth for enterprises that are taking action in support of the SDGs. Making this necessary shift is a challenge not just for the private sector. Development agencies, multilateral finance institutions, regulatory and trade agencies all stand behind this.

We see poverty trying to enslave children and sustain helplessness for generations. And we see the shells of the people it conquers. But poverty doesn’t always win.

In working with kids in poverty all around the world, we see poverty trying to steal joy, destroy dignity and put hope to death. We see poverty trying to enslave children and sustain helplessness for generations. And we see the shells of the people it conquers. But poverty doesn’t always win.

Building a sustainable future requires a unified, collaborative and global approach that isn’t bound by cultures, conditions, or continents. Because a life of poverty means the poor carry a shade of poverty in their hearts and wear it etched on their faces. They become shells of unfulfilled potential and possibility. Efforts to eliminate inequality and extreme poverty in the world have gradually lowered poverty rates in many low- and middle-income countries in South Asia and Latin America. But not everyone has been helped.