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40% poor live in South Asia: report
KARACHI: Out of the total population of the world, almost one quarter- about 1.6 billion people live in South Asia. Noticeably, more than 40 percent of the world’s poor live in this region. Out of the eight countries, four countries fall in the category of the United Nations (UN) defined least developed countries (LDCs), of which three are landlocked. The share of distribution of GDP among the South Asian countries indicated there was a lack of symmetrical distribution.
These views were expressed at the launching ceremony of a South Asia Report ‘Crises, Vulnerability and Poverty in South Asia-Peoples’ Struggles for Justice and Dignity’ organised by South South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.
Justice (retd) Majida Razvi, Chairperson of Human Rights Commission, Sindh Dr Riaz Shaikh of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) and Zulfiqar Shah Joint Director of PILER spoke.
Majida Razvi appreciated the contents of the report and said it was a reference material. She said the women were the most vulnerable section of the society, who were affected by the poverty.
Dr Riaz Shaikh pointed out it was pity the people of South Asia were suffering hunger despite the fact this area was once famous for provision of food to the entire world. All this is happening because of neo-liberal policies of globalisation. He said the governments of South Asian countries were not spending much on the development of these countries.
SAAPE is a regional platform of civil society organisations, social movements and people’s networks fighting against the structural causes of poverty and social injustices in the region and beyond.
SAAPE has been compiling the South Asian Poverty Report since 2003, focusing the socio-economic development of the region and people’s vulnerability and states’ responses. SAAPE launched its 2013 report with broader analysis of the dominant development paradigm in the South Asian region, highlighting its market centric nature and growth (not equity)-led development, guided by the harmful principles enshrined in the texts of the Washington Consensus and World Trade Organisation (WTO), International Financial Institution (IFIs) and other instruments created for the suppression of the toiling masses in our part of the world.
The Human Development Report of 2013 confirms that in most South Asian countries, the score in terms of the HDI is very low. Out of the 187 countries, Norway ranks first while Niger ranks last. Although Sri Lanka and the Maldives are comparatively better, South Asia as a region is still ‘inhumane’ in terms of access to income, health and education, which is essential for decent living as per international standards.
A majority of the South Asian population is suffering from destitution, deprivation and misery. The latest multi-dimensional poverty estimates show poverty continues to be very high in most South Asian countries. In terms of percentage, it is estimated at 57.8, 53.7, 49.4 and 44.2 percent for Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal respectively.
The Maldives and Sri Lanka have low poverty levels at 5.2 and 5.3 percent, respectively. The same measurements also depict the grave intensity of deprivation in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal, hovering around 50 percent. Likewise, the poverty intensity is high in Bhutan at 43.9 percent (UNDP, 2013).
Despite the oppressive forms of political and economic systems existing in South Asian states, the diverse forms of rights movements in the form of resistance movements are increasing. Peoples’ struggle against the ill forces of suppression, exploitation and marginalisation is becoming more and more purposeful, igniting the hope that these anti-people forces will soon be crippled.
The report has highlighted at the grassroots level, community and cooperative-based production, services and organisations form the important ingredients of an alternative paradigm. Denouncing militarisation and campaigning for mutual trust and cooperation among the South Asian countries should be an implicit part of the alternative paradigm for South Asia.
The report has discussed the broad policy regimes in each state, impacts of neo-liberalism on the poor and vulnerable people, economic globalisation and gender justice, growing militarisation and threats to democracy, resistance movements in South Asia against neo-liberalism and recommended an alternative development paradigm.
It has suggested for the purpose of defending the alternative paradigm, an alliance building of people facing deprivation and marginalisation is the most powerful tool that can challenge the unequal power relations.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk