Education as the great equalizer, part I

June 14, 2010

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No doubt poverty is one of the most important sources of suffering for too many human beings in this world. Fortunately there are a lot of people seriously fighting against poverty, which is considered by many experts as a complex phenomenon that needs to be understood in order to be defeated.

What is poverty?

According to the United Nations Development Programme "Standard definitions of poverty usually focus on the lack of income or economic deprivation. Poverty also encompasses the lack of access to an education, basic healthcare or clean drinking water, or to influence political processes and other factors that matter to people".

What causes poverty?

Several experts in this field find "basic causes" for poverty, one of which is, by example, overpopulation. By one hand overpopulation and lack of access to birth control methods lead to poverty. By the other hand poverty causes overpopulation and usually gives women little power to have a good level of education, a career, a profession and even to plan childhood. But if overpopulation is considered a cause of poverty in poor countries, it isn't the same in developed countries as United States or Japan.

Another such considered "basic cause" is the unequal distribution of resources in the world's economy, which is usually related to the difference of possibilities between developed and developing countries. This profoundly important and vital aspect mainly requires governments' strategies and policies to reach a solution.

The United Nations is involved in supporting development. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is the largest multilateral source of grant technical assistance in the world.

But again it doesn't explain the poverty in the big cities of rich countries. I think it is difficult to affirm that there is lack of possibilities and opportunities for people to improve their economical situations.

Then, why is it possible that in the midst of the world's richest cities persist grinding poverty?

It has been demonstrated that in most cases, the causes and effects of poverty interact. This interaction produces the following effect: what makes people poor also creates conditions that keep them poor.

Returning to the definition given by the United Nations Development Programme, I want to take into consideration this affirmation "poverty also encompasses the lack of access to an education".

In fact without education, at least &#&elementary education&#& but better middle and &#&high school&#& education, most people cannot find income-generating work.