- As 2015 approaches, what are the achievements of poverty reduction strategies all over the Third World? - Whoever coined the term “Third World” to lump together all the nations whose development patterns lagged behind Western standards probably did not mean it to be one of mockery.
Nevertheless, that the Third World is poor and backward in many respects is a fact. The gaunt human bodies and forlorn looks cry extreme poverty and hunger in numerous conflict areas. Illiteracy coupled with insanitary and fetid conditions breed diseases.
High mortality from curable diseases is common. Ignorance encourages degradation of the environment to the extent that agricultural livelihood pursuits may no longer be possible by 2030.
Electricity and water are luxury items. Surely human life should not be allowed to be blighted forever in the Third World by such social landmarks.
Thus at the dawn of the new Millennium, political leaders, through the leadership of the UN and the World Bank, instituted action to lift the
Third World from dehumanising conditions. The objectives of a Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) were devised with specific tasks aimed at achieving eight goals, the Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).” Chanted as mantra, the MDGs have 2015 as target date. These goals are aimed at:
• halving extreme poverty and hunger
• achieving universal primary education
• pursuing gender equality and empowerment of women
• reducing child mortality
• improving maternal health
• combating common curable diseases
• enhancing environmental sustainability
• advancing global partnership for development
As laudable as these goals might seem, there were criticisms. Some of the objectives were not clear enough. For example, the definition of extreme poverty as wage-earning capacity of no more than $1.25 a day simply took too many poor people out of the poverty line.
PRS received funding from the government, the World Bank, and the G 8. They were joined later by China in a swift and bounteous way. Favourable conditions for funding were further boosted by high commodity prices.
Then there were also resources from savings from HIPC initiatives and further boosts of specific donor supports by the British Government for maternal health care and from the US in the form of Millennium Challenge Account for infrastructural development. Individual philanthropists such as Bill Gates and George Soros also weighed in.
As 2015 approaches, what are the achievements of poverty reduction strategies all over the Third World? The answer depends on whether one is looking at the bottle as half-empty or half-full.
In Ghana, the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) was converted into Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA). The MDGs were pursued with great social interventions such as National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme and free supply of retroviral drugs. Ghana has been touted as a success story. Post and ante-natal care for mothers and babies have improved; under-five mortality has reduced, the prevalence rate for scourges such as HIV/AIDS and malnutrition have reduced. School enrolment has also improved.
Also of commendable success are affirmative actions and micro-credits that have elevated conditions of women. Success stories have also been told elsewhere such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Senegal, where large populations are alleged to have come out of the poverty snare.
No doubt, there have been great challenges as well. Endemic corruption has dissipated a great proportion of donor funds. Another weakness is lack of local capacity and commitment to manage some of the tasks. There is also the sad spectre of waning interest by some local populations.
Additionally, extreme politicisation of issues dampens the enthusiasm for projects: “If you are pro-government, you support; if you are not on the side of government, at best you sit on the fence and bad mouth initiatives and at worst, you oppose vehemently to cause disaffection.”
That may be a dim picture of a half-empty bottle. Globally, Ghana’s achievements have been claimed as exemplary. In recognition of this fact, the UN has nominated Ghana to play a lead role among 30-member states from five regional blocks to develop sustainable development goals (SDGs) that will be universally applicable, through the Open Working Group (OWG) initiative.
The Rio+20 Conference agreed to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs, which would build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to converge with the post-2015 development agenda.
It was decided that an “inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process open to all stakeholders, with a view to developing global sustainable development goals (GSDGs) to be agreed by the General Assembly, which Ghana is now playing a lead role among the 30-member states representatives, would be established. These sustainability goals are about the environment. They are about the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. It is going to encapsulate biodiversity and the human management of the earth.
As his contribution to the MDGs story, this scribe authored the novel, Blame not the Darkness (Frazierseries, 2012). This book has received a review of the launch copy from an expatriate, Santiago Perez Crespo who used to reside in Ghana. In his estimation “it is a great story courageously and creatively told. It is enthralling but it appeared the copy editor and the publishers were a bit lax.
“Surely, this book needs re-editing and when you do, please include Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) because that is the new story.” To this the scribe is now in a position to respond,
“Book re-edited and is back on the shelves. Grab a copy now!”
Article by Joe Frazier
