Why eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

More than a billion people worldwide still live in extreme poverty, and many more experience hunger and are vulnerable to environmental or price shocks. Nearly one-third of children in developing countries are underweight or stunted low height for age , and undernutrition contributes to one-third of all child deaths.

A meaningful path out of poverty requires a strong economy that produces jobs and good wages; a government that can provide schools, hospitals, roads, and energy; and healthy, well-nourished children who are the future human capital that will fuel economic growth. Between and , the Bank Group supported basic nutrition services for more than million pregnant women, nursing mothers, adolescent girls, and children under 5. The Bank Group has joined with more than partner agencies and organizations to endorse Scaling Up Nutrition: A Framework for Action, which sets forth principles and priorities for action to address undernutrition and help countries reach the Millennium Development Goals by Read More».

Read More ». The 8 Goals: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4.

The remarkable progress in China led to reduction in extreme poverty in Eastern Asia from 61 percent to 4 percent between and In contrast, the rate of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa did not change between and The rate of poverty decline has accelerated since, though more than 40 percent of sub-Saharan population continues to live extreme poverty in Worse still, extreme poverty in Western Asia was expected to increase between and Current estimates suggest that nearly million people living in the developing regions are undernourished, which means that one in nine people do not have enough to eat.

However, this translated to a 50 percent drop in the proportion of undernourished people in developing countries — from Final note Progress in hunger reduction has been significant despite the challenging global environment over the last decade. Major challenges have included rising unemployment, higher food and energy prices, volatile commodity prices, economic recessions, frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters, and political instability and civil strife.

These obstacles have slowed down progress in reducing extreme poverty and hunger in some of the most vulnerable nations of the world. Even though the MDG targets have been met, it will be extremely difficult to eliminate the remaining extreme poverty and hunger. The methane emissions from the Alberta Tar Sands threaten global food and water security.

Educated girls are likely to marry later and have healthier children. To that end, UNICEF works in countries, calling on development agencies, governments, donors and communities to step up efforts on behalf of education for all children, and then coordinating those efforts.

Programmes differ from country to country according to needs and cultures, but may include help with funding, logistics, information technology, school water and sanitation, and a child- and gender-friendly curriculum. Supporting good nutrition. UNICEF seeks to help stem the worst effects of malnutrition by funding and helping countries supply micronutrients like iron and vitamin A, which is essential for a healthy immune system, during vaccination campaigns or through fortified food.

UNICEF, governments, salt producers and private sector organizations are also working to eliminate iodine deficiency, the biggest primary cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage, through the Universal Salt Iodization USI education campaign. UNICEF also works through communities to talk with child caregivers about how to provide sound nutrition for children, particularly via breastfeeding.

In emergency situations, UNICEF assesses the nutritional and health needs of affected people, protects and supports breastfeeding by providing safe havens for pregnant and lactating women, provides essential micronutrients, supports therapeutic feeding centres for severely malnourished children, and provides food for orphans. Assisting in water and sanitation improvement. And some million children, one in five, have no access to safe water.

Meanwhile, unsafe water and sanitation cause about 4, child deaths per day. Through advocacy, funding and technical assistance, UNICEF works in more than 90 countries around the world to improve water supplies and sanitation facilities in schools and communities and to improve and promote safe hygiene practices.

In emergencies UNCIEF provides safe water, and helps displaced communities replace or find new water resources and build latrines. Increasingly, UNICEF emphasizes preventive programs that strengthen the capacity of governments and partners to prepare for these worst case situations. Creating a protective child environment. Conflicts are most frequent in poor countries, especially in those that are ill governed and where there are sharp inequalities between ethnic or religious groups.

An environment of unrest heightens the risk of abduction, sexual violence and exploitation of children, as well as the struggle for shelter, education and survival. Toward fulfilling a central goal of the Millennium Declaration, protection of the vulnerable, UNICEF advocates for awareness and monitoring of these issues, and for tougher laws for child exploiters. Working with individuals, civic groups, governments and the private sector in the field, UNICEF helps establish and strengthen local safety nets for children, like community child-care centers, schools, and basic social services.