In the NY times, Nicholas Kristof suggests a new concept for our political leaders, to wage a war on poverty. Switch the efforts from the war in Iraq, to global poverty... His article blends the ideas of seeking to help people in other areas of the world despite no major disaster, despite no major famous stars advocating aid due to the tsunami, earthquake but simply just because. (See NY Times Waging a War we could be proud of, January 10, 2006, by Nicholas D. Kristof)
His article focused on 3 elements,
-Wiping out malaria
(two million people a year die from this unnecessarily)
-Cutting maternal mortality in half
(Since some of the countries such as Honduras and Sri Lanka have proven methods to cut mortality in half, it does not seem to be logical to allow more than 500,000 women die yearly in pregnancy and childbirth...)
-Educating girls
(this would result in obvious positive consequences, Kristof notes that jobs and healthier children would result and the right to complain regarding injustices. His point is valid and in addition educating girls would empower women to resist oppression, an important issue and an ignored one for too long)
Wow what a concept! If we just push this example further, could you imagine if we only started a war on illiteracy, war on oppression, war on inequality?? My mind is soaring to the possibilities. Anyway, just had to mention this article and praise the efforts of Mr. Kristof, for attempting to realign the world's (or based on his suggestion the US's) efforts on something that could shift humanity's condition for the better.
3 comments:
As the world shifts toward globalisation, I don't think governments will be able to ignore the plights of the poor in other countries. Hopefully this globalisation thing will evolve so that it will be in the richer countries' best interest to aid the populations of the poor countries, because governments don't do anything that does not benefit them directly.
(Actually, my high school US Gov. teacher defined foreign policy as "doing what is in your nation's best interest.")
And no matter how we become globalised, there're going to be growing pains. Some people let that deter them, but as long as some people keep pushing on we'll get there eventually.
I think it's going to be decades before we become just a world of people as opposed to isolated nations, though.
Thanks Maja, but I always hope. More visionairies and thinkers need to get into the global dialogue, women have to become more in the forefront and things will happen.
Anyway, I realized my blog might become targeted by security layers in the US due to the title...does anyone think I should change it?
Great Title! I hope the security layers find your blog - it might give them some great ideas!
Just want to recommend another book to others, which is tops on my wish list:
The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time
by Jeffry Sachs
ISBN: 1594200459
This guy is an amazing economist and he gives very practical realistic ways of eliminating the 'extreme poverty' (which kills 20,000 people a day) in the world by 2025. Its fascinating stuff. I have to be honest though that what drew me to look at the book originally was the foreward by Bono! See the review on amazon
Sham
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