FACTS OF POVERTY IN THE WORLD (by Sardar Nadeem Wagan)

[waggan sardar]

                               

FACTS OF POVERTY IN THE WORLD       

 

Almost half the world — over 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world’s 7 richest people combined.

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.

1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, and 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million Died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (or roughly 29,000 children per day).

Over 25,000 children die every day around the world.

That is equivalent to:

1 child dying every 3.5 seconds

17-18 children dying every minute

A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring almost every 1.5 weeks

An Iraq-scale death toll every 16–38 days

Over 9 million children dying every year

Some 70 million children dying between 2000 and 2007