By: Brian Njenga
The world’s commitment to ending poverty by 2030, as embodied in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #1, stands as one of the most ambitious yet urgent global pledges. This target—to eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere—is a noble objective, and progress has been made over the past few decades.
However, this progress has been uneven, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed glaring weaknesses in global poverty alleviation strategies. With only six years remaining until the 2030 deadline, questions arise as to whether the current approach is comprehensive enough to address the multidimensional complexities of poverty, particularly in low-income countries.
While the SDGs remain the world’s primary framework for sustainable development, it is crucial to examine alternative paradigms like Ubuntu, Swaraji, and Degrowth that offer fresh perspectives on addressing poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. This article explores these global and local lenses, highlighting where the SDG framework falls short and what can be done to ensure a more equitable future.
SDG #1: An Overview
At the heart of SDG #1 is the goal to eradicate extreme poverty. The globally recognized definition targets those living below a household income of two dollars and fifteen cents per person a day.
Significant strides have been made, especially in reducing extreme poverty in regions like East Asia and the Pacific, where millions have lifted themselves out of this dire condition. Yet, the decline in poverty has been far from uniform. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, the number of people living in extreme poverty has remained stubbornly high, and the region is home to more than half of the world’s poorest.
These discrepancies are closely tied to the varying levels of social protection across income groups. In high-income countries, social protection systems are more robust, offering safety nets that help prevent vulnerable populations from falling into poverty. However, according to a Social Security paper by the International Labour Office, low-income countries suffer from a lack of comprehensive social protection, leaving millions vulnerable. For example, only 23.2% of older persons in low-income countries receive social protection cash benefits, compared to 77.5% in high-income nations. The gap between government spending on essential services—such as education, healthcare, and social protection—reflects these disparities. In 2021, advanced economies spent 62% of their budgets on such services, while emerging economies spent only 44%.
While SDG #1 aspires to leave no one behind, its implementation is hampered by these persistent inequalities, particularly in regions that are most vulnerable to poverty and economic shocks.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Poverty
Impoverished child
The COVID-19 pandemic intensified poverty around the world, pushing an estimated 97 million more people into extreme poverty, as a 2021 report from the World Bank revealed. The pandemic laid bare the inadequacies of global social protection systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where government support was either insufficient or non-existent.
To begin with, worldwide, no more than 47% of the population has access to even one form of social protection. For vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, the coverage is even lower. A mere 26.4% of children under the age of 15 worldwide receive social protection cash benefits. The pandemic revealed just how fragile these systems are, and it underscored the urgent need for governments to expand their safety nets to prevent future crises from plunging millions more into poverty.
Despite the modest increase in government spending on essential services during the pandemic, these measures have been largely insufficient to counter the long-term effects of the economic downturn. The disparities between high-income and low-income countries continue to widen, further delaying the achievement of SDG #1.
Disaster Vulnerability and Poverty
Another critical factor in the fight against poverty is the growing vulnerability to natural disasters, especially in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). While disaster-related mortality has declined globally—falling from 1.64 deaths per 100,000 in 2005–2015 to 0.86 deaths in 2012–2021—the number of people affected by disasters has surged.
On average, 151 million people are impacted by disasters each year, with vulnerable countries bearing the brunt of this burden. In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, disasters such as floods, droughts, and cyclones can wipe out years of economic progress, further entrenching poverty. This growing vulnerability underscores the need for stronger disaster risk reduction strategies and more significant investment in building resilience among the world’s poorest communities.
The Promise and Shortcomings of the SDGs
While the SDGs have provided a global roadmap for development, they have not yielded the expected results in many regions, particularly in Africa and other developing areas. According to the UN SDG 2023 report, if current trends continue, only one-third of countries will halve national poverty by 2030. Poverty is not just about income; it is a multidimensional issue that includes health, education, employment, and access to basic services. However, the current SDG framework may not fully address these interconnected deprivations.
In countries where national poverty indicators have been expanded to include multidimensional measures, such as health and education, progress has been limited. It is imperative that authorities, globally, target poverty’s root causes and formulate increased customized interventions that can reconcile the distinctive challenges of varying regions.
Alternative Approaches: Ubuntu, Swaraji, and Degrowth
To address the limitations of the SDG framework, there is growing interest in alternative worldviews that emphasize community, sustainability, and equity.
Tired little African girl who is desperately looking in the rubbish heap for objects that can be used; extreme poverty and hopelessness in East Africa
- Ubuntu: This African philosophy underscores the importance of interdependence and collective responsibility. It promotes a vision of poverty reduction that goes beyond individual wealth and focuses on social cohesion, justice, and equity. By encouraging communities to take collective action, Ubuntu could offer a more culturally relevant approach to poverty alleviation, particularly in Africa.
- Swaraji: Originating from India, Swaraji emphasizes self-reliance and local governance. It advocates for development that is in harmony with nature and planetary boundaries. In the context of SDG #1, Swaraji could inspire communities to take control of their own development paths, prioritizing sustainable and inclusive growth over industrialization and consumerism.
- Degrowth: This approach challenges the notion that economic growth is the ultimate solution to poverty. Degrowth advocates for a shift away from consumerism, suggesting that a good life is possible with fewer material goods. This framework could offer a viable alternative for countries that want to reduce poverty without exacerbating environmental degradation.
Recommendations for a Sustainable Future
The pathway to eradicating poverty by 2030 is still within reach, but it requires bold action and political will. Governments, NGOs, and international organizations need to leverage holistic approaches that take into account poverty’s root causes instead of its symptoms. This means combining the global frameworks of the SDGs with localized solutions inspired by alternative worldviews like Ubuntu, Swaraji, and Degrowth.
Policymakers must also prioritize social protection, disaster resilience, and equitable access to essential services. By empowering communities, fostering inclusive development, and respecting environmental limits, the world can take meaningful strides toward achieving No Poverty.
Conclusion
SDG #1 represents a bold vision for a world free of poverty, but significant gaps remain in its implementation. To ensure that no one is left behind, the global community must embrace a combination of global frameworks and local solutions. By incorporating philosophies like Ubuntu, Swaraji, and Degrowth, we can move toward a more equitable, just, and sustainable world, where poverty becomes a thing of the past.
Photo Credit: Pexels: Abhishek Goel & Artsy Solomon
