May 5: Eliminating poverty, eliminating war?

Prevent War: Eliminating poverty, eliminating war?

May 21, 2008

“A world where some live in comfort and plenty, while half of the human race lives on less than $2 per day, is neither just nor stable. Including all of the world's poor in an expanding circle of development and opportunity is a moral imperative and one of the top priorities of U.S. international policy.”

— 2002 National Security Strategy

Seriously addressing and preventing deadly conflict requires looking at the underlying structures of inequality. Read on to learn about steps you can take to help the U.S. government improve its ability to reduce global poverty.

Topics in this message:

  1. How to tackle global poverty?
  2. Action: Urge your senators to cosponsor the Global Poverty Act of 2007
  3. Additional resources
  4. New resources at FCNL.org

1) How to tackle global poverty?

In 2000 the international community convened at the United Nations (UN) for the Millennium Summit to discuss the U.N.’s role in the 21st century. Global leaders identified much work to do: stark economic and social inequalities had helped create a world where more than 2 billion people live on less than two dollars a day. During the summit meetings, world leaders developed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which committed UN member states to an agenda that would make the world a safer, healthier place in the 21st century.

The most ambitious of the eight goals is to completely eradicate extreme global poverty. “Extreme global poverty” is defined as living on less than one dollar a day, whereas “global poverty” is living on less than two dollars a day. The MDGs committed the world to reduce by half the number of people living on less than two dollars a day and to completely eliminate extreme poverty, both by 2015. These goals are ambitious, but economists and politicians alike believe they are achievable.

Why is eliminating extreme poverty important? In an age of unprecedented wealth, the existence of extreme global poverty is morally untenable. As noted in the 2002 National Security Strategy above, global poverty also undermines political stability in many lesser developed countries. This can lead to many unintended consequences such as increased refugee and immigration flows to richer and more stable countries, as well as the disruption of global trade and oil supplies.

The problem is clear, but what are the solutions? In order to alleviate global poverty it's important to look carefully at the structural causes of inequality and address them. Unequal trade practices, lack of education, and poor access to markets often hampers development in lesser developed countries. With political will and a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy, U.S. trade practices can be made more fair and U.S. development assistance can be made more effective in reducing global poverty.

Implementing a long-term U.S. strategy to help lift vulnerable populations out of poverty is morally right, a necessity for decreasing conflict, and will help keep our promised commitment to the MDGs. Unfortunately, eight years after the Millennium Summit, the United States still has not developed a long-term plan to achieve these international poverty reduction goals.

2) Action: Urge your senator to cosponsor the Global Poverty Act of 2007

The current hodgepodge of U.S. foreign assistance, implemented by more than 40 offices or bureaus, often works at cross purposes. When attempting to tackle such an entrenched problem as global poverty, all parts of the U.S. government need to be working in the same direction and off the same blueprint.

Members of Congress and international development nongovernmental agencies have crafted a bill that would require the president to develop and implement a strategy to ensure the United States meets its commitment to the poverty reduction goals. This bill, the Global Poverty Act (S. 2433), would require that the United States develop a comprehensive plan to address global poverty. This plan would also include analysis on how to leverage U.S. trade policy (where possible) to enhance economic development prospects for developing countries.

Urge your senators to cosponsor S. 2433, the Global Poverty Act.

3) Additional resources

What constitutes poverty-focused development assistance?

Bread for the World, a national advocacy organization that works on poverty and hunger reduction, explains what constitutes poverty focused development assistance.

America’s Apartheid Mentality toward the World

As the 2008 election nears, FCNL Friend in Washington Helena Cobban urges U.S. policymakers and citizens not just to restore U.S. leadership, but to build new relationships with the world premised on human equality and mutual respect. For more specifics on global inequality, see chapter 3 of Helena’s new book, Re-engage! America and the World after Bush.

4) New resources at FCNL.org

Reject the Militarization of Foreign Assistance! A Letter to Congressional Armed Services Committees

FCNL recently sent a letter signed by 25 national organizations to every member of the House and Senate armed services committees. The letter urged the committees not to make permanent the Pentagon’s authority to train and equip foreign militaries and security forces in countries of its choosing. Granting the Pentagon this permanent authority would undermine the State Department’s historic primacy in U.S. foreign policy.

If you’d like to voice your opposition to this proposal, use FCNL's website to urge your members of Congress to stop the militarization of foreign assistance.

U.S. China Relations: An Agenda for Action in the Next Decade

FCNL Executive Secretary Joe Volk has recently returned from China, where he spoke at the Beijing Peace Forum on actions that the United States and China should take to promote sustainable energy, prevent deadly conflict and tackle issues like climate change and weapons proliferation.