Children-JESUS AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

Justin Holcomb (/authors/justin-holcomb) » God (/categories/god) Biblical Theology (/categories/biblical-theology)
Scripture (/categories/scripture) Children (/categories/children) Sin (/categories/sin) Culture (/categories/culture)
Suffering (/categories/suffering) Human Trafficking (/categories/human-trafficking)
We are regularly faced with the horror and prevalence of violence
(http://theresurgence.com/2012/07/20/what-is-happening-in-coloradowhere-is-god) against children:
Yesterday, in what is yet another of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, a gunman killed 26
people (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/14/us-connecticut-townsidUSBRE8BD0U120121214) at a Connecticut elementary school, including 20 children aged 5
to 10 years old.
Also yesterday, a knife-wielding man injured 22 children
(http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2012/12/14/china-school-stabbings/1770395/)
aged 6 to 11 and one adult at a primary school in central China.
Almost half of all sexual abuse victims (http://store.theresurgence.com/products/rid-of-mydisgrace) are children: 15 percent of sexual assault victims are under age twelve, and 29 percent
are ages twelve to seventeen.
Studies (http://domesticviolencestatistics.org/domestic-violence-statistics/) suggest
(http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsacd/cd67/AR_overlap.pdf) that up to 10 million children in the
U.S. witness some form of domestic violence annually and approximately half of them are also
victims of domestic violence.
Children are also the victims of sex trafficking (http://theresurgence.com/2012/11/06/facingup-to-sex-trafficking) at horrific rates: In the U.S., the average age of entry into prostitution is
between 12 and 14 years old. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates(http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/humantrafficking/litrev/#3.2) that over 300,000 American
children are at risk for sexual exploitation, and that an estimated 199,000 incidents of sexual
exploitation of minors occur every year within the United States.
The global market of child trafficking
(http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/issues_doc/labour/Forced_labour/HUMAN_TRAFFICKING_-
_THE_FACTS_-_final.pdf) is over $12 billion a year, with over 1.2 million child victims. Child
trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes (http://www.doj.state.wi.us/cvs/trafficking.asp) in
the world.
From 600,000–800,000 people are bought and sold
(http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2004/) across international borders each year; 50% are
children, most are female. The majority of these victims are forced into the commercial sex trade.
Today, as many as 300,000 children (http://www.cfr.org/human-rights/child-soldiers-aroundworld/p9331), some as young as eight years old, serve in armed government or rebel forces
around the world.
The only thing more staggering than the prevalence of this violence is the acute emotional, psychological,
and spiritual damage done to the children who experience it.
In light of all this, it’s important to look at Scripture and see how God feels about children and wants
them to be treated.
JESUS AND CHILDREN
In his ministry, Jesus showed striking interest in and love for children. To the surprise of his disciples, he
often including them in his teaching: “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on
them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do
not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven’” (Matt 19:13–14
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2019.13%E2%80%9314)). When the disciples came to Jesus asking
him which one of them was going to be the greatest in Christ’s kingdom, Jesus called a child to himself
(Matt. 18:2 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt.%2018.2)) and said, “whoever humbles himself like this
child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:4 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2018.4)).
Jesus went on, telling his followers that part of their duty is to receive little children: “Whoever receives
one such child in my name receives me” (Matt. 18:5 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt.%2018.5)).
In Mark 10 (http://www.esvbible.org/mark+10/), Jesus upholds childlike faith as admirable: “Truly, I
say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Mark 10:15
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%2010.15); cf. Luke 18:17
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Luke%2018.17)).
Jesus wants his followers to honor, protect, and care for those among them who are small and vulnerable,
especially children. Part of Jesus’ ministry on earth involved healing children. In Mark 5:39
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%205.39), Jesus came into the house of a ruler of the synagogue,
whose daughter had just died. Jesus said that she was not dead, but only sleeping. After they laughed at
him, Jesus said to the child, “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mark 5:41
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%205.41); cf. Luke 8:54
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Luke%208.54)). Mark recounts what happened next: “And immediately
the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome
with amazement” (Mark 5:42 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%205.42)). Similarly, in Mark 9
(http://www.esvbible.org/mark+9/), Jesus encounters a young boy who had been having demonic
attacks. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of him (Mark 9:25
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%209.25)) and the boy fell down as if he were dead. Jesus took him by
the hand and he was healed (Mark 9:27 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%209.27)). Jesus, who calls
himself “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2011.25)), bringslife and healing to children.
Jesus wants his followers to honor, protect, and care for those
among them who are small and vulnerable, especially
children.
GOD’S CARE FOR CHILDREN
The tenderness and care Jesus showed for children is an expression of God’s heart toward the small, the
weak, and the vulnerable, as seen throughout the Old Testament.
Part of God’s law, given at Mt. Sinai, was that no one should “mistreat any widow or fatherless child”
(Ex. 22:22 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ex.%2022.22)). Indeed, God is one who “executes justice for
the fatherless” (Deut. 10:18 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Deut.%2010.18)) and curses anyone who
perverts the justice due to orphans (Deut. 27:19 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Deut.%2027.19)). The
Lord says that no one should do wrong or be violent towards innocent children and orphans (Jer. 22:3
(http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Jer.%2022.3)). Not only does God want his people to love and care for
children, but they are called to do everything in their power to stop those who try to hurt, abuse, or
oppress them. “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the
widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:17 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isaiah%201.17)). Children are a gift from God
(Ps. 127:3 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps.%20127.3)) and a blessing, and are to be loved, disciplined,
and cared for.
RESPONSE
As we react to the shock and horror of violence against children, we should mediate on Jesus’ love and
care for children. But God’s love should do more than just make us feel better—it should lead us to imitate
his care for children, take action against evil like this, and pray for God’s peace and salvation to cover the
earth.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
Psalm 46:1-4 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2046.1-4)
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil
and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to
employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory
of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer (http://www.bcponline.org/Collects/variousc.html)

Blessing-The Blessing of the Lord-Kenneth Copeland & Dr. Bill Winston

A personal note from Pastor Steve.
God has gently been leading me into this revelation over the last couple years. I became more intense in study back in February of this year when still in the Philippines and suffering lack. Then once I had to come home because of greater lack I became driven to find out the truth.
God has personally led me into the word to study this outside of what others were teaching based on the life of Abraham in Genesis and following it all the way to Jesus. I don't call this prosperity preaching but the truth about ALL God has done for us through Jesus Christ. The old prosperity preaching was all about money and becoming filthy rich for your own personal gain. So I though out the baby with the bath water when I ever heard blessing and money preached about. I suffered for the last 20 years in lack, living below the poverty level in the US and not being able to fulfill God's call on my life to the children, poor, this generation and the nations.
I personally don't want to be rich for personal reasons but I need to be rich in every way made possible through Jesus Christ to see masses come to Jesus and have all their needs met and teaching them to do the same.
God spoke to me this year, "Teach My people to prosper." So now I begin the challenge to do so especially as I plan to return to the Philippines to teach these truths to one of the top ten poorest nations in the world.
I can say that for myself if I don't walk in the fullness of these teachings I will greatly fall short of fulfilling all God has called me to do for Him and a multitude could go to hell, go with food and go without spiritual and physical needs being net. You might think this is too strong of a statement but it's true. We all have a sphere of influence God has gifted us for to meet the needs of those people whether it be a friend, coworker, family, neighborhood, city or nation and if we don't, who will?
I totally agree with these Biblical teachings but do not personally desire to be rich with mansions etc. How others have used the wealth of God is between them and God and God will be their judge at the end of it all. My focus in on lost and hurting and hungry humanity who are living in Hell on earth and will go there for all eternity if they don't repent. I only desire this wealth to reach and help millions of people with the gospel and mercy of Jesus Christ.
There a warnings in Deuteronomy that when we are living in the blessing not to turn from God and follow idols. Deuteronomy 6:10-12 & Deuteronomy 8:10-20 The Blessing has the potential to cause people to walk away from God and serve the creation instead of the Creator. So we don't reject the blessing out of fear but have sanctified and righteous thinking towards it and to use it to be a blessing. Remember money isn't evil but loving it is. Money can do a lot of wonderful things when it comes to helping others who are under the curse of the Law with it's destruction and poverty and don't even know it.

Deuteronomy 30:19

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

I choose life and blessing so I can give life and blessing

Pastor Steve

This Next One is Amazing

Watch Those Below with Dr. Bill Winston Thursday Night & Friday Morning

Click on Playlist above to see the Dr. Bill Winston Videos

"Faith in the BLESSING" Dr. Bill Winston

Prayer-London Church Growth Seminar: Dr Cho Yonggi

Discipleship-David Platt and Francis Chan: Don't Be Decieved, Disciples Make Disciples

Prayer-Learn How to Pray Tabernacle Prayer with Dr. Cho

Faith-A message on Faith - David Cho

Faith-Enter His Rest - Dr. David Cho

Book- The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn

This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read about the truth on giving of our finances. It is the most Biblically sound book I have read up to date on giving.
-Pastor Steve-

Book- Crazy Love by Francis Chan

I highly recommend this book for the Christian's who will admit their love has grown cold. If you don't think so then please read it and find out.
It's one of the most amazing books I have ever read.
-Pastor Steve-

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts — it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same.

Giving- How should Christians respond to global poverty and hunger?

How should Christians respond to global poverty and hunger?

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Question: "How should Christians respond to global poverty and hunger?"

Answer: According to the latest statistics, over 840 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished. Every day, 26,000 young children die due to poverty, hunger, and preventable diseases. With so much of the world’s population in such lamentable condition, what’s a Christian to do? How should the Church respond?

Christians should respond to global poverty and hunger with compassion. Having true compassion for the needy, as modeled by Jesus (Mark 8:2), means we are aware of the need, we care about the people involved, and we are ready to act on their behalf. Having compassion on a needy brother is proof of the love of God within us (1 John 3:17). We honor God when we are kind to the needy (Proverbs 14:31).

Christians should respond to global poverty and hunger with action. Of course, prayer for those in need is something every Christian can do. Beyond that, Christians should do all they can to alleviate the suffering caused by global poverty and hunger. Jesus said, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:33-34). Like Tabitha, we should “always [be] doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).

The believer who selflessly gives to the poor will be blessed by God. “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, / and he will reward him for what he has done” (Proverbs 19:17). These divine blessings may be spiritual rather than material, but a reward is guaranteed—giving to the poor is an investment in eternity.

There are several Christian relief organizations that work not only to combat global poverty and hunger, but also to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Groups such as Elijah's Cry International strive to meet the needs of the total person, both physical and spiritual.

Christians should respond to global poverty and hunger with hope. Believers can act on behalf of the poor with the confidence that they are helping further God’s work in the world: “I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor / and upholds the cause of the needy” (Psalm 140:12). Believers labor with the hope that Jesus will return, and “with righteousness he will judge the needy, / with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4).

Until that day of ultimate equity, Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11). That being the case, we have unlimited opportunities—and the urgent obligation—to serve the Lord by serving others.

Giving- Why Is Ministering to The Poor So Important?

Why Is Ministering to The Poor So Important?
 

2011 Manila, Philippines

Because...whoever is kind to the needy honors God (Pro 14:31—NIV) He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done. (Pro 19:17—NIV) A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Pro 11:25--NIV) …then you shall take delight in the Lord…and ride upon the heights of the earth... (Isa 58:6-14—NRSV) ...And you will be blessed, because they can not repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke-14:13-14--NRSV)

Because...He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever (2Cor 9:9-NIV) …not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also over flowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2Cor 9:12—NIV)

Because...Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. (Acts 10:4—NIV) …Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me. (Matt 25:40) He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? Says the Lord. (Jer 22:16)

Because...you should not leave undone the more important things. (Luke 11:42-NLT) He that gives unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse. (Proverbs 28:27) …give to the needy…and you will be clean all over. (Luke 11:41-NLT)

Because...Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I (Isaiah 58:9—NIV) …God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. (Acts 10:31-NIV) Blessed is he that considers the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and You will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of sickness: You will restore him in his sickness. (Ps 41:1-3)

Because...the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I (the Lord) command you, saying, You shall open your hand wide unto your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land. (Deut 15:11) …remembering the words of the Lord Jesus who said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) …give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. (2Cor 9:7)

Because...by this service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for your obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. (2Cor 9:13-14—NIV)

Because...The righteous considers the cause of the poor: but the wicked regard not to know it. (Pro 29:7) …among my people are found wicked men…they have become great, and grown rich…they shine: … they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not…the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy they do not judge. …shall not My Soul be avenged on such a nation as this? (Jer. 5:28-29)

Because...the Lord Almighty says: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor… but they refused to pay attention…and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was angry. When I called, they didn’t listen; so when they called, I would not listen, says the Lord Almighty. I scattered them with a whirlwind among the nations where they were strangers. (Zech. 7:9-14--NIV)

Because...this was the sin of … Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. (Eze. 16:49-50—NIV)

Because...If my people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Chron 7:14) …break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity (Dan 4:27—NKJV).

Because...the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. (Ps 9:17-18) Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Pro 31:9)

Because...Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…(James 1:27—NIV) Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised to those who love Him (James 2:5—NIV) …remember the poor…(Gal 2:10)

Because...What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. (Ja 2:14-17)

Because...In Christ Jesus…the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal 5:6--NIV) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? …let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His Presence. (1Jo 3:16-19—NIV)

Because...the Kingdom of God is... righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit... (Rom 14:17--NIV) Your Father's good pleasure is to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the poor; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33-34--RSV) ...By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so they may take hold of real life (1Tim 6:17-19--NLT)

Because...If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isa 58:10-11—RSV) …you shall be called Repairer of the Breach…(Isa. 58:12—RSV) …and…ride upon the heights of the earth…(Isa 58:14—RSV)

Because...the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble plans he stands. (Isa 32:8—NIV) And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." He…will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. (2Cor 9:7-10--RSV) only… remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do. (Gal 2:10—RSV)

Poverty- Poverty in the Philippines

Poverty in the Philippines

  

I lived there for 6 1/2 months on two different islands and in two different cities. I traveled to Manila, Cebu and Cagayan De Oro. Everywhere I lived and traveled the poverty was very extreme in the cities, country side and mountains. Yes there are the rich who mostly ignore the poor. Their children are fat, full and dressed nice and they live in big beautiful secure houses.. The poor live in shacks or makeshift homes they can find a place to build. They and and their children wear clothes many years old and some with holes. The children don't get any education since the family can't afford to send them to school. They usually only have enough rice each day so they don't starve. I planted a church in a small impoverished fishing village where I saw this first hand. When they couldn't catch fish they would try to gather coconut shells and fallen tree branches to sell as fire wood to others to have some rice that day. Some of the children had lice and a few ran around with only t-shirts on and nothing covering the lower parts of their bodies. They are wonderful and humble people but have been born into generational poverty in a class system where it's next to impossible to ever come out accept for the grace of God.
I'm willing to sacrifice all again and go and minister to there needs.
Will you send me? Can you help?
See the pictures and the story at www.elijahscry.com
-Pastor Steve-

13M Filipino kids live in poverty, deprived of basic needs -- study 13M Filipino kids live in poverty, deprived of basic needs -- study By Jerry E. Esplanada Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 20:10:00 09/26/2010 Filed Under: Children, Poverty MANILA, Philippines ? Over 44 percent of Filipino children aged 15 and below live in poverty, according to a joint study by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the non-government Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The figure, representing over 13 million kids, showed an increase of about four percent over early 2000 data, according to the same study. It revealed that the children "do not only suffer from income poverty but also from other dimensions of poverty, such as deprivations in terms of food, shelter, health, education, water and sanitation facilities, and information." The study, called "Global study on Child Poverty an Disparities: Philippines," showed "large disparities across regions in the country...The national estimate does not truly reflect what is happening in the regions." The largest number of poor children can be found in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (69.3 percent of more than 820,000 children), CARAGA (67.8 percent of over 516,000 children), MIMAROPA (63.9 percent of more than 673,000 children), Bicol (63 percent of more than 1.32 million children), and Eastern Visayas (62.2 percent of over 963,000 children). "The child poverty rate in the ARMM is four times that of Metro Manila...The rate in CALABARZON is only half that of its neighboring MIMAROPA...The number of poor children in Bicol is about six-folds the number in the Cordillera Administrative Region," the study also said.

Poverty- Today, around 21,000 children died around the world

Today, around 21,000 children died around the world

Author and Page information

• by Anup Shah
• This Page Last Updated Saturday, September 24, 2011

• This page: http://www.globalissues.org/article/715/today-21000-children-died-around-the-world.
• To print all information e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links, use the print version:
  • http://www.globalissues.org/print/article/715

Some 21,000 children die every day around the world.
That is equivalent to:

• 1 child dying every 4 seconds
• 14 children dying every minute
• A 2011 Libya conflict-scale death toll every day
• A 2010 Haiti earthquake occurring every 10 days
• A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring every 11 days
• An Iraq-scale death toll every 19–46 days
• Just under 7.6 million children dying every year
• Some 92 million children dying between 2000 and 2010

The silent killers are poverty, hunger, easily preventable diseases and illnesses, and other related causes. Despite the scale of this daily/ongoing catastrophe, it rarely manages to achieve, much less sustain, prime-time, headline coverage.

This web page has the following sub-sections:

1. Some more numbers on the state of the world’s children
2. Why is this tragedy not in the headlines?
3. Recent headlines in context
4. About Child Deaths
5. Why is child mortality important to understand?
6. Cautious optimism in reducing child mortality
7. Notes and Sources
   1. Sources for child deaths
   2. Sources for Libya comparison
   3. Sources for Haiti comparison
   4. Sources for Asia Tsunami comparison
   5. Sources for Iraq comparison
8. Related Information

Some more numbers on the state of the world’s children

From UNICEF, the world’s premier children’s organization, part of the United Nations:

• 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation
• 1 billion children are deprived of one or more services essential to survival and development
• 148 million under 5s in developing regions are underweight for their age
• 101 million children are not attending primary school, with more girls than boys missing out
• 22 million infants are not protected from diseases by routine immunization
• 7.6 million children worldwide died before their 5th birthday in 2010
• 4 million newborns worldwide are dying in the first month of life
• 2 million children under 15 are living with HIV
• >500,000 women die each year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth

Source: State of the World’s Children, 2010 , UNICEF, p.18-19. See also ChildInfo.

Back to top

Why is this tragedy not in the headlines?

Back in 2000, UNICEF’s Progress of Nations report for that year tried to put these numbers into some perspective:

The continuation of this suffering and loss of life contravenes the natural human instinct to help in times of disaster. Imagine the horror of the world if a major earthquake were to occur and people stood by and watched without assisting the survivors! Yet every day, the equivalent of a major earthquake killing over 30,000 young children occurs to a disturbingly muted response. They die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.

— A spotty scorecard, UNICEF, Progress of Nations 2000

Unfortunately, it seems that the world still does not notice. It might be reasonable to expect that death and tragedy on this scale should be prime time headlines news. Yet, these issues only surface when there are global meetings or concerts (such as the various G8 summits, the Make Poverty History campaign in 2005, etc).

Images © UNICEF

Furthermore, year after year, we witness that when those campaigns end and the meetings conclude, so does the mainstream media coverage.
It feels as though even when there is some media attention, the ones who suffer are not the ones that compel the mainstream to report, but instead it is the movement of the celebrities and leaders of the wealthy countries that makes this issue newsworthy.
Even rarer in the mainstream media is any thought that wealthy countries may be part of the problem too. The effects of international policies such as structural adjustments, the current form of globalization, and the on these processes is rarely looked at.
Instead, promises and pledges from the wealthy, powerful countries, and the corruption of the poorer ones — who receive apparently abundant goodwill — make the headlines; the repeated broken promises, the low quality and quantity of aid, and conditions with unfair strings attached do not.
Accountability of the recipient countries is often mentioned when these issues touch the mainstream. Accountability of the roles that international institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, and their funders (the wealthy/powerful countries), rarely does. The risk is that citizens of these countries get a false sense of hope creating the misleading impression that appropriate action is taken in their names.
It may be harsh to say the mainstream media is one of the many causes of poverty, as such, but the point here is that their influence is enormous. Silence, as well as noise, can both have an effect.

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Recent headlines in context

When this page was initially written, the BBC’s top story on prime time television was about a British child kidnapped in Portugal. This is definitely a tragic story that needs reporting, but why, for the BBC and other British media outlets that pride themselves in outstanding international media coverage, is the plight of millions of children not daily headlines?
Another recent tragedy that sustained days of headline and prime time media coverage was the Virginia Tech massacre’s in the US. When media critics at Media Lens asked for the BBC’s rationale for such sustained coverage compared to more people dying each day in Iraq and receiving just a few minutes in comparison, the BBC responded that it happens every day in Iraq. See Putting Virginia Tech in Perspective for the follow up from Media Lens.

Investing in world's poorest children can save millions of lives, UN study finds, UN, September 7, 2010 (video source)

Some people fear there will be fatigue at hearing those depressing stories all the time, or the advertisers will pressure the media companies to put a bit more entertainment or good news on so that buying moods are not affected.
And does it have to be just bad news? Despite the tragedy, there is some measure of progress, which, perhaps with further public attention, could spur on more efforts in these areas and highlight important related issues.
However, news of tragedies in Iraq are also depressing, but nevertheless do received regular headline coverage.
Also there is worry that the lack of sensationalism attached to reporting the same news story each day will result in lower television viewing ratings and this may have various consequences—especially where advertising is concerned.
Finally there is the question of whether people want to hear about such depressing news stories. After all the media feels it is delivering what its viewers would like. However, it is difficult for people to know what they do or do not want to see, if they are never given the options of the alternatives. If the magnitude of this suffering is hardly reported in a sustained manner, how can viewers judge whether they wish to watch it or not?

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About Child Deaths

Of the 7.6 million child deaths (under-5s) in 2010, the vast majority occurred in just two regions:

Breaking that down further,

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Why is child mortality important to understand?

UNICEF summarizes the importance of child mortality:

The under-five mortality rate, often known by its acronym U5MR or simply as the child mortality rate … has several advantages as a barometer of child well-being in general and child health in particular.
First, it measures an ‘outcome’ of the development process rather than an ‘input’, such as per capita calorie availability or the number of doctors per 1,000 population—all of which are means to an end.
Second, the U5MR is known to be the result of a wide variety of inputs:

• the nutritional status and the health knowledge of mothers;
• the level of immunization and oral rehydration therapy;
• the availability of maternal and child health services (including prenatal care);
• income and food availability in the family;
• the availability of safe drinking water and basic sanitation; and
• the overall safety of the child’s environment

… among other factors.
Third, the U5MR is less susceptible to the fallacy of the average than, for example, per capita gross national income (GNI per capita). This is because the natural scale does not allow the children of the rich to be 1,000 times as likely to survive, even if the human-made scale does permit them to have 1,000 times as much income. In other words, it is much more difficult for a wealthy minority to affect a nation’s U5MR, and it therefore presents a more accurate, if far from perfect, picture of the health status of the majority of children (and of society as a whole).

— State of the World’s Children, 2008 , UNICEF, January 2008, p.2 (see also p.149 for more details) [Emphasis and list formatting added]

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Cautious optimism in reducing child mortality

UNICEF also notes that the global child mortality rate declined by over a third between 1990 and 2010:

Significant declines in under-five mortality rates between 1990 and 2009 in all regions, Child Survival and Health, ChildInfo, UNICEF, September 2010.

Progress has certainly been made as each year the number of children under 5 dying is slowly coming down. However, as UNICEF cautioned in their State of the World’s Children, 2008 report, “progress has been unevenly distributed” (p.25). For example, good progress was made by a few nations with large populations, but many countries made “no progress or insufficient progress” (p.iii)Also of concern is that the global financial crisis, largely the making of rich countries, is affecting the poorest. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, estimates between 200,000 and 400,000 additional children will die because of this global financial crisis.UNICEF’s State of the World Report 2010 was compiled in August 2009. They noted at the time, “The risks to child rights from the current economic crisis and other external challenges must not be underestimated.” (p. 60). Furthermore, “The full impact of the crisis on child rights will not be evident for some time, and will only become apparent as new international estimates of global poverty, child development and nutrition emerge.” (p.62)

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Notes and Sources

Sources for child deaths

These mortality figures are from UNICEF. 92 million covers deaths between 2000 and 2010, the latest figures from UNICEF at time of writing.
The term “Children” in this context means infants under the age of 5. The tragedy is therefore even worse if older children, adults, and the elderly are to be considered.
The approximate number of deaths in those 10 years is calculated by averaging the deaths per year for known figures in that range and multiplying by the 11 years that cover 2000-2010, which gives a total of 92 million deaths.
Given the population is increasing, the percent of deaths being reduced over those 11 years seems small (0.16% of world population in 2000 and 0.11% of population in 2010).
In a way, this feels like a very small reduction given that many of the illnesses and conditions that children suffer are easily preventable, technically.
Taking a longer term view, since 1960 (when child mortality numbers were first being recorded) the annual number of child deaths has more than halved, from around 20 million in 1960 to just 7.6 million in 2010.
The rate of reduction varies by region, with poorer regions having higher child mortality rates, though all regions are seeing a reduction as the years go by:

In addition, given the population in 1960 was 3 billion whereas 2010 was about 6.8 billion this means that there has been a six-fold improvement in saving lives of children from a percentage basis. That is, although population has increased (a lot), the number of child deaths has reduced even more.

Explanation for six-fold saving»

Note also, the above numbers are not precise; the estimation techniques improve with more data, so for 1960 the data and estimates may not be as reliable as more recent years, but it gives an idea of the reduction achieved so far. The 1960 figure comes from a 2007 UNICEF report as the latest figures from UNICEF do not include 1960s number of deaths (unless I missed it!), but nonetheless the results should at least give a rough idea of the trend.
The sources are typically the UNICEF web site and their progress of nations reports. They have a statistical database, which (at the time of writing) uses 2010 as the latest available data. The childinfo.org web site, also by UNICEF, presents these statistics, too.

Child deaths at different intervals

Year	Per year (millions)	Per day	Per hour	Per minute	Per second	Population (approx)	%
Values rounded for display. Sources: UNICEF, Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report 2011 World population data from World Bank, accessed September 21, 2011 Note, the UNICEF data for previous years is different to their earlier reports for those years (due to changes in ways estimates are done, additional data, etc.) Hence, for example, this page previously reported over 22,000 child deaths per day for 2009, which is now just over 21,000 with latest figures.
1990	12.0	32,904	1,371	23	0.38	5.2 billion	0.23%
1995	10.7	29,320	1,222	20	0.34	5.7 billion	0.19%
2000	9.6	26,232	1,093	18	0.30	6.1 billion	0.16%
2005	8.5	23,197	967	16	0.27	6.5 billion	0.13%
2009	7.8	21,249	885	15	0.25	6.8 billion	0.11%
2010	7.6	20,860	869	14	0.25	6.8 billion	0.11%

Sources for Libya comparison

The 2011 Libyan conflict/civil war has been difficult to get accurate death tolls for. Wikipedia lists a number of different sources that say between 10,000 and 30,000 deaths between February and September 2011 (though not all go as far as September).
At 21,000 child deaths per day, that would be approximately 0.5 to 1.5 days.

Sources for Haiti comparison

The BBC reports that “Haiti’s government says about 230,000 people died” in the devastating earthquake in January 2010, although later, a minister said there were 217,000 verified deaths.
At 20,860 deaths per day, that would be 10 – 11 days approximately.

Sources for Asia Tsunami comparison

This site’s article, Asian Tsunami in December 2004, notes that approximately 230,000 people died in that disaster.
At 20,860 deaths per day, that would be about 11 days.

Sources for Iraq comparison

For the Iraq estimate, the John Hopkins study (reported in the Lancet) found 400,000 to 950,000 deaths since the 2003 Iraq invasion (average of some 655,000).
Dividing 400,000 by 20,860 gives 19, and 950,000 by 20,860 gives 46, approximately.
As an aside, George Bush and many others dismissed this study in the Lancet as lacking credibility, using discredited methodologies, and instead used the Iraq Body Count statistics (of 30,000 at the time, though it is now reported at about 66,000).
If Iraq Body Count statistics are to be used, then the number of days in which child deaths match the post 2003 Iraq death toll is just two or three days. The Iraq Body Count statistics are often criticized because they rely on mainstream media reporting, which is heavily censored and managed by the US in Iraq. Nonetheless they provided criticism of the John Hopkins study (often referred to as the Lancet study as that is where it was published).
The authors of the study defended it noting that they used the very methodology that the US government is teaching others (and thus dismissed Bush’s claim of using discredited methodologies). The full report in the Lancet also notes that casualty reporting in war time tends to be grossly underestimated, so their numbers may not be as hard to accept as it initially sounds. This caused controversy when reported in October 2006, and is detailed further on this site’s Iraq media reporting section which includes the relevant links.

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Related Information

Throughout this site, many issues are discussed that rarely sustain (or enter) mainstream media coverage. The articles listed below are ones that provide a bit more detail behind the above figures.

• Poverty facts and stats
• G8 Summit 2005—an example of the paradox of extensive media coverage but of only a few issues
• Mainstream Media
• Health Issues

See also Poverty.com for more interactive information and ChildInfo for more data based on the UNICEF statistics.

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Where next?

Related articles

1. Poverty Facts and Stats
2. Structural Adjustment—a Major Cause of Poverty
3. Poverty Around The World
4. Today, around 21,000 children died around the world
5. Corruption
6. Foreign Aid for Development Assistance
7. Causes of Hunger are related to Poverty
8. United Nations World Summit 2005
9. IMF & World Bank Protests, Washington D.C.
10. Economic Democracy

See more related articles

Poverty- Poverty Facts and Stats

Poverty Facts and Stats

Author and Page information

• by Anup Shah
• This Page Last Updated Monday, September 20, 2010

• This page: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats.
• To print all information e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links, use the print version:
  • http://www.globalissues.org/print/article/26

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

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.^{Source 1}

More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.^{Source 2}

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.^{Source 3}

According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”^{Source 4}

Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.^{Source 5}

Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.^{Source 6}

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.^{Source 7}

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.^{Source 8}

Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world. An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350–500 million cases of malaria, with 1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.^{Source 9}

Water problems affect half of humanity:

• Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.
• Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.
• More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day, and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day.
• Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.
• 1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometre, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 litres per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 litres of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.)
• Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhoea
• The loss of 443 million school days each year from water-related illness.
• Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.
• Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water.
• To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit.… The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions … are greatest in some of the poorest countries. Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003.^{Source 10}

Number of children in the world

2.2 billion

Number in poverty

1 billion (every second child)

Shelter, safe water and health

For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

• 640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
• 400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
• 270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

Children out of education worldwide

121 million

Survival for children

Worldwide,

• 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (same as children population in France, Germany, Greece and Italy)
• 1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation

Health of children

Worldwide,

• 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
• 15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (similar to the total children population in Germany or United Kingdom)

^{Source 11}

Rural areas account for three in every four people living on less than US$1 a day and a similar share of the world population suffering from malnutrition. However, urbanization is not synonymous with human progress. Urban slum growth is outpacing urban growth by a wide margin.^{Source 12}

Approximately half the world’s population now live in cities and towns. In 2005, one out of three urban dwellers (approximately 1 billion people) was living in slum conditions.^{Source 13}

In developing countries some 2.5 billion people are forced to rely on biomass—fuelwood, charcoal and animal dung—to meet their energy needs for cooking. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of the population depends on traditional biomass for cooking, as do over half of the populations of India and China.^{Source 14}

Indoor air pollution resulting from the use of solid fuels [by poorer segments of society] is a major killer. It claims the lives of 1.5 million people each year, more than half of them below the age of five: that is 4000 deaths a day. To put this number in context, it exceeds total deaths from malaria and rivals the number of deaths from tuberculosis.^{Source 15}

In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76.6% of total private consumption. The poorest fifth just 1.5%:

The poorest 10% accounted for just 0.5% and the wealthiest 10% accounted for 59% of all the consumption:
^{Source 16}

1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity:

Breaking that down further:

Number of people living without electricity

Region	Millions without electricity
South Asia	706
Sub-Saharan Africa	547
East Asia	224
Other	101

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.^{Source 18}

World gross domestic product (world population approximately 6.5 billion) in 2006 was $48.2 trillion in 2006.

• The world’s wealthiest countries (approximately 1 billion people) accounted for $36.6 trillion dollars (76%).
• The world’s billionaires — just 497 people (approximately 0.000008% of the world’s population) — were worth $3.5 trillion (over 7% of world GDP).
• Low income countries (2.4 billion people) accounted for just $1.6 trillion of GDP (3.3%)
• Middle income countries (3 billion people) made up the rest of GDP at just over $10 trillion (20.7%).^{Source 19}

The world’s low income countries (2.4 billion people) account for just 2.4% of world exports^{Source 20}

The total wealth of the top 8.3 million people around the world “rose 8.2 percent to $30.8 trillion in 2004, giving them control of nearly a quarter of the world’s financial assets.”

In other words, about 0.13% of the world’s population controlled 25% of the world’s financial assets in 2004.^{Source 21}

For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment.^{Source 22}

51 percent of the world’s 100 hundred wealthiest bodies are corporations.^{Source 23}

The wealthiest nation on Earth has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.^{Source 24}

The poorer the country, the more likely it is that debt repayments are being extracted directly from people who neither contracted the loans nor received any of the money.^{Source 25}

In 1960, the 20% of the world’s people in the richest countries had 30 times the income of the poorest 20% — in 1997, 74 times as much.^{Source 26}

An analysis of long-term trends shows the distance between the richest and poorest countries was about:

• 3 to 1 in 1820
• 11 to 1 in 1913
• 35 to 1 in 1950
• 44 to 1 in 1973
• 72 to 1 in 1992^{Source 27}

“Approximately 790 million people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished, almost two-thirds of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific.”^{Source 28}

For economic growth and almost all of the other indicators, the last 20 years [of the current form of globalization, from 1980 - 2000] have shown a very clear decline in progress as compared with the previous two decades [1960 - 1980]. For each indicator, countries were divided into five roughly equal groups, according to what level the countries had achieved by the start of the period (1960 or 1980). Among the findings:

• Growth: The fall in economic growth rates was most pronounced and across the board for all groups or countries.
• Life Expectancy: Progress in life expectancy was also reduced for 4 out of the 5 groups of countries, with the exception of the highest group (life expectancy 69-76 years).
• Infant and Child Mortality: Progress in reducing infant mortality was also considerably slower during the period of globalization (1980-1998) than over the previous two decades.
• Education and literacy: Progress in education also slowed during the period of globalization.^{Source 29}

A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.^{Source 30}

Consider the global priorities in spending in 1998

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States	8
Ice cream in Europe	11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States	12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States	17
Business entertainment in Japan	35
Cigarettes in Europe	50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe	105
Narcotics drugs in the world	400
Military spending in the world	780

And compare that to what was estimated as additional costs to achieve universal access to basic social services in all developing countries:

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Basic education for all	6
Water and sanitation for all	9
Reproductive health for all women	12
Basic health and nutrition	13

^{Source 31}

Notes and Sources

1. Sources:

• Shaohua Chen and Martin Ravallion, The developing world is poorer than we thought, but no less successful in the fight against poverty, World Bank, August 2008
• For the 95% on $10 a day, see Martin Ravallion, Shaohua Chen and Prem Sangraula, Dollar a day revisited, World Bank, May 2008. They note that 95% of developing country population lived on less than $10 a day. Using 2005 population numbers, this is equivalent to just under 79.7% of world population, and does not include populations living on less than $10 a day from industrialized nations.

This figure is based on purchasing power parity (PPP), which basically suggests that prices of goods in countries tend to equate under floating exchange rates and therefore people would be able to purchase the same quantity of goods in any country for a given sum of money. That is, the notion that a dollar should buy the same amount in all countries. Hence if a poor person in a poor country living on a dollar a day moved to the U.S. with no changes to their income, they would still be living on a dollar a day.
The new poverty line of $1.25 a day was recently announced by the World Bank (in 2008). For many years before that it had been $1 a day. But the $1 a day used then would be $1.45 a day now if just inflation was accounted for.The new figures from the World Bank therefore confirm concerns that poverty has not been reduced by as much as was hoped, although it certainly has dropped since 1981.
However, it appears that much of the poverty reduction in the last couple of decades almost exclusively comes from China:

• China’s poverty rate fell from 85% to 15.9%, or by over 600 million people
• China accounts for nearly all the world’s reduction in poverty
• Excluding China, poverty fell only by around 10%

The use of the poverty line of $1 a day had long come under criticism for seeming arbitrary and using poor quality and limited data thus risking an underestimate of poverty. The $1.25 a day level is accompanied with some additional explanations and reasoning, including that it is a common level found amongst the poorest countries, and that $2.50 represents a typical poverty level amongst many more developing countries.
The $10 dollar a day figure above is close to poverty levels in the US, so is provided here to give a more global perspective to these numbers, although the World Bank has felt it is not a meaningful number for the poorest because they are unfortunately unlikely to reach that level any time soon.
For further details on this (as well as some additional charts), see Poverty Around The World on this web site. back

2007 Human Development Report (HDR), United Nations Development Program, November 27, 2007, p.25.

back

Ibid

back

See Today, around 21,000 children died around the world from this web site. (Note that the statistic cited uses children as those under the age of five. If it was say 6, or 7, the numbers would be even higher.)

back

See the following:

• 2007 Human Development Report (HDR), United Nations Development Program, November 27, 2007, p.25. (The report also notes that although India is rising economically, “the bad news is that this has not been translated into accelerated progress in cutting under-nutrition. One-half of all rural children [in India] are underweight for their age—roughly the same proportion as in 1992.”)
• Millennium Development Goals Report 2007

back

Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 . The report importantly notes that “As high as this number seems, surveys show that it underestimates the actual number of children who, though enrolled, are not attending school. Moreover, neither enrolment nor attendance figures reflect children who do not attend school regularly. To make matters worse, official data are not usually available from countries in conflict or post-conflict situations. If data from these countries were reflected in global estimates, the enrolment picture would be even less optimistic.”

back

The State of the World’s Children, 1999, UNICEF

back

State of the World, Issue 287 - Feb 1997, New Internationalist

back

2007 Human Development Report (HDR), United Nations Development Program, November 27, 2007, p.25.

back

2006 United Nations Human Development Report, pp.6, 7, 35

back

State of the World’s Children, 2005, UNICEF

back

2007 Human Development Report (HDR), United Nations Development Program, November 27, 2007, p.25.

back

Millennium Development Goals Report 2007

back

Ibid, p.45

back

Ibid, p.45

back

World Development Indicators 2008, World Bank, August 2008

back

Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 , p.44

back

See the following:

• World Bank Key Development Data & Statistics, World Bank, accessed March 3, 2008
• Luisa Kroll and Allison Fass, The World’s Richest People, Forbes, March 3, 2007
• World Bank’s list of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (41 countries), accessed March 3, 2008

back

See the following:

• World Bank Key Development Data & Statistics, World Bank, accessed March 3, 2008
• Luisa Kroll and Allison Fass, The World’s Richest People, Forbes, March 3, 2007

back

Trade Data, World Bank Data & Statistics, accessed March 3, 2008

back

Eileen Alt Powell, Some 600,000 join millionaire ranks in 2004, Associate Press, June 9, 2005

back

Based on World Bank data (accessed March 3, 2008) as follows:

• Total debts of the developing world in 2006: $2.7 trillion
• Total official development assistance in 2006: $106 billion

back

See the following:

• Holding Transnationals Accountable, IPS, August 11, 1998
• Top 200: The Rise of Corporate Global Power, by Sarah Anderson and John Cavanagh, Institute for Policy Studies, November 2000

back

Log cabin to White House? Not any more, The Observer, April 28, 2002

back

Debt - The facts, Issue 312 - May 1999, New Internationalist

back

1999 Human Development Report, United Nations Development Programme

back

Ibid

back

World Resources Institute Pilot Analysis of Global Ecosystems, February 2001, (in the Food Feed and Fiber section). Note, that despite the food production rate being better than population growth rate, there is still so much hunger around the world.

back

The Scorecard on Globalization 1980-2000: Twenty Years of Diminished Progress, by Mark Weisbrot, Dean Baker, Egor Kraev and Judy Chen, Center for Economic Policy and Research, August 2001.

back

Maude Barlow, Water as Commodity - The Wrong Prescription, The Institute for Food and Development Policy, Backgrounder, Summer 2001, Vol. 7, No. 3

back

The state of human development, United Nations Human Development Report 1998, Chapter 1, p.37)

back

Where next?

Related articles

1. Poverty Facts and Stats
2. Structural Adjustment—a Major Cause of Poverty
3. Poverty Around The World
4. Today, around 21,000 children died around the world
5. Corruption
6. Foreign Aid for Development Assistance
7. Causes of Hunger are related to Poverty
8. United Nations World Summit 2005
9. IMF & World Bank Protests, Washington D.C.
10. Economic Democracy

See more related articles