poverty title for essay

202 Poverty Essay Topics & Examples

Poverty is one of the most pressing global issues affecting millions of individuals. We want to share some intriguing poverty essay topics and research questions for you to choose the titles of your paper correctly. With the help of this collection, you can explore the intricate dimensions of poverty, its causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Have a look at our poverty topics to get a deeper understanding of poverty and its implications.

💸 TOP 10 Poverty Essay Topics

🏆 best poverty essay examples, 👍 catchy poverty research topics, 🧐 thought-provoking poverty topics, 🎓 interesting poverty essay topics, ❓ research questions about poverty.

• Poverty: Causes and Solutions to Problem
• Poverty as a Social Problem
• Homelessness and Poverty in Developed and Developing Countries
• The Eliminating Poverty Strategies
• Poverty Effects on an Individual
• Correlation Between Poverty and Juvenile Delinquency
• Poverty and Theories of Its Causes
• Degrading Consequences of Poverty in “The Pearl” by John Steinbeck Poverty is identity in John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, and the main character Kino, a poor fisherman, manifests a transformation in his identity,
• Relationship Between Poverty and Crime The paper makes the case and discusses inequality rather than poverty being the prime reason for people committing crimes.
• Poverty Effects on Mental Health This paper examines the link between poverty and mental health, the literature findings on the topic, and proposes a potential solution.
• Urbanization and Poverty in “Slumdog Millionaire” Film Boyle’s movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” is one of many successful attempts to depict the conditions in which people who are below the poverty level live.
• Effects of Poverty on Education in the USA Colleges It is clear that poverty affects not only the living standards and lifestyle of people but also the college education in the United States of America.
• Global Poverty and Nursing Intervention It is evident that poor health and poverty are closely linked. Community nurses who are conversant with the dynamics of the health of the poor can run successful health promotion initiatives.
• Poverty from Functionalist and Rational Choice Perspectives Poverty is a persistent social phenomenon, which can be examined from both the functionalist and rational choice perspectives.
• The Poverty as an Ethical Issue Looking at poverty as an ethical issue, we have to consider the fact that there are people who control resource distribution, which then leads to wealth or poverty in a community.
• The Orthodox and Alternative Poverty Explanations Comparison Poverty has over the years become a worldwide subject of concern for economies. This essay will explore two theories- the orthodox and the alternative theories to poverty.
• Poverty from Christian Perspective Christians perceive poverty differently than people without faith, noting the necessity for integrated support to help those in need.
• Poverty in “Serving in Florida” and “Dumpster Diving” “Serving in Florida” by Barbara Ehrenreich describes the harsh reality of living in poverty while concentrating on the pragmatic dimension of the issue
• How Does Poverty Affect Crime Rates? On the basis of this research question, the study could be organized and conducted to prove the following hypothesis – when poverty increases, crime rates increase as well.
• The Analysis of Henry George’s “Crime of Poverty” Reviewing Henry George’s Crime of Poverty, which was written in 1885, in its historical context can shed light on socio-political developments within the country.
• Poverty and Homelessness in Jackson, Mississippi This paper will review the statistics and information about poverty and homelessness in Jackson, MS. The community of Black Americans is suffering from poverty and homelessness.
• Poverty in “On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner Essay “On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner evokes compassion and prompts individuals to think about social problems existing nowadays.
• Effects of Divorce and Poverty in Families In the event of a divorce children are tremendously affected and in most cases attention is not given to them the way it should.
• Vicious Circle of Poverty In this essay, the author describes the problem of poverty, its causes and ways of optimizing the economy and increasing production efficiency.
• Diana George’s Changing the Face of Poverty Book Diana George’s book, Changing the Face of Poverty, begins with a summary of several Thanksgiving commercials and catalogs.
• Poverty in Young and Middle Adulthood According to functionalism, poverty is a dysfunctional aspect of interrelated components, which is the result of improper structuring.
• Bullying in Poverty and Child Development Context The aim of the present paper is to investigate how Bullying, as a factor associated with poverty, affects child development.
• Empowerment and Poverty Reduction The objective of this essay will be to highlight the health issues caused by poverty and the strategies needed to change the situation of poor people through empowerment.
• The Problem of Poverty in Art of Different Periods Artists have always been at the forefront of addressing social issues, by depicting them in their works and attempting to draw the attention of the public to sensitive topics.
• “What Is Poverty” by Dalrymple The purpose of this paper is to present Dalrymple point of view and analyze it by applying philosophical concepts.
• How Poverty Impacts on Life Chances, Experiences and Opportunities for Young People The paper specifically dwells on the social exclusion, class, and labeling theories to place youth poverty in its social context.
• Poverty: Behavioral, Structural, Political Factors The research paper will primarily argue that poverty is a problem caused by a combination of behavioral, structural, and political systems.
• Love and Poverty in My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke The present paper includes a brief analysis of the poem ‘My Papa’s Waltz’ with a focus on imagery and figurative language.
• The Concept of Poverty This work is aimed at identifying the key aspects associated with poverty and its impact on the lives of people in different contexts.
• Global Poverty and Human Development Poverty rates across the globe continue to be a major issue that could impair the progress of humanity as a whole.
• Poverty and Homelessness in Canada Poverty and homelessness figure prominently in government policies and the aims of many social service organizations even in a country like Canada.
• Immigrant Children and Poverty Immigrant child poverty poses considerable social predicaments, because it is related to several long lasting school and development linked difficulties.
• Poverty and Its Negative Impact on Society Poverty affects many people globally, experiencing poor living conditions, limited access to education, unemployment, poor infrastructure, malnutrition, and child labor.
• Rutger Bregman’s Statement of Poverty The paper states that Bregman’s approach to poverty and the proposal of guaranteed regular income is more suitable for developing countries.
• Poverty in Ghana: Reasons and Solution Strategy The analysis provided in the paper revealed some internal and external factors that deter better economic and human development in Ghana.
• How Access to Clean Water Influences the Problem of Poverty Since people in some developing countries have insufficient water supply even now, they suffer from starvation, lack of hygiene, and water-associated diseases.
• Poverty Relation With Immigrants Poverty-related immigration is usually caused by population pressures; as the natural land becomes less productive due to the increased technology and industrial production.
• How Poverty Affects Early Education? A number of people live in poor conditions. According to the researchers of the Department of Education in the United States, poverty influences academic performance in an adverse way.
• Poverty: Causes and Reduction Measures Poverty is a global disaster and that a large percentage of the population has insufficient income or material possessions to satisfy their basic needs.
• Global Poverty, Inequality, and Mass Migration Such global issues as poverty and inequality and mass migration are significant today since many people are involved in them.
• Child’s Development and Education: Negative Effects of Poverty Some adverse effects of poverty on a child’s development and education are poor performance academically, stagnant physical development, and behavioral issues.
• The City of Atlanta, Georgia: Poverty and Homelessness This project goal is to address several issues in the community of the City of Atlanta. Georgia. The primary concern is the high rate of poverty and homelessness in the city.
• The Ideal Society: Social Stratification and Poverty The paper argues social classes exist because of the variations in socioeconomic capacities in the world; however, an ideal society can eliminate them.
• The Impact of Poverty on Children and Minority Groups The problem of poverty, not only among children but also among adults, has plagued this planet for a long time.
• Habitat for the Homeless: Poverty The paper states that Habitat for the Homeless comes to fulfill American values by ensuring that Americans can afford houses at a low price.
• Global Issues of World Poverty: Reasons and Solutions The term ‘world poverty’ refers to poverty around the world and is not only limited to developing and under-developed nations.
• Poverty: “$2.00 a Day” Book by Edin and Schaefer In their book “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America,” Edin and Schaefer investigate problems that people who live in poverty face every day.
• Utilitarianism: Poverty Reduction Through Charity This paper shows that poverty levels can be reduced if wealthy individuals donate a part of their earnings, using the main principles of the utilitarian theory.
• Poverty in the “LaLee’s Kin” Documentary In this paper, the author will analyse poverty as a social problem in the Mississippi Delta. The issue will be analysed from the perspective of the documentary “LaLee’s Kin”.
• School System: Poverty and Education This short assessment presents at least three examples of differences between the schools that lead to disadvantages in the education system and finally provides a suggestion to help bridge the gap.
• Human Trafficking and Poverty Discussion This paper synthesize information on human trafficking and poverty by providing an annotated bibliography of relevant sources.
• Evaluating the “Expertness” of the Southern Law Poverty Center The Southern Law Poverty Center has garnered controversy for its list of so-called “hate groups” and how it spends its half-billion-dollar budget.
• Chronic Poverty and Disability in the UK The country exhibits absolute poverty and many other social issues associated with under-developed states. The issue is resolvable through policy changes.
• Racial Discrimination and Poverty Racial discrimination and poverty have resulted in health disparities and low living standards among African Americans in the United States.
• Should People Be Ashamed of Poverty? People on welfare should not feel ashamed because the definition of poverty does not necessarily place them in the category of the poor.
• Poverty and Inequality: Income and Wealth Inequality The Stanford Center of Poverty and Inequality does an in-depth job of finding causes and capturing statistics on poverty and inequality.
• Lessons Learned From the Poverty Simulation The main lesson learned from the poverty simulation is that poverty is far more serious than depicted in the media, which carelessly documents the numbers of poor people.
• Wealth and Poverty Sources in America This paper explains the causes and consequences of poverty in the United States, programs and systems to combat it, and government benefits to support families in distress.
• Global Poverty and Education Economic theories like liberalization, deregulation, and privatization were developed to address global poverty.
• Poverty, Faith, and Justice: ”Liberating God of Life” by Elizabeth Johnson “Liberating God of Life Context: Wretched Poverty” by Johnson constructs that the main goal of human beings is to combat structural violence toward the poor.
• The Issue of Poverty in Savannah, Georgia The paper addresses a serious issue that still affects Savannah, Georgia, and it is poverty. This problem influences both individuals and society.
• Poverty, Politics, and Profit as US Policy Issue Poverty remains one of the most intractable problems to deal with, both in the international community and in the United States.
• Christ’s Relationships with Wealth and Poverty This paper attempts to examine Christ’s relationships with wealth, money and poverty and provide an analysis of these relationships.
• Poverty and Social Causation Hypothesis There are two identified approaches to poverty on cultural and individual levels as formulated by Turner and Lehning
• Poverty and Poor Health: Access to Healthcare Services Health disparities affecting ethnical and racial groups, as well as people with low income, operate through the social environments, access to healthcare services.
• Wealth, Poverty, and Systems of Economic Class By examining wealth, poverty, and economic classes from the perspective of social justice, the socioeconomic inequalities persistent in society will become clear.
• Poverty and Mental Health Correlation The analysis of the articles provides a comprehensive understanding of the poverty and mental health correlation scale and its current state.
• Carl Hart’s Talk on Racism, Poverty, and Drugs In his TED Talk, Carl Hart, a professor of neuroscience at Columbia University who studies drug addiction, exposes a relationship between racism, poverty, and drugs.
• Attitudes to Poverty: Singer’s Arguments Singer argues against the observation by the rich than helping one poor person can repeat over and over again until the rich eventually becomes poor.
• The U.S. Education: Effect of Poverty Poverty effects on education would stretch to other aspects of life and this justifies that, poverty in United States not only affects social lifestyles but also college education.
• Poverty in New York City and Media Representation This paper will analyze recent news publications regarding the urban issue of poverty in NYC and determine how the city is represented in the media.
• World Poverty as a Global Social Problem Poverty and the key methods helping to reduce it attract the attention of numerous researchers in different areas of expertise.
• Poverty: The Negative Effects on Children Poor children often do not have access to quality healthcare, so they are sicker and more likely to miss school. Poor children are less likely to have weather-appropriate clothes.
• The Issue of the Poverty in the USA The most sustainable technique for poverty elimination in the United States is ensuring equitable resource distribution, education, and healthcare access.
• Poverty and How This Problem Can Be Solved Poverty is one of the global social problems of our time, existing even in the countries of the first world despite the generally high standard of living of people.
• Poverty: An Interplay of Social and Economic Psychology The paper demonstrates an interplay of social and economic psychology to scrutinize the poverty that has given rise to a paycheck-to-paycheck nation.
• Refugees: Poverty, Hunger, Climate Change, and Violence Individuals struggling with poverty, hunger, climate change, and gender-based violence and persecution may consider fleeing to the United States.
• The Extent of Poverty in the United States The paper states that the issue of poverty in the USA is induced by a butterfly effect, starting with widespread discrimination and lack of support.
• Poverty in Puerto Rico and Eradication Measures Studying Puerto Rican poverty as a social problem is essential because it helps identify the causes, effects, and eradication measures in Puerto Rico and other nations.
• Human Trafficking and Poverty Issues in Modern Society The problem of human trafficking affects people all over the world, which defines the need for a comprehensive approach to this issue from the criminology perspective.
• Poverty and Homelessness Among African Americans Even though the U.S. is wealthy and prosperous by global measures, poverty has persisted in the area, with Blacks accounting for a larger share.
• Poverty: Resilience and Intersectionality Theories This paper assesses the impact of poverty on adult life, looking at risk and protective factors and the impact of power and oppression on the experience of poverty.
• Economic Inequality and Its Relationship to Poverty This research paper will discuss the problem of economic inequality and show how this concept relates to poverty.
• Discussion of Poverty and Social Trends The advances and consequent demands on society grounded on social class and trends profoundly influence poverty levels.
• Life of Humanity: Inequality, Poverty, and Tolerance The paper concerns the times in which humanity, and especially the American people, live, not forgetting about inequality, poverty, and tolerance.
• Poverty, Its Social Context, and Solutions Understanding past and present poverty statistics is essential for developing effective policies to reduce the rate of poverty at the national level.
• Poverty in the US: “Down and Out in Paris and London” by Orwell The essay compares the era of George Orwell to the United States today based on the book “Down and Out in Paris and London” in terms of poverty.
• Is It Possible to Reduce Poverty in the United States? Reducing poverty in the United States is possible if such areas as education, employment, and health care are properly examined and improved for the public’s good.
• Poverty Among Seniors Age 65 and Above The social problem is the high poverty rate among older people aged 65 and above. Currently, there are millions of elderly who are living below the poverty line.
• Poverty in 1930s Europe and in the 21st Century US The true face of poverty may be found in rural portions of the United States’ South and Southwest regions, where living standards have plummeted, and industries have yet to begin.
• Social Issue of Poverty in America The paper states that poverty is not an individual’s fault but rather a direct result of social, economic, and political circumstances.
• Poverty, Housing, and Community Benefits The community will benefit from affordable housing and business places, creating job opportunities for the residents and mentoring and apprenticeship.
• The Uniqueness of the Extent of the Poverty Rate in America The United States ranked near the top regarding poverty and inequality, and compared to other developed countries, income and wealth disparity in the United States is high.
• Globalization and Poverty: Trade Openness and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria Globalization can be defined as the process of interdependence on the global culture, economy, and population. It is brought about by cross-border trade.
• Inequality and Poverty in the United States One of the most common myths is that the United States (US) is a meritocracy, where anyone can succeed if they maintain industriousness.
• Christian Perspective on Poverty Several Christian interpretations have different ideas about poverty and wealth. This paper aims to discuss the Christian perspective on poverty.
• Poverty and Problematic Housing in California The question is what are the most vulnerable aspects of the administrative system that lead to an aggravation of the situation of homelessness.
• Race, Poverty, and Incarceration in the United States The American justice system, in its current form, promotes disproportionally high incarceration rates among blacks and, to a lesser degree, Latinos from poor urban neighborhoods.
• Global Poverty and Factors of Influence This paper introduces a complex perspective on the issue of global poverty, namely, incorporating economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors into the analysis.
• Poverty Causes and Solutions in Latin America This paper aims to understand the importance of the interference of Europe in Latin American affairs and its referring to the general principles of poverty.
• Gary Haugen’s Speech on Violence and Poverty In his speech, Gary Haugen discusses the causes of poverty and concludes that violence is a hidden problem that should be addressed and eliminated.
• The Child Poverty Problem in Alabama
• Poverty Among Blacks in America
• Hard Questions About Living in Poverty or Slavery
• Relationship Between Poverty and Health People in 2020
• Solving the Problem of Poverty in Mendocino County
• “Promises and Poverty”: Starbucks Conceals Poverty and Deterioration of the Environment
• Global Poverty and Economic Globalization Relations
• Poverty Prevalence and Causes in the United States
• Policy Development to Overcome Child Poverty in the U.S.
• Global Poverty: Tendencies, Causes and Impacts
• The Problem of Poverty Among Children
• African American Families in Poverty
• Effects of Poverty on Health Care in the US and Afghanistan
• Poverty Among Children from Immigrant Workers
• “8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up” by Jason DeParle
• Teenage Pregnancy After Exposure to Poverty: Causation and Communication
• Poverty and Covid-19 in Developing Countries
• Poverty in America: Socio-Economic Inequality
• Poverty and Its Effects Upon Special Populations
• Global Poverty and Education Correlation
• American Dream and Poverty in the United States
• Changing the Face of Poverty
• The Link Between Poverty and Criminal Behavior
• The Cost of Saving: The Problem of Poverty
• Sociological Issues About Social Class and Poverty, Race and Ethnicity, Gender
• Speech on Mother Teresa: Poverty and Interiority in Mother Teresa
• Federal Poverty, Welfare, and Unemployment Policies
• Aid Agency Discussing Different Solutions to Poverty in Urban Areas
• Poverty Elimination in Perspective
• Marriage and Divorce: Poverty Among Divorced Women
• Is Debt Cancellation the Answer to World Poverty?
• Reduction of Poverty in the Rural Areas Through ICT
• Trade Effect on Environmentalism and Poverty

🌶️ Hot Poverty Ideas to Write about

• Gay and Poverty Marriage
• “Combating Poverty in Latin America” by Robyn Eversole
• Are MNCs Responsible for Poverty and Violence in Developing Nations?
• “Globalization, Poverty and Inequality” by Kaplinsky
• Poverty in America: Issue Analysis
• Economic Development in LDCs and Eradication Absolute Poverty
• Economic Development in LDCs and Sufficient Conditions to Eradicate Absolute Poverty
• Social Policy and Welfare – Poverty and Deprivation
• India’s Policies to Tackle Poverty and Inequality
• Poverty and Inequality Reducing Policies in China
• Donald Trump’s Policies of Poverty and Human Rights
• Poverty and Homelessness: Dimensions and Constructions
• Henry George’s “Progress and Poverty” Book
• Poverty from a Sociological Standpoint
• Poverty Among the USA Citizens and Reduction Efforts
• Standards of the Ethical Code: Children and Poverty
• Household Energy Use and Poverty
• Can Marriage End Poverty?
• Grameen Banking System Alleviating Poverty
• Brazil’ Poverty and Inequality
• Child Poverty Assessment in Canada
• National Conversation about Poverty
• Poverty and Welfare Policies in the United States
• Poverty in “The Bottom Billion” by Paul Collier
• Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Poverty
• Poverty and Violence During the Mexican Revolution
• Affordable Housing Programs in “Poverty in America”
• The Government of Bangladesh: Corruption and Poverty
• Poverty in “I Beat the Odds” by Oher and Yaegar
• Inequality in Australia: Poverty Rates and Globalism
• The Issue of World Poverty and Ways to Alleviate the Poverty in the World
• Problem of World Poverty
• Drug’s, Poverty’s and Beauty’s Effects on Health
• Can Authorization Reduce Poverty Among Undocumented Immigrants?
• Can Higher Employment Levels Bring Lower Poverty in the EU?
• Are Private Transfers Poverty and Inequality Reducing?
• Can Group-Based Credit Uphold Smallholder Farmers Productivity and Reduce Poverty in Africa?
• Can Anti-Poverty Programs Improve Family Functioning and Enhance Children’s Well-Being?
• Can Laziness Explain Poverty in America?
• Are Social Exclusion and Poverty Measures Interrelated?
• Can Increasing Smallholder Farm Size Broadly Reduce Rural Poverty in Zambia?
• Can Crop Purchase Programs Reduce Poverty and Improve Welfare in Rural Communities?
• Does Aid Availability Affect Effectiveness in Reducing Poverty?
• Can Employer Credit Checks Create Poverty Traps?
• Are the Poverty Effects of Trade Policies Invisible?
• Can Foreign Aid Reduce Poverty?
• Are Education Systems Modern as Well as Practical Enough to Eliminate Unemployment, and Thus Poverty?
• Can High-Inequality Developing Countries Escape Absolute Poverty?
• Are Inequality and Trade Liberalization Influences on Growth and Poverty?
• Can Globalisation Realistically Solve World Poverty?
• Are Urban Poverty and Undernutrition Growing?
• Can Big Push Interventions Take Small-Scale Farmers Out of Poverty?
• Can Civilian Disability Pensions Overcome the Poverty Issue?
• Are Poverty Rates Underestimated in China?
• Does Agriculture Help Poverty and Inequality Reduction?
• Can Agricultural Households Farm Their Way Out of Poverty?
• Are Income Poverty and Perceptions of Financial Difficulties Dynamically Interrelated?
• Are Bangladesh’s Recent Gains in Poverty Reduction Different From the Past?
• Can Cash Transfers Help Households Escape an Intergenerational Poverty Trap?
• Are Remittances Helping Lower Poverty and Inequality Levels in Latin America?
• Can Foreign Aid Reduce Income Inequality and Poverty?
• Can Child-Care Subsidies Reduce Poverty?
• Can Income Inequality Reduction Be Used as an Instrument for Poverty Reduction?

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These essay examples and topics on Poverty were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 8, 2024 .

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149 Poverty Essay Topics, Examples, & Title Ideas

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Poverty is a complex issue that have affected millions of people around the world for centuries. Scholars define poverty as the state of being unable to meet one’s basic needs for food, shelter, and other necessities. The issue can have far-reaching and devastating consequences for individuals, families, and whole communities.

This collection of poverty essay topics contains research questions, ideas, and titles on poverty in America, Africa, and the Philippines. They are suitable for an argumentative essay, research paper, or speech. You are welcome to use our wealth and poverty essay examples as prompts to make your own research on poverty.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Role in Society The paper will outline the various things that Bill Gates has done in helping the unprivileged people, and in improving education in the United States.
• Single Mothers in Poverty Many of the single mothers, cannot secure lucrative jobs that would earn them enough income to meet their daily needs and the needs of their children.
• Bill Gates Life and Career Computer programming was a job that Bill Gates loved, and fortunately, his dream became true after occupying himself with computer programming at a tender age.
• The Relationship between Money and Happiness Various academic studies have shown that there is, indeed, a connection between the money you have and your level of happiness, but this connection is not very strong.
• Problem of Hunger in Modern World The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed discussion on hunger. The discussion will begin with an overview of the state of hunger in various parts of the world.
• Immigrants and Immigration Policies: Women and Migration International laws have a provision that mandates states to draft immigration policies. Immigration laws and policies of the US have failed to uphold the rights of immigrants.
• Child Labor, Its Causes, Effects, Counterpolicies The paper gives a broader view of the causes and effects of child labor, economic and socio-cultural perspectives, and efforts put to stop child labor.
• Medical Issues that Arise from Being Overworked The paper discusses overwork in context with middle and lower classes that are affected by the overworked and hectic schedule and medical issues they gain.
• Illegal Immigration Process Analysis Illegal immigration refers to migration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country.
• Poverty and Children in the United States Children are said to live in poverty when they are not able to have a minimum, decent standard of living that allows them to live a normal life in society.
• Poverty and Children in the United States Discussing the issue of the present day chronic cycle of poverty, it would be relevant to mention that children might be regarded as the most unprotected social group that suffers form the above mentioned problem.
• Extraction of Natural Resources and Production The research paper aims to investigate factors responsible for excessive exploitation of natural resources.
• Poverty in America Poverty denotes the state of affairs where there are no ways of managing to pay for crucial human requirements which include food, clean water, schooling, clothes, and shelter.
• Discrimination in the 21st Century for African Americans and Minorities USA as a country has made great steps in addressing the disparity and inequality among the various groups since the period of Civil Rights movements.
• Satire by Swift: A Modest Proposal The essay had painted a live picture of the tremendous poverty of Irish people in the early eighteenth century.
• Assessing and Recommending Quantitative Research Design The three different types of quantitative research designs have their own weaknesses and strengths, this makes the research designs to be applicable in different situations.
• Connection Between War and Poverty The paper will identify and discuss abuse, isolation, hostility and reliance has some of the causes of conflicts.
• Vicious Circle of Poverty in Brazil Brazil is faced with major environmental degradation issues such as deforestation, water pollution, and floods.
• Effects of the Global Recession on Tourism Tourism enables the country to earn foreign exchange. On the other hand, the social and economic benefits of tourism have greatly been destabilized by the recent global recession.
• Overrepresentation of Aboriginal People in Crime Why are the Aboriginal people suspected of so much crime given the basis of their history, describes the Bond theory relating it to the topic.
• Challenges That Multicultural Children Face in the US This essay will discuss the following points regarded as the challenges multicultural families face: alienation, poverty, unemployment, discrimination, desired policies.
• Politics of HIV/Aids and Social and Cultural Prejudice The paper looks at how the politics HIV/AIDS have operated as a conduit for social and cultural prejudice because the its prevalence has been associated with society culture.
• Socioeconomic Conditions Can Lead to Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse of Children Wealth, access to education, parents' occupation, health, income, and housing are significant in avoiding child abuse. Discussion of the importance of socioeconomic conditions.
• How Food Insecurity Affects Children’s Education Food insecurity can also be harmful to academic performance. As a result, a poorly-educated individual has low income and continue suffering from world hunger.
• Diverty and the Limitations of Poverty in Victorian London
• Agricultural Water Management and Poverty in Ethiopia
• Poverty or Low Income as a Cause of Crime Debates about causes of crime have been raging on and they revolve around economic models of causation that deal with the utility of crime.
• Food Price Spikes: Price Insulation and Poverty
• Anti-Poverty Transfers and Spatial Prices in Tunisia
• Poverty and Juvenile Delinquency This paper will set out to analyze the relationship between poverty and juvenile delinquency in order to explain the strong correlation between the two.
• Food Poverty and Livelihoods Issues in Rural Nigeria
• Food Poverty and Its Causes in Pakistan
• Crime and Poverty: Causes of Crime, Effects of Crime, and Solutions This study explains what crime and poverty are, the causes of crime using the structural-functionalist theory, the effects of crime and the measures to be taken to avert this problem.
• Ethnic Stereotypes and Preferences on Poverty Assistance
• European Union Poverty Poor Rate
• Healthcare and Poverty at the Global Level Poor people often do not have access to proper treatment. This issue is becoming global and needs to be addressed not only at the national but also at the international level.
• Drugs and Their Impact on Poverty
• Food Prices and Poverty Reduction in the Long Run
• Poverty and Poor Health Relations The researches that will be examined in this paper suggest that a link between the prevalence of infections, noncommunicable, and mental health diseases exists.
• Connection Between Human Trafficking and Poverty
• Generating Disaggregated Poverty Maps
• Living Conditions and Behavioral & Mental Patterns The central paper’s theory states that a person’s life circumstances directly influence his behavior patterns.
• Feminist Explanations for the Feminization of Poverty
• Evaluation of Different Sociological Measures of Poverty
• Examination of Major Effects of Poverty on Children’s Education Quality education is a necessary part of a growing individual’s life, allowing them to obtain access to unique possibilities and secure a successful path.
• Food Poverty Profile and Decomposition Applied to Ghana
• Christian Beliefs Concerning World Poverty
• Economic Growth and Child Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh and China
• Different Ways People Look at Poverty
• Ethnic Inequality and Poverty in Malaysia Since 1969
• General Public Poverty Aid for Individuals
• Global Biofuel Production and Poverty in China
• Distribution-Sensitive Multidimensional Poverty Measures
• Classification Trees for Poverty Mapping
• Market-Based Solutions for Global Poverty
• Food Poverty Index for Venezuelan Households
• Child Poverty and Child Well-Being in Italy
• Absolute and Relative Deprivation and the Measurement of Poverty
• Gender, Time Use, and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Gender-Sensitive Poverty Mapping for the US
• Food Poverty and Solidarity Networks in Italy
• Fertility, Household Size, and Poverty in Nepal
• Agricultural Policies for Poverty Reduction
• Financial Deepening and Poverty Reduction in Zambia
• Effects of Poverty on Mental Health People who live in economically disadvantaged communities face several challenges pertaining to their mental health.
• Economic Growth and Development as a Tool for Poverty Overcoming
• Choosing Rural Road Investments to Help Reduce Poverty
• Minimum Wage and the Poverty Gap This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of an increase in the minimum wage policy and does an increase in minimum wage decrease the poverty gap.
• Combating Poverty Through Self Reliance
• The Connection Between Child Poverty and Economic Growth
• Globalization and Poverty Eradication There is reason to believe that globalization can work for everyone. This paper will extrapolate five issues and how they contribute to globalization and poverty eradication.
• Agricultural Water Management and Poverty Linkages
• Capital Account Liberalisation and Poverty
• Ethnicity, Caste, and Religion: Implications for Poverty Outcomes
• Can Laziness Explain Poverty in America?
• Does Forest Conversion Promote Growth and Alleviate Poverty?
• Can Globalisation Realistically Solve World Poverty?
• Can Microfinance Aid Poverty Reduction?
• Does Increasing Minimum Wage Decrease Poverty?
• How Does Poverty Affect People’s Health and Well-Being?
• Does Globalization Cause Poverty?
• Can Employer Credit Checks Create Poverty Traps?
• Does Inequality Matter for Poverty Reduction?
• How China Escaped the Poverty Trap?
• Does Inequality Constraint Poverty Reduction Programs?
• How Bad Governance Impedes Poverty Alleviation in Bangladesh?
• How Does Level of Education Relate to Poverty?
• Why Are Child Poverty Rates So Persistently High in Spain?
• Does Corruption Affect Income Inequality and Poverty?
• How Are Poverty and Migration Linked?
• How Can Agricultural Trade Reform Reduce Poverty?
• What Does Generational Poverty Mean?
• How Does Gender Relate to Poverty Status?
• Does Foreign Direct Investment Reduce Poverty?
• How Does Child Poverty Effect Crime Rates Amongst Teens and Young Adults?
• The causes of poverty in Africa
• The impact of poverty on health in Africa
• African Region Poverty Debates and Policy Brief To address the issue of poverty in Africa, economic stimulus is needed: governments should provide their citizens with grants to sponsor their small businesses.
• Education and poverty reduction in Africa
• The role of international aid in addressing poverty in Africa
• Corruption on poverty in Africa: are they related?
• The role of economic policies in reducing poverty in Africa
• Poverty and conflict in Africa: are these issues connected?
• Climate change and poverty in Africa
• The role of microfinance in reducing poverty in Africa
• The potential of entrepreneurship to alleviate poverty in Africa
• Poverty and mental health in the United States
• Gentrification and poverty in urban America
• Media and public perceptions of poverty in America
• Technology, job market, and poverty in the US
• Lessons on Poverty and Gender Identification I have developed lessons that will enhance students’ knowledge when dealing with poverty and gender identification.
• Poverty and American criminal justice system
• Immigration on poverty in the US: what is the connection?
• The impact of environmental degradation on poverty in America
• Breaking the cycle of poverty in the Philippines
• The impact of corruption on poverty in the Philippines
• Poverty, health, and quality of life in the Philippines
• International aid: what is its impact on poverty in the Philippines?
• Poverty and gender inequality: the case of the Philippines
• How Does Poverty Affect Access to Quality Education?
• What Are the Economic Consequences of Persistent Poverty?
• How Is Poverty Portrayed in the Media?
• What Role Does Government Policy Play in Reducing Poverty Rates?
• How Does Poverty Affect the Future?
• Does Poverty Lead to Crime?
• Can Technology Eliminate Poverty?
• What Are the Social Determinants of Poverty in Urban Areas?
• How Does Poverty Impact Mental Health and Well-Being?
• What Are the Best Ways to Reduce Poverty in Africa?
• Is Poverty a Necessary Constant in the Mechanics of a Capitalist Society?
• Can Microfinance Effectively Combat Poverty in Developing Nations?
• What Is the Difference Between Absolute Poverty and Relative Poverty?
• Is Poverty in America Similar or Different to Poverty in Third-World Countries?
• Which Country Has the Lowest Rate of Poverty?
• How Do Cultural Factors Perpetuate Cycles of Poverty?
• What Is the Relationship Between Poverty and Food Insecurity?
• How Does Poverty Lead to Social Injustices?
• Can Affordable Housing Initiatives Alleviate Urban Poverty?
• How Does the Lack of Education Cause Poverty?
• What Role Does Globalization Play in Poverty Reduction?
• Is Poverty a State of Mind?
• How Does Poverty Affect the Elderly Population?
• What Strategies Can Be Implemented to Address Urban Poverty?
• How Do Inequality and Poverty Impact Businesses?
• Is the Problem of Poverty Going to Be Effectively Resolved?
• Can Universal Basic Income Reduce Poverty Rates?
• Does Poverty Violate the Right to Equal Access to Basic Services?
• What Are the Effects of Poverty on Childhood Development?
• How Does Poverty Contribute to Environmental Degradation?

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230 Research Topics on Poverty: Argumentative, Solutions, Cause & Effect Topics about Poverty

Extreme poverty has been a hot-button issue for ages. Many of us expected the 21st century to become the era when the problem of drastic income inequality would be resolved. But the COVID-19 pandemic threw these initiatives back . Poverty has become as widespread as a hundred years before. Will we ever make the Earth a prosperous place for all?

This article features 230 poverty essay topics. They tackle every social, economic, psychological, and political aspect of this controversial issue. For your convenience, we grouped them according to the paper genre. Discrimination and limited access to education, malnutrition, health problems, mental disorders, and hunger are only some of the spheres you can debate.

🔝 Top 15 Poverty Essay Topics

• 📝 Topics & Issues to Cover in a Paper

🪙 Research Topics on Poverty

• 🗣️ Argumentative Essay Topics
• ➡️ Cause & Effect Essay Topics on Poverty

💡 Poverty Solutions Essay Topics

🧸 child poverty essay topics, 🌎 poverty in america essay topics, 🔗 references.

• Ending poverty in all its forms around the globe is our goal No.1.
• What does it mean to be poor?
• The pandemic can teach us a new lesson in fighting poverty worldwide.
• Child poverty essay: Lifelong ramifications.
• How does poverty measurement impact public opinion?
• Why does Africa remain to be the least developed country?
• Do we oversimplify when dividing people into wealthy and poor?
• Why should economics study the phenomenon of poverty?
• Poverty in America: An essay on its dynamics.
• How is deprivation linked to crime levels?
• Does overpopulation cause poverty?
• It is a myth that wealthy people are often obese.
• Fighting poverty is what all of us do throughout our lives.
• Can free education for all be a measure to eliminate poverty?
• Globalization will end poverty in developing countries.

📝 Topics & Issues to Cover in a Paper

Some poverty essay topics are too broad to prepare compelling argumentation. We have explored these directions to guide your research.

Defining Poverty

When the financial resources in a community are lacking, the basic needs of some people are not met. These circumstances do not allow poor people to enjoy an acceptable standard of life. They may not have a roof above their heads or may not be able to afford clothes and food. But the lack of income also causes many psychological and sociological consequences. Children of the poor have a higher probability of physical and mental health issues than their peers. They are also more likely to abuse substances and have problems with the law.

Measuring Poverty

The US Bureau of Census is responsible for calculating poverty rates in the US. They usually exclude anyone living in a mental health facility, prison, military quarters, and school dormitories. They do not count children under 15 years, either.

The World Bank established a new goal to eliminate extreme poverty in one generation starting in 2013. By 2030, They planned to decrease the number of the world’s population who live on $1.90 per day down to 3%. Measuring poverty shows which strategies work and which should be put aside. It also guides emerging countries in their development strategies to adapt to the rapidly changing world economy.

Poverty Facts & Statistics

• In 2018, four out of five individuals below the poverty line resided in rural areas.
• In 2020, extreme poverty rates rose for the first time over the last two decades. It happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, military conflicts, and climate change.
• 97 million people crossed the poverty line because of the pandemic.
• Children make up 50% of the poor global population.
• 70% of the global poor above 15 have no or only primary school education.
• More than 40 % of the poor live in countries affected by conflict and violence. Over the next decade, the number is predicted to peak at 67%. Meanwhile, only 10% of the world’s population lives in such countries.

What Can Be Done About Poverty?

• At the moment, money is the best measure to reduce poverty . Investing in the markets of emerging countries could spur their economic growth. However, investors are often unwilling to do so, as these nations often struggle to sustain economic growth.
• The second way of problem-solving is education. It gives safety and support to children from low-income families (as they often suffer from domestic violence or sexual abuse). It also increases their future employment opportunities. But most importantly, it creates a culture of learning in families, and the next generations will benefit from it.
• The origin of poverty and the divergence of concepts depending on the context.
• Comparison of poverty concepts by UN, the World Bank and the EU.
• The difference between the definition of poverty in the EU and other world organizations.
• The difference between the UN definition of poverty and other world organizations.
• The World Bank’s definition of poverty differs from other world organizations.
• Aspects affecting the measurement of poverty.
• How Poverty Changes.
• When poverty is recognized as global?
• General level of development of the state affects the spread of poverty.
• Is poverty just an economic factor?
• When is a person recognized as poor determined?
• Poverty at the individual, local, national and global levels.
• Poverty hinders cognitive function.
• Poor people are often more susceptible to severe illness.
• Economic stability is paramount for a poor household.
• The rising cost of living makes poor people less able to afford things.
• Rising costs can push into poverty and others into poverty.
• Stress factors caused by poverty.
• Children living in poverty have lower cognitive thinking.
• Education in the US educational system is focused on students from more affluent families.
• Conditions in schools in poor areas prevent children from learning in a safe environment.
• High crime rate among children with low resources.
• Children from low-income families have higher rates of teenage pregnancy.
• Relationship of gender to poverty or location.
• In poorer countries, girls have lower completion rates.
• Most often, children end up in orphanages because of family poverty.
• Cultural factors can negatively affect productivity and perpetuate poverty in a state.
• Women are the group suffering from the highest levels of poverty after children.
• People living in poverty have an increased chance of getting a disability.
• Many women become victims of human trafficking.
• The most common form of survival is prostitution due to economic desperation.
• As poverty decreases, fewer incidents of violence will occur.
• Poverty Reduction Strategies.
• The improvement of cities and states can affect the reduction of the level of poverty of the population.
• Access to basic human needs is a way to fight poverty.
• Effect of deworming children on improving education among poor children.
• The fight against corruption is the same as the fight against poverty.
• Debt relief for countries can reduce countries poverty levels.
• Emigration from developing countries perpetuates poverty in them.
• Access to contraceptives directly impacts the poverty of the population and the country’s economy.
• Basic income is more effective in fighting poverty than the minimum wage and unemployment benefits.
• Reducing bureaucracy and increasing economic freedom would significantly reduce poverty.
• Greater access to markets brings more income to the poor.
• Road infrastructure directly affects poverty.
• Poverty causes environmental degradation.
• Climate change can hinder poverty reduction.
• Is spirituality the engine of poverty?
• Voluntary poverty.
• Climate change and poverty.
• Increased mortality due to poverty.
• The socio-economic gap between the poor and the rich.
• Is poverty linked to nationality?
• Religion and poverty.
• The influence of geographical location on the spread of poverty.
• Anti-poverty organizations and their strategies.
• Long-term consequences of poverty.
• Discrimination against the poor.
• Short-term and long-term strategies in the fight against poverty.
• Is it possible to get out of poverty, and what affects it?
• Your actions against poverty.
• Maintenance by the state of an adequate standard of living.
• The emergence of poverty as a social phenomenon.
• Is globalization exacerbating poverty?
• Social isolation of the population.
• Is poverty a choice?
• Health care for the poor.
• Human rights against poverty.
• Global poverty.
• Does moral poverty exist?
• Children’s perception of poverty.
• Poverty makes children grow up earlier.
• Digitalization help fight poverty.
• Does migration perpetuate poverty or fight it?
• Poor women are expected to marry early.
• Family planning prevents the spread of poverty.
• Development of poverty.
• Your understanding of poverty.
• Are there countries where there is no poverty?
• Political programs to combat poverty.
• What factors can exacerbate poverty problems?
• Poverty as a result of a natural disaster.
• Sustainable Development Goals: “No Poverty”.
• Dynamics of poverty levels.
• Are the poor themselves to blame for poverty?
• Ideological representations of poverty.
• Poverty is a result of discrimination.
• Do shelters for the poor help in the fight against poverty?
• Does a non-working family equal a poor family?
• Impact of the pandemic on the spread of poverty.
• Lack of medical care for the poor.

🗣️ Argumentative Essay Topics on Poverty

• Differences in prices between countries to adjust for purchasing power.
• What is extreme poverty?
• Measuring poverty: the monetary value of human consumption.
• The difficulty of measuring global poverty: difference between countries.
• International poverty line.
• Is poverty linked only to wealth?
• Industrialization and the fight against poverty: victory or even greater gap.
• Population growth leads to more poor people in the world.
• Growth of the global middle class and reduction of extreme poverty.
• Poverty forecast in 2030.
• Extreme poverty cannot be ended.
• The concentration of poverty in Africa.
• Countries that have reduced poverty: India, China, Ethiopia, Ghana.
• A growing global middle class and the stagnation of the world’s poorest people.
• Has modernity not reached the poor countries?
• The expansion of social protection policy helps to get rid of extreme poverty.
• Progress in the fight against all poverty lines.
• Importance of poverty reduction in developed countries.
• The demographic factor in the spread of poverty.
• Adjusting to Rising Costs of Living: Increasing or Reducing Poverty?
• Change in the international poverty line over time.
• Is it possible to eradicate extreme poverty?
• Multidimensional poverty: the diverse nature of poverty.
• Africa is the continent with the poorest people.
• Are there no poor people in rich countries?

➡️ Cause & Effect Essay Topics on Poverty

• The economic crisis in a country leads to an increase in poverty.
• Consequences of hunger for children and youth.
• The poverty of children is only the concern of parents.
• Most of the poor are from incomplete families.
• Historical barriers in the fight against poverty.
• Racial and ethnic gaps in poverty rates.
• Physical and mental well-being of poor children.
• Access to health care for poor families.
• Inadequate education exacerbates the vicious cycle of poverty.
• Children living in poverty are at greater risk for behavioral and emotional problems.
• Poverty breeds violent behavior in children.
• Poverty contributes to the spread of hard-to-treat diseases.
• Mortality of children in poor families.
• Protecting children from poor families.
• The prevalence of poverty among children in developed countries.
• Depression and poverty: children suffer from mental illnesses like adults.
• Family conflict as a cause of child homelessness.
• Homelessness harms children who are more prone to mental and physical illness.
• How does the labor market affect child poverty?
• Early pregnancy can lead to homelessness .
• Discrimination against LGBT people increases the level of homelessness among young people.
• Poverty contributes to the spread of STIs .
• Violent crime among the poor.
• Are violence and poverty inseparable?
• Substance abuse among children from poor families.
• What are the poverty solutions to stop hunger in the US?
• Reducing poverty through education – the US providing global solutions for emerging nations.
• How education helps break the cycle of poverty – evidence from the US communities.
• Providing water for communities overarched by bottled water producers – how does this help reduce poverty?
• Water resources and poverty among Native Americans – determining points of intersection.
• Clean water as a source of health and prosperity – how to preserve the national water resources of the United States?
• Basic health care – how free services affect global poverty.
• Why should basic medical care become a human right to overcome poverty?
• How do health insurance programs reduce poverty in the United States?
• Weaknesses in US health insurance programs: solutions for poverty alleviation.
• Empowering women to stop the poverty loops – solutions through micro-financing.
• Empowering women to reduce poverty – solutions for communities in the US.
• Global poverty and women’s power: three stories of entrepreneurship.
• How hunger and poverty affect the mental development of children – the need for immediate global solutions.
• Ensuring adequate nutrition for children and mothers to end poverty – lessons from Hawaii and Haiti.
• How can the American economy overcome poverty and hunger through macroeconomic solutions?
• The activities of international environmental organizations that led to poverty alleviation: the brightest victories.
• Fighting global warming to end poverty – how does planting trees improve living standards?
• Green energy and poverty alleviation – US macroeconomic solutions.
• Combating cycles of violence to overcome poverty – the US experience.
• Domestic violence as a factor in the growth of populations’ poverty.
• Violence against women – hotlines and other ways to help break cycles of poverty.
• Economic methods of overcoming poverty – international experience.
• Business and CSR practices as a means of influence in societies with low standards of living.
• Federal financing to reduce poverty – why is this a bad solution?
• Overcoming child homelessness as a way to end child poverty.
• Protecting orphans and securing their future through free education programs.
• Adoption programs as a way to combat child poverty among orphans.
• Work with refugees and assessment of child poverty in Europe and the US.
• Migrant children and stigmatization – how social institutions can avoid offensive meanings.
• Migration and the provision of education services – challenges related to overcoming child poverty.
• The health sector and overcoming child poverty: five important practices.
• Child nutrition in schools to overcome child poverty – stability and ways of implementing support programs.
• Child marriage and child poverty – how the mother’s age affects the well-being of children.
• Provision of education services for women as a way to overcome child poverty.
• Should free medicine for children become a right, not a privilege?
• How does the civilized world fight against child poverty that results from environmental disasters?
• Overcoming the consequences of global warming – programs of child poverty elimination.
• Overcoming child poverty with the involvement of parents – what programs exist in the US?
• Child support grants: three ways to overcome mistrust.
• Why does child poverty reduce the civilizational development of society?
• What are the five main consequences of child poverty?
• How does child poverty affect the economic development of countries?
• What is child poverty: studying the main determinants.
• Child poverty among the better-off sections of the US society – how do misleading concepts lead to social problems?
• Education of civilizational, moral, and cultural values to overcome child poverty – three ways of development.
• The ethical side of the issue of child poverty – why is society obliged to help?
• How preservation of cultural values leads to child poverty – lessons from national minorities.
• Why state control over culture and consciousness can lead to child poverty – the examples of the People’s Republic of China and North Korea.
• Propaganda as a way to reduce child poverty – the effectiveness of the approach.
• Poverty and national minorities – statistics and future trends.
• Overcoming poverty through healthcare services: interaction with vulnerable groups.
• Poverty and homelessness as consequences of unsuccessful political vectors – the American experience.
• Unemployment and poverty among non-citizens – ways to overcome the crisis.
• How has the pandemic deepened the crisis of poverty and unemployment in the US?
• Poverty and professions with the least demand on the labor market in the US: gaps and new opportunities.
• Democrats and Republicans – differences in approaches to overcoming poverty.
• Five successful democratic (republican) initiatives to overcome poverty.
• Conservatives in power and overcoming poverty – successes and failures.
• The top three policies of Donald Trump that led to the deepening of the poverty crisis in the US.
• Overcoming poverty in the US – the story of three presidencies (to choose from).
• Geographical prerequisites of regional poverty in the US – historical experience.
• Poverty crisis in the post-lockdown period – new ways of social development.
• Regional poverty in the US – solutions for selected regions.
• Is there a link between defense capability and poverty in the US?
• How science can help overcome poverty – the experience of American farmers in the mid-20th century.
• How big business harms the economy – the top 3 negative consequences of the work of unconscious producers that deepen the poverty crisis.
• How unconscious consumption of Chinese goods harms the US economy and deepens the poverty crisis.
• How can the United States overcome the unemployment crisis by stimulating small and medium-sized businesses?
• What inhumane manufacturing practices of the mid-to-late 19th century continue to exacerbate the poverty crisis in the United States?
• How are new technologies deepening the crisis of poverty and unemployment in the US?
• Why does the consumer society accelerate the decline of the economy and lead to poverty in the US?
• How can social science education programs help address the poverty crisis in the US?
• Three bright health care initiatives that help fight poverty in the US.
• Social determinants of poverty – how does the individual’s environment add to the creation of the poverty loop?
• Poverty Overview | The World Bank
• Poverty in the United States: 2021 | US Census Bureau
• Rural Poverty & Well-Being | US Department of Agriculture
• Child Poverty | UNICEF
• How Is Poverty Measured? | Institute for Research on Poverty
• What Is “Deep Poverty”? | Center for Poverty & Inequality Research
• Poverty Facts | University of Michigan
• LGBT Poverty in the United States | The Williams Institute

7 Essays About Poverty: Example Essays and Prompts

Essays about poverty give valuable insight into the economic situation that we share globally. Read our guide with poverty essay examples and prompts for your paper.

In the US, the official poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5 percent, with 37.9 million people living below the poverty line. With a global pandemic, cost of living crisis, and climate change on the rise, we’ve seen poverty increase due to various factors. As many of us face adversity daily, we can look to essays about poverty from some of the world’s greatest speakers for inspiration and guidance.

There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American citizen whether he be a hospital worker, laundry worker, maid or day laborer. There is nothing except shortsightedness to prevent us from guaranteeing an annual minimum—and livable—income for every American family. Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?

Writing a poverty essay can be challenging due to the many factors contributing to poverty and the knock-on effects of living below the poverty line . For example, homelessness among low-income individuals stems from many different causes.

It’s important to note that poverty exists beyond the US, with many developing countries living in extreme poverty without access to essentials like clean water and housing. For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

Essays About Poverty: Top Examples

1. pensioner poverty: fear of rise over decades as uk under-40s wealth falls, 2. the surprising poverty levels across the u.s., 3. why poverty persists in america, 4. post-pandemic poverty is rising in america’s suburbs.

• 5. The Basic Facts About Children in Poverty
• 6. The State of America’s Children 
• 7. COVID-19: This is how many Americans now live below the poverty line

10 Poverty Essay Topics

1. the causes of poverty, 2. the negative effects of poverty, 3. how countries can reduce poverty rates, 4. the basic necessities and poverty, 5. how disabilities can lead to poverty, 6. how the cycle of poverty unfolds , 7. universal basic income and its relationship to poverty, 8. interview someone who has experience living in poverty, 9. the impact of the criminal justice system on poverty, 10. the different ways to create affordable housing.

There is growing concern about increasing pensioner poverty in the UK in the coming decades. Due to financial challenges like the cost of living crisis, rent increases, and the COVID-19 pandemic, under 40s have seen their finances shrink.

Osborne discusses the housing wealth gap in this article, where many under the 40s currently pay less in a pension due to rent prices. While this means they will have less pension available, they will also retire without owning a home, resulting in less personal wealth than previous generations. Osborne delves into the causes and gaps in wealth between generations in this in-depth essay.

“Those under-40s have already been identified as  facing the biggest hit from rising mortgage rates , and last week a study by the financial advice firm Hargreaves Lansdown found that almost a third of 18- to 34-year-olds had stopped or cut back on their pension contributions in order to save money.” Hilary Osborne,  The Guardian

In this 2023 essay, Jeremy Ney looks at the poverty levels across the US, stating that poverty has had the largest one-year increase in history. According to the most recent census, child poverty has more than doubled from 2021 to 2022.

Ney states that the expiration of government support and inflation has created new financial challenges for US families. With the increased cost of living and essential items like food and housing sharply increasing, more and more families have fallen below the poverty line. Throughout this essay, Ney displays statistics and data showing the wealth changes across states, ethnic groups, and households.

“Poverty in America reflects the inequality that plagues U.S. households. While certain regions have endured this pain much more than others, this new rising trend may spell ongoing challenges for even more communities.” Jeremy Ney,  TIME

In this New York Times article, a Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist explores why poverty exists in North America.

The American poor have access to cheap, mass-produced goods, as every American does. But that doesn’t mean they can access what matters most. Matthew Desmond,  The New York Times

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its annual data on poverty, revealing contrasting trends for 2022. While one set of findings indicated that the overall number of Americans living in poverty remained stable compared to the previous two years, another survey highlighted a concerning increase in child poverty. The rate of child poverty in the U.S. doubled from 2021 to 2022, a spike attributed mainly to the cessation of the expanded child tax credit following the pandemic. These varied outcomes underscore the Census Bureau’s multifaceted methods to measure poverty.

“The nation’s suburbs accounted for the majority of increases in the poor population following the onset of the pandemic” Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube,  Brookings

5.  The Basic Facts About Children in Poverty

Nearly 11 million children are living in poverty in America. This essay explores ow the crisis reached this point—and what steps must be taken to solve it.

“In America, nearly 11 million children are poor. That’s 1 in 7 kids, who make up almost one-third of all people living in poverty in this country.” Areeba Haider,  Center for American Progress

6.  The State of America’s Children  

This essay articles how, despite advancements, children continue to be the most impoverished demographic in the U.S., with particular subgroups — such as children of color, those under five, offspring of single mothers, and children residing in the South — facing the most severe poverty levels.

“Growing up in poverty has wide-ranging, sometimes lifelong, effects on children, putting them at a much higher risk of experiencing behavioral, social, emotional, and health challenges. Childhood poverty also plays an instrumental role in impairing a child’s ability and capacity to learn, build skills, and succeed academically.” Children’s Defense Fund

7.  COVID-19: This is how many Americans now live below the poverty line

This essay explores how the economic repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic 2020 led to a surge in U.S. poverty rates, with unemployment figures reaching unprecedented heights. The writer provides data confirming that individuals at the lowest economic strata bore the brunt of these challenges, indicating that the recession might have exacerbated income disparities, further widening the chasm between the affluent and the underprivileged.

“Poverty in the U.S. increased in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic hammered the economy and unemployment soared. Those at the bottom of the economic ladder were hit hardest, new figures confirm, suggesting that the recession may have widened the gap between the rich and the poor.” Elena Delavega,  World Econmic Forum

If you’re tasked with writing an essay about poverty, consider using the below topics. They offer pointers for outlining and planning an essay about this challenging topic.

One of the most specific poverty essay topics to address involves the causes of poverty. You can craft an essay to examine the most common causes of extreme poverty. Here are a few topics you might want to include:

• Racial discrimination, particularly among African Americans, has been a common cause of poverty throughout American history. Discrimination and racism can make it hard for people to get the education they need, making it nearly impossible to get a job.
• A lack of access to adequate health care can also lead to poverty. When people do not have access to healthcare, they are more likely to get sick. This could make it hard for them to go to work while also leading to major medical bills.
• Inadequate food and water can lead to poverty as well. If people’s basic needs aren’t met, they focus on finding food and water instead of getting an education they can use to find a better job.

These are just a few of the most common causes of poverty you might want to highlight in your essay. These topics could help people see why some people are more likely to become impoverished than others. You might also be interested in these essays about poverty .

Poverty affects everyone, and the impacts of an impoverished lifestyle are very real. Furthermore, the disparities when comparing adult poverty to child poverty are also significant. This opens the doors to multiple possible essay topics. Here are a few points to include:

• When children live in poverty, their development is stunted. For example, they might not be able to get to school on time due to a lack of transportation, making it hard for them to keep up with their peers. Child poverty also leads to malnutrition, which can stunt their development.
• Poverty can impact familial relationships as well. For example, members of the same family could fight for limited resources, making it hard for family members to bond. In addition, malnutrition can stunt the growth of children.
• As a side effect of poverty, people have difficulty finding a safe place to live. This creates a challenging environment for everyone involved, and it is even harder for children to grow and develop.
• When poverty leads to homelessness, it is hard for someone to get a job. They don’t have an address to use for physical communication, which leads to employment concerns.

These are just a few of the many side effects of poverty. Of course, these impacts are felt by people across the board, but it is not unusual for children to feel the effects of poverty that much more. You might also be interested in these essays about unemployment .

Different countries take different approaches to reduce the number of people living in poverty

The issue of poverty is a major human rights concern, and many countries explore poverty reduction strategies to improve people’s quality of life. You might want to examine different strategies that different countries are taking while also suggesting how some countries can do more. A few ways to write this essay include:

• Explore the poverty level in America, comparing it to the poverty level of a European country. Then, explore why different countries take different strategies.
• Compare the minimum wage in one state, such as New York, to the minimum wage in another state, such as Alabama. Why is it higher in one state? What does raising the minimum wage do to the cost of living?
• Highlight a few advocacy groups and nonprofit organizations actively lobbying their governments to do more for low-income families. Then, talk about why some efforts are more successful than others.

Different countries take different approaches to reduce the number of people living in poverty. Poverty within each country is such a broad topic that you could write a different essay on how poverty could be decreased within the country. For more, check out our list of simple essays topics for intermediate writers .

You could also write an essay on the necessities people need to survive. You could take a look at information published by the United Nations , which focuses on getting people out of the cycle of poverty across the globe. The social problem of poverty can be addressed by giving people the necessities they need to survive, particularly in rural areas. Here are some of the areas you might want to include:

• Affordable housing
• Fresh, healthy food and clean water
• Access to an affordable education
• Access to affordable healthcare

Giving everyone these necessities could significantly improve their well-being and get people out of absolute poverty. You might even want to talk about whether these necessities vary depending on where someone is living.

There are a lot of medical and social issues that contribute to poverty, and you could write about how disabilities contribute to poverty. This is one of the most important essay topics because people could be disabled through no fault of their own. Some of the issues you might want to address in this essay include:

• Talk about the road someone faces if they become disabled while serving overseas. What is it like for people to apply for benefits through the Veterans’ Administration?
• Discuss what happens if someone becomes disabled while at work. What is it like for someone to pursue disability benefits if they are hurt doing a blue-collar job instead of a desk job?
• Research and discuss the experiences of disabled people and how their disability impacts their financial situation.

People who are disabled need to have money to survive for many reasons, such as the inability to work, limitations at home, and medical expenses. A lack of money, in this situation, can lead to a dangerous cycle that can make it hard for someone to be financially stable and live a comfortable lifestyle.

Many people talk about the cycle of poverty, yet many aren’t entirely sure what this means or what it entails. A few key points you should address in this essay include:

• When someone is born into poverty, income inequality can make it hard to get an education.
• A lack of education makes it hard for someone to get into a good school, which gives them the foundation they need to compete for a good job. 
• A lack of money can make it hard for someone to afford college, even if they get into a good school.
• Without attending a good college, it can be hard for someone to get a good job. This makes it hard for someone to support themselves or their families. 
• Without a good paycheck, it is nearly impossible for someone to keep their children out of poverty, limiting upward mobility into the middle class.

The problem of poverty is a positive feedback loop. It can be nearly impossible for those who live this every day to escape. Therefore, you might want to explore a few initiatives that could break the cycle of world poverty and explore other measures that could break this feedback loop.

Many business people and politicians have floated the idea of a universal basic income to give people the basic resources they need to survive. While this hasn’t gotten a lot of serious traction, you could write an essay to shed light on this idea. A few points to hit on include:

• What does a universal basic income mean, and how is it distributed?
• Some people are concerned about the impact this would have on taxes. How would this be paid for?
• What is the minimum amount of money someone would need to stay out of poverty? Is it different in different areas?
• What are a few of the biggest reasons major world governments haven’t passed this?

This is one of the best essay examples because it gives you a lot of room to be creative. However, there hasn’t been a concrete structure for implementing this plan, so you might want to afford one.

Another interesting topic you might want to explore is interviewing someone living in poverty or who has been impoverished. While you can talk about statistics all day, they won’t be as powerful as interviewing someone who has lived that life. A few questions you might want to ask during your interview include:

• What was it like growing up?
• How has living in poverty made it hard for you to get a job?
• What do you feel people misunderstand about those who live in poverty?
• When you need to find a meal, do you have a place you go to? Or is it somewhere different every day?
• What do you think is the main contributor to people living in poverty?

Remember that you can also craft different questions depending on your responses. You might want to let the interviewee read the essay when you are done to ensure all the information is accurate and correct.

The criminal justice system and poverty tend to go hand in hand. People with criminal records are more likely to be impoverished for several reasons. You might want to write an essay that hits on some of these points:

• Discuss the discriminatory practices of the criminal justice system both as they relate to socioeconomic status and as they relate to race.
• Explore just how hard it is for someone to get a job if they have a criminal record. Discuss how this might contribute to a life of poverty.
• Dive into how this creates a positive feedback loop. For example, when someone cannot get a job due to a criminal record, they might have to steal to survive, which worsens the issue.
• Review what the criminal justice system might be like for someone with resources when compared to someone who cannot afford to hire expert witnesses or pay for a good attorney.

You might want to include a few examples of disparate sentences for people in different socioeconomic situations to back up your points. 

Affordable housing can make a major difference when someone is trying to escape poverty

Many poverty-related problems could be reduced if people had access to affordable housing. While the cost of housing has increased dramatically in the United States , some initiatives exist to create affordable housing. Here are a few points to include:

• Talk about public programs that offer affordable housing to people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Discuss private programs, such as Habitat for Humanity , doing similar things.
• Review the positive impacts that stable housing has on both adults and children.
• Dive into other measures local and federal governments could take to provide more affordable housing for people.

There are a lot of political and social angles to address with this essay, so you might want to consider spreading this out across multiple papers. Affordable housing can make a major difference when trying to escape poverty. If you want to learn more, check out our essay writing tips !

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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Essay on Poverty: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 14, 2023

Poverty is a deep-rooted problem that continues to affect a large portion of the world’s population today. It touches on several aspects of human life including but not limited to political, economic, and social elements. Even though there are several methods to escape poverty, still issues arise due to a lack of adequate unity among the country’s citizens. Here are some essays on poverty which will give you insights about this topic.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Poverty in 100 words
• 2 Essay on Poverty in 200 words
• 3.1 Reasons Behind Poverty
• 3.2 World Poverty Conditions
• 3.3 Role of NGOs to Eradicate Poverty
• 3.4 What Can be Done by Us?

Essay on Poverty in 100 words

Poverty is defined as a state of scarcity, and the lack of material possessions to such an extreme extent that people have difficulties in fulfilling their basic needs. Robert McNamara, a former World Bank President, states that extreme poverty is limited by illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality rate, squalid conditions of living, and low life expectancy.

In order to eradicate poverty in a country, strict measures need to be taken on all levels. The political system needs to address this issue with utmost sincerity and strategic implementation in such a way that it improves the lives of people, especially the ones living below the poverty line. 

Also Read: Speech on Made in India

Essay on Poverty in 200 words

Poverty is like a parasite that degrades its host and eventually causes a lot of damage to the host. It is basically the scarcity of basic needs that leads to an extremely degraded life and even low life expectancy. It includes a lack of food, shelter, medication, education, and other basic necessities. Poverty is a more serious circumstance where people are forced to starve. It can be caused by a variety of factors depending upon the country. 

Every country that is hit with pandemic diseases, experiences an increase in poverty rates. This is because of the fact that poor people are unable to receive adequate medical care and hence are unable to maintain their health. This renders the people powerless and even puts their liberty in jeopardy. This is because of the fact that poor people can become trapped in a vicious cycle of servitude. The condition of poverty is a distressing one that causes pain, despair, and grief in the lives of the ones it affects. 

This is also a negative scenario that prevents a child from attending basic education. It’s the lack of money that prevents people from living sufficiently. Also, it is the cause of more serious social concerns such as slavery, child labour, etc. Hence action is needed on the same with utmost sincerity. 

Essay on Poverty in 300 words

Poverty is a multifaceted concept that includes several aspects such as social aspects, political elements, economic aspects, etc. It is basically associated with undermining a variety of essential human attributes such as health, education, etc. Despite the growth and development of the economies of countries, poverty still exists in almost every one of them. 

Reasons Behind Poverty

There are several contributing reasons behind poverty in a nation. Some of them are mentioned below:-

• Lack of literacy among citizens
• Lack of Capital in the country
• Large families and a rapidly growing population
• Limited employment opportunities

There are even urban areas where the slum population is increasing. These are deprived of many basic amenities such as sanitation, drainage systems, and low-cost water supply, etc. 

World Poverty Conditions

According to UNICEF , around 22000 children lose their lives each day due to poverty. There are approximately 1.9 billion children in developing countries in the world and India is also among them. Out of these, approximately 640 million don’t have a proper shelter, 270 million are living without medical facilities, and approximately 400 million don’t have access to safe water. This worldwide situation is growing at a fast pace. 

Role of NGOs to Eradicate Poverty

The approaches by NGOs basically include helping the poor by providing various public services such as medical services etc.

They also play a major role in mobilizing the services recommended by the government. They have various approaches and strategies that directly help the poor in various ways.

What Can be Done by Us?

We help in eradicating poverty by increasing employment opportunities.

Ensuring financial services and providing the same is another such measure that can be taken.

Recognizing social entrepreneurs as people of influence, conveying to them the seriousness of this situation, and then eventually making people aware of the same is another thing that can be done. 

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Writing an essay on poverty in 200 words requires you to describe various aspects of this topic such as what causes poverty, how it affects individuals and society as a whole, etc. The condition of poverty is a distressing one that causes pain, despair, and grief in the lives of the ones it affects.

An essay on poverty may be started as follows:- Poverty is a deep-rooted problem that continues to affect a large portion of the world’s population today. It touches on several aspects of human life including but not limited to political, economic, and social elements. Even though there are several methods to escape poverty, still issues arise due to a lack of adequate unity among the country’s citizens.

Poverty in 100 words: Poverty is defined as a state of scarcity, and the lack of material possessions to such an extreme extent that people have difficulties in fulfilling their basic needs. Robert McNamara, a former World Bank President, states that extreme poverty is limited by illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality rate, squalid conditions of living, and low life expectancy. In order to eradicate poverty in a country, strict measures need to be taken on all levels. The political system needs to address this issue with utmost sincerity and strategic implementation in such a way that it improves the lives of people, especially the ones living below the poverty line.

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Deepansh Gautam

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Poverty Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on poverty essay.

“Poverty is the worst form of violence”. – Mahatma Gandhi.

How Poverty is Measured?

For measuring poverty United nations have devised two measures of poverty – Absolute & relative poverty.  Absolute poverty is used to measure poverty in developing countries like India. Relative poverty is used to measure poverty in developed countries like the USA. In absolute poverty, a line based on the minimum level of income has been created & is called a poverty line.  If per day income of a family is below this level, then it is poor or below the poverty line. If per day income of a family is above this level, then it is non-poor or above the poverty line. In India, the new poverty line is  Rs 32 in rural areas and Rs 47 in urban areas.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Causes of Poverty

According to the Noble prize winner South African leader, Nelson Mandela – “Poverty is not natural, it is manmade”. The above statement is true as the causes of poverty are generally man-made. There are various causes of poverty but the most important is population. Rising population is putting the burden on the resources & budget of countries. Governments are finding difficult to provide food, shelter & employment to the rising population.

The other causes are- lack of education, war, natural disaster, lack of employment, lack of infrastructure, political instability, etc. For instance- lack of employment opportunities makes a person jobless & he is not able to earn enough to fulfill the basic necessities of his family & becomes poor. Lack of education compels a person for less paying jobs & it makes him poorer. Lack of infrastructure means there are no industries, banks, etc. in a country resulting in lack of employment opportunities. Natural disasters like flood, earthquake also contribute to poverty.

In some countries, especially African countries like Somalia, a long period of civil war has made poverty widespread. This is because all the resources & money is being spent in war instead of public welfare. Countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. are prone to natural disasters like cyclone, etc. These disasters occur every year causing poverty to rise.

Ill Effects of Poverty

Poverty affects the life of a poor family. A poor person is not able to take proper food & nutrition &his capacity to work reduces. Reduced capacity to work further reduces his income, making him poorer. Children from poor family never get proper schooling & proper nutrition. They have to work to support their family & this destroys their childhood. Some of them may also involve in crimes like theft, murder, robbery, etc. A poor person remains uneducated & is forced to live under unhygienic conditions in slums. There are no proper sanitation & drinking water facility in slums & he falls ill often &  his health deteriorates. A poor person generally dies an early death. So, all social evils are related to poverty.

Government Schemes to Remove Poverty

The government of India also took several measures to eradicate poverty from India. Some of them are – creating employment opportunities , controlling population, etc. In India, about 60% of the population is still dependent on agriculture for its livelihood. Government has taken certain measures to promote agriculture in India. The government constructed certain dams & canals in our country to provide easy availability of water for irrigation. Government has also taken steps for the cheap availability of seeds & farming equipment to promote agriculture. Government is also promoting farming of cash crops like cotton, instead of food crops. In cities, the government is promoting industrialization to create more jobs. Government has also opened  ‘Ration shops’. Other measures include providing free & compulsory education for children up to 14 years of age, scholarship to deserving students from a poor background, providing subsidized houses to poor people, etc.

Poverty is a social evil, we can also contribute to control it. For example- we can simply donate old clothes to poor people, we can also sponsor the education of a poor child or we can utilize our free time by teaching poor students. Remember before wasting food, somebody is still sleeping hungry.

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5 Essays About Poverty Everyone Should Know

Poverty is one of the driving forces of inequality in the world. Between 1990-2015, much progress was made. The number of people living on less than $1.90 went from 36% to 10%. However, according to the World Bank , the COVID-19 pandemic represents a serious problem that disproportionately impacts the poor. Research released in February of 2020 shows that by 2030, up to ⅔ of the “global extreme poor” will be living in conflict-affected and fragile economies. Poverty will remain a major human rights issue for decades to come. Here are five essays about the issue that everyone should know:

“We need an economic bill of rights” –  Martin Luther King Jr.

The Guardian published an abridged version of this essay in 2018, which was originally released in Look magazine just after Dr. King was killed. In this piece, Dr. King explains why an economic bill of rights is necessary. He points out that while mass unemployment within the black community is a “social problem,” it’s a “depression” in the white community. An economic bill of rights would give a job to everyone who wants one and who can work. It would also give an income to those who can’t work. Dr. King affirms his commitment to non-violence. He’s fully aware that tensions are high. He quotes a spiritual, writing “timing is winding up.” Even while the nation progresses, poverty is getting worse.

This essay was reprinted and abridged in The Guardian in an arrangement with The Heirs to the Estate of Martin Luther King. Jr. The most visible representative of the Civil Rights Movement beginning in 1955, Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. His essays and speeches remain timely.

“How Poverty Can Follow Children Into Adulthood” – Priyanka Boghani

This article is from 2017, but it’s more relevant than ever because it was written when 2012 was the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. That’s no longer the case. In 2012, around ¼ American children were in poverty. Five years later, children were still more likely than adults to be poor. This is especially true for children of colour. Consequences of poverty include anxiety, hunger, and homelessness. This essay also looks at the long-term consequences that come from growing up in poverty. A child can develop health problems that affect them in adulthood. Poverty can also harm a child’s brain development. Being aware of how poverty affects children and follows them into adulthood is essential as the world deals with the economic fallout from the pandemic.

Priyanka Boghani is a journalist at PBS Frontline. She focuses on U.S. foreign policy, humanitarian crises, and conflicts in the Middle East. She also assists in managing Frontline’s social accounts.

“5 Reasons COVID-19 Will Impact the Fight to End Extreme Poverty” – Leah Rodriguez

For decades, the UN has attempted to end extreme poverty. In the face of the novel coronavirus outbreak, new challenges threaten the fight against poverty. In this essay, Dr. Natalie Linos, a Harvard social epidemiologist, urges the world to have a “social conversation” about how the disease impacts poverty and inequality. If nothing is done, it’s unlikely that the UN will meet its Global Goals by 2030. Poverty and COVID-19 intersect in five key ways. For one, low-income people are more vulnerable to disease. They also don’t have equal access to healthcare or job stability. This piece provides a clear, concise summary of why this outbreak is especially concerning for the global poor.

Leah Rodriguez’s writing at Global Citizen focuses on women, girls, water, and sanitation. She’s also worked as a web producer and homepage editor for New York Magazine’s The Cut.

“Climate apartheid”: World’s poor to suffer most from disasters” – Al Jazeera and news Agencies

The consequences of climate change are well-known to experts like Philip Alston, the special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. In 2019, he submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council sounding the alarm on how climate change will devastate the poor. While the wealthy will be able to pay their way out of devastation, the poor will not. This will end up creating a “climate apartheid.” Alston states that if climate change isn’t addressed, it will undo the last five decades of progress in poverty education, as well as global health and development .

“Nickel and Dimed: On (not) getting by in America” – Barbara Ehrenreich

In this excerpt from her book Nickel and Dimed, Ehrenreich describes her experience choosing to live undercover as an “unskilled worker” in the US. She wanted to investigate the impact the 1996 welfare reform act had on the working poor. Released in 2001, the events take place between the spring of 1998 and the summer of 2000. Ehrenreich decided to live in a town close to her “real life” and finds a place to live and a job. She has her eyes opened to the challenges and “special costs” of being poor. In 2019, The Guardian ranked the book 13th on their list of 100 best books of the 21st century.

Barbara Ehrenreich is the author of 21 books and an activist. She’s worked as an award-winning columnist and essayist.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

5 Poverty Essays You Can Download For Free

Poverty is a complex issue. Researchers, legislators, and philosophers debate causes and consequences all the time, as well as solutions. To learn more about poverty, here are five essays you can access online for free:

Ending Global Poverty: Why Money Isn’t Enough – Lucy Page and Rohini Pande

In this essay, the authors lay out the argument that if extreme poverty is to end by 2030, it will take more than just economic growth and the distribution of resources. The solution is a shift in social and political institutions. States must be accountable to the needs of the poorest people and also have the ability to address the needs. Simply having more wealth isn’t enough, the authors say. By 2030, the world as a whole will probably be richer, but that doesn’t guarantee poverty will be non-existent. “Ending Global Poverty” was published in fall 2018 in the Journal of Economic Perspectives.

How Poverty Became A Crime In America – Peter Edelman

This essay in The Guardian is excerpted from Peter Edelman’s book Not A Crime To Be Poor: The Criminalization of Poverty in America. Edelman is an expert on poverty and known for resigning from the Clinton administration over welfare reforms he disagreed with. In his essay, Edelman describes how the US has created a system that punishes the poor, from budget cuts to mass incarceration to racism. Though short, the essay shrewdly explains the criminalization of poverty.

The Economic Lives Of The Poor – Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo

Published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives in 2007, this essay explores the lives of the “extremely poor.” These are the people who live on less than $1 per day. Banerjee and Duflo describe the kinds of choices this group must make, their challenges, and more. They’ve relied on data and research from household surveys performed in 13 countries. If you’ve ever wondered what life is like for very poor people, how they earn their money, and how they spend it, this is a good essay to read.

The New Face of Hunger –  Tracie McMillan

Known for the New York Times bestseller The American Way of Eating, Tracie McMillan focuses her investigative research on poverty and food. In this essay from National Geographic, which includes pictures and graphs, McMillan follows the story of a woman living in Iowa. Money is very tight for this woman and her family, and feeding her children enough is often very challenging. In this essay, McMillan enlightens the reader on who is going hungry in America and the reasons why.

The Continuing Evolution of American Poverty and Its Implications for Community Development – Alan Berube

Written by a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program in Washington D.C., this essay (published by Brookings in 2016) examines how poverty has changed in the last 40 years. Community development has also changed, which means where poverty is found and how it manifests is different than in years past. Where does community development fit into the fight against poverty? Berube addresses this question and more.

Read more essays on poverty !

Short Essay on Poverty [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In this lesson, you will learn to write short essays on Poverty . Here I will be writing three sets of essays on the same topic covering different word limits relevant for various exams.

Table of Contents

Short essay on poverty in 100 words, short essay on poverty in 200 words, short essay on poverty in 400 words.

Poverty is when people do not have enough money to meet their basic needs including food, clean water, clothing, shelter and medical necessities. Today, more than 689 million people are living in poverty around the world. In India, about 6% of our total population of around 86 million people are poverty-stricken.

These people do not have enough to even eat two full meals a day. Many of them live on the streets and have no jobs. Those who have jobs work in extreme conditions and still do not get paid enough to provide for themselves or their families. Although governments around the world have taken measures to help these people, the situation wouldn’t get better unless better steps are taken to ensure that people get an education, enough food and an opportunity to live a dignified life. 

Poverty is often described as a state in which people are unable to meet their basic needs including food, clean water, clothing and medical necessities because they do not have enough money. Today, more than 689 million people are living in poverty around the world.

These people often don’t get to eat two full meals a day. Many of them live on the streets, in deplorable conditions, without any proper access to clean water. And these people aren’t all adults, there are little children, old men and women as well as disabled people. Most of them cannot find jobs even if they try to. Those who do find a job have to often work in extreme, unhygienic and inhuman conditions where others wouldn’t dare to work. 

Looking at the struggles of poverty-stricken people often makes one think about why do these poor people have to suffer so much. Now, on one hand, there are the mega-rich people who have more than they could ever need and on the other than there are extremely poor people who would be grateful if they could get one proper meal a day. If only we can bridge the gap between the two, everyone would be able to live well.

The governments around the world have taken some measures to help poverty-stricken people, but the situation wouldn’t really improve unless proper steps are taken to ensure that these people have the access to education, enough food and an opportunity to live a dignified life. 

The father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, once said – “poverty is the worst form of violence”. And it is true indeed. Poverty is when people do not have enough money to meet their basic needs including food, clean water, clothing, shelter and medical necessities. Today, more than 689 million people are living in poverty around the world.

Many of them live on the streets, in deplorable conditions, without any proper access to clean water, and don’t have food as well. When we compare this to the huge number of millionaires and billionaires we have in this world, it does paint a really cruel picture. 

Looking at the struggles of poverty-stricken people often makes one think about why do these poor people have to suffer so much. We have more than enough resources on this planet to provide for everyone.

The mega-rich in this world have more than they would ever need while the people living below the poverty line would be grateful if they could even get one proper meal a day. If only we could bridge this gap and bring everyone together, if only we could share what we have and help each other, there wouldn’t be so much suffering in this world. But the reality is that in this capitalist world, most people lack compassion and do not want to share.

The governments make some policies here and some changes there and make it seem like they are going to deal with the issues but by the time the help actually reaches those in need, it is negligible. 

The effects of poverty on a person’s life are manifold. A poor person who doesn’t have enough to buy bread for himself or his family can not think of sending his children to school. These kids who remain uneducated do not get the opportunity in life to rise above their situation or do something good for themselves and end up repeating the same cycle.

Some families remain poverty-stricken for generations, not knowing how to find a way out of it. Their situation can only improve if the government makes proper plans to provide education, food, shelter and jobs for them. It is important that the plan doesn’t just stay on the paper but is actually put to action. 

People who live below the poverty line are also human beings like us. We must always remember that and do our best to help them. Everyone deserves to live a dignified life. 

In this session, I’ve discussed the topic of poverty from a very wide perspective in simple words that everybody understands. If you still have any doubts regarding the topic, kindly let me know through the comment section below. 

Join us on Telegram to get all the latest updates on our upcoming sessions. Thank you. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Poverty in America — Life in Poverty: Defying the Odds

Life in Poverty: Defying The Odds

• Categories: Child Poverty Poverty in America

About this sample

Words: 438 |

Published: Jan 25, 2024

Words: 438 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Defying the odds, works cited.

• ASHBERY, JOHN. "My Philosophy Of Life". Midwest Studies In Philosophy 33.1 (2009): 1-2. Web.
• Kass, Leon. Life, Liberty, And The Defense Of Dignity. 1st ed. San Francisco: Encounter Books, 2002. Print.

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Speech on Poverty

Poverty is not just a lack of money, it’s a complex issue that touches many areas of life. It’s about not having enough food, a safe place to live, or access to basic services like education or healthcare.

You might think poverty only affects people in far-off places, but it’s closer than you think. Even in the wealthiest countries, many people struggle every day just to meet their basic needs.

1-minute Speech on Poverty

Hello, friends!

Let’s talk about a critical issue – poverty. It’s the state when people can’t get the basic things they need to live, like food, clothes, and a place to live. It’s a problem not just in one country or one region, but all over the world.

Imagine not knowing if you’ll eat today or not. Imagine wearing the same clothes every day, no matter if they’re torn or dirty. It’s a tough life, right? That’s what poverty looks like. Many people face this situation every day. It’s sad, but it’s the truth.

Now, why does poverty exist? Some people are born into poor families. Some lose their jobs and can’t find a new one. Sometimes, natural disasters like floods or earthquakes destroy everything they have. The reasons are many, and they’re all hard to control.

But there’s hope. We can all do something to help. We can donate clothes, food, or money to people in need. Schools can offer free meals to students from poor families. Companies can give jobs to those who can’t find work. Governments can build affordable houses for the homeless.

We can’t end poverty in one day. It’s a big task. But every small action counts. If every one of us does a little bit, we can make a big change. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

In the end, let’s not forget about poverty. Let’s keep talking about it, learning about it and doing what we can to help. Because in a world as rich as ours, no one should have to live in poverty. Thank you.

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• Essay on Poverty

2-minute Speech on Poverty

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We’re here today to talk about a topic that is very real and very serious — poverty. Imagine not having enough food to eat, or a safe place to live, or even a warm sweater when it’s cold. That’s what poverty means. It’s when people don’t have the basic things they need to live a decent life.

In our modern world, it’s surprising that poverty still exists. It’s sad to see that in a world full of riches, some people go to bed hungry every night. In some parts of the world, kids don’t go to school because they can’t afford books or uniforms. They have to work instead, to help their families. It’s not fair, is it?

Poverty is like a big, scary monster. It’s not just about being hungry or cold. It affects people’s health too. When people are poor, they can’t afford to see a doctor or buy medicine. They get sick more often and stay sick longer. It makes life very hard and stressful.

But why does poverty exist? There are many reasons. Sometimes, it’s because of bad luck. Maybe there’s a drought, and the crops fail. Or maybe someone gets sick and can’t work. But often, it’s because of things that are unfair. Maybe some people have a lot of money and power, and they don’t share it with others. Or maybe the rules of the society are not fair, and they make it hard for poor people to improve their lives.

So, what can we do about poverty? It’s a big problem, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fight it. We can start by being aware of the problem. We can learn about poverty and talk about it. And we can help. We can donate money or food to people who need it. We can also volunteer our time to help in soup kitchens or community centers. And we can make sure that our leaders know that we care about poverty, and we want them to do something about it.

Remember, every person can make a difference. You might think that you’re just one person, and you can’t do much. But that’s not true. If each one of us does a little bit, it adds up to a lot. And together, we can beat the monster of poverty.

In conclusion, poverty is a big problem, but not a hopeless one. We can beat it if we work together. Let’s all do our part and make the world a better place for everyone. Because everyone deserves a chance to live a good life, don’t they?

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Concept of Poverty Definition Essay

Introduction, poverty as a measure of low income, the “basic needs” approach, poverty as an inescapable political act, the freedoms approach, poverty as the lack of wealth, how to measure poverty.

Poverty is a widely useful and common concept in many spheres of socioeconomic development. Albeit a universal concept, many people have different conceptions of the term. In fact, Misturelli and Heffernan (2010) say the concept has different clusters of meanings and definitions.

Other researchers believe the evolving nature of poverty contributes to its varied meanings. The discourse analysis of Misturelli and Heffernan (2010) was among the first research studies to document how the evolving nature of poverty gave it different meanings and definitions. Pantazis, Gordon and Levitas (2006) take a pragmatic construction of this argument by arguing that most people cannot define poverty in any way that they like.

The discourse, or subject areas, of these meanings provide the differences. This paper builds on these arguments by reviewing different conceptions of the term.

Since the 1880s, researchers have come up with three main conceptions of the term – “subsistence, basic needs and relative deprivation” (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013). Pantazis, Gordon and Levitas (2006) use the first criterion to define poverty by saying that it is “The Lack of income, access to good quality health, education and housing, and the exposure to poor quality living environments” (p. 30).

They say these attributes affect people’s well-being. In line with the same understanding, Pantazis, Gordon and Levitas (2006) say low income is an important component of poverty because it affects people’s well-being as well. Here, it is important to understand that short spells of low incomes do not necessarily affect people’s well-being.

However, long spells of low incomes are bound to have the reverse effect (ill-being). Although this discussion does not directly contribute to our understanding of poverty, it helps us to understand the views of other researchers who group low-income people as “poverty-stricken” people (Pantazis, Gordon & Levitas 2006).

This is false. In fact, unless the low income has a negative effect on the people affected, it is incorrect to equate low income with poverty. Nonetheless, this is one perception that outlines people’s understanding of the term.

Booth and Rowntree (cited in Pantazis, Gordon & Levitas 2006) are among the first researchers to explore the concept of poverty. They did so by studying the concept in the context of early 19 th century England.

Here, they opposed the commonly held belief that poverty meant the lack of financial resources (only). Instead, they expanded this understanding by saying that poor health, housing, and the lack of education (among other socioeconomic variables) also defined poverty (Pantazis, Gordon & Levitas 2006).

The United Nations (UN) also adopts a similar understanding of poverty by saying that the concept is “a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information” (United Nations Development Programme 2006, p. 5).

The main difference between this definition and other definitions of poverty highlighted in this paper is the broad understanding of the concept. Stated differently, other researchers use a narrow definition of socioeconomic factors (such as the lack of income) to define poverty, while the basic needs approach constructs poverty through a wider realm of factors that affect human well-being.

Many researchers have often explored the relationship between poverty and politics (United Nations Development Programme 2006). Most of them say that poverty is an inescapably political act. Global institutions, such as the UN, also hold the same view.

For example, the UN has often argued that poverty rarely exists in “politically mature” democracies (such as Europe) (United Nations Development Programme 2006). Conversely, they argue that poor countries, which do not have “politically mature” democracies, report the highest levels of poverty.

This argument further stretches to social and political structures. For example, many researchers believe that poverty is a product of extreme capitalistic societies (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013). This view closely aligns with the Marxist school of thought, but the United Nations Development Programme (2006) defines it as the Anglo-Saxon preoccupation.

Proponents of such views say that capitalistic structures create significant wage differentials that limit people’s growth opportunities (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013). Therefore, people who are born in poverty find it difficult to escape this cycle because of structural limitations (caused by capitalistic systems).

The United Nations Development Programme (2006) expounds on this analysis by saying that political structures (representative of capitalistic societies) need an “industrial reserve army,” which owners of factors of production can use and dispose at their will. Since researchers have different reservations regarding the factuality of this view, its proponents argue that political structures created poverty by relating it to income (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013).

They also say that although poverty existed before the creation of these capitalistic structures, it was mainly limited to life-cycle changes (such as elderly people experiencing the highest rates of poverty) (United Nations Development Programme 2006).

Understanding poverty through people’s ability to live freely and valuable lives emerged from critiques of the income approach to poverty. Its proponents believed that reducing poverty to income deprivation was a shallow understanding of the concept (United Nations Development Programme 2006). Instead, they argued that poverty was a broad concept that included people’s liberties and their enjoyment of the same.

For example, the Sen’s capability approach uses the same premise to define poverty (United Nations Development Programme 2006). The UN has also used this approach to construct the human development index (United Nations Development Programme 2006).

This approach rejects income deprivation as the main proxy for understanding poverty. Comparatively, it proposes an alternative approach of constructing poverty as the deprivation of the freedom to live a valuable life.

Researchers have defined poverty as the lack of wealth (or little wealth). Proponents of this view also define poverty as the inability to consume goods and services (low purchasing power) (Misturelli & Heffernan 2010). Additionally, this definition also includes no (or poor) access to quality services.

The subsistence conception of poverty emerged from Victorian England when nutritionists defined poverty as people’s inability to have an income that could maintain their physical health (United Nations Development Programme 2006). Although people had other needs, such as shelter and clothing, subsistence was the main proxy for defining poverty.

The United Nations Development Programme (2006) says, although this understanding is old, it has influenced scientific dogma for more than ten decades. For example, statistical figures used to describe the social conditions of different countries have often used subsistence measures to do so.

International agencies still use the same measure today. Past British territories used the same measure to rule their colonies. For example, former British authorities used the measure to determine the wages of black people in South Africa (during the apartheid era). They also used the same model to frame development plans in Asian colonies (United Nations Development Programme 2006).

Poverty measurement metrics mainly depend on the multiple definitions of the concept. Furthermore, different countries have varying measurements of the concept. For example, some European countries measure poverty by evaluating national statistics regarding the number of people who apply for social welfare support (United Nations Development Programme 2006).

Most of these measurement metrics relate to the construction of poverty as a lack of income. For example, Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith (2013) say many European countries use income metrics to define at-risk-populations of poverty. Others define poverty-stricken people as those that earn less than 60% of the national median of disposable income (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013).

Other measures of poverty align with the “basic needs” approach of poverty. However, this analysis is contextual because different parts of the world have different types of basic needs. For example, Europeans may define their basic needs as an annual holiday, quality food, and adequate housing (among other factors) (Vecernik 2004).

Therefore, here, it is difficult to define relative poverty as merely lacking enough resources to survive. In this regard, relative measurements make it difficult for statisticians to compare the rate of poverty across different regions.

This paper shows that most definitions of poverty align with the “resource view” (gaining access to resources, or lacking them). This paper has also shown that some researchers define poverty as an inescapable political act. Although mature democracies have low levels of poverty, it is misleading to argue that such democracies do not suffer from poverty at all.

Furthermore, these countries still grapple with inequality challenges, despite their low levels of poverty. In fact, these countries use a relative definition of poverty (Talbot, Madanipour & Shucksmith 2013). An interesting finding about this analysis is that most professionals (“non-poor” people) developed most of the definitions of poverty outlined in this paper. In other words, their definitions of poverty are expressions of their training and educational skills.

In fact, such definitions reflect the power of development professionals to define poverty based on their perceptions. This is an unfair representation of the concept because poor people should have the power to define it.

Based on the findings of this paper, safely, one could say that the definition of poverty depends on who is asking, how people understand it, and the type of audience. However, income is at the centre of the definition because, historically, people have used it to define the concept.

However, based on the varied views and constructs of poverty, and its relation to income, the latter is no less problematic than the concept of poverty itself. Nonetheless, based on an overall assessment of the findings of this paper, correctly, one could say that poverty affects income-deprived people who are unable to gain access to quality life determinants, such as quality food and shelter.

Therefore, a correct (or informed) understanding of poverty cannot merely depend on an abstract understanding of low income as the main proxy. Therefore, to understand the real measurement, or definition, of income, it is crucial to identify a specific income level, beyond which people experience deprivation.

Misturelli, F & Heffernan, C 2010, ‘The concept of poverty a synchronic perspective’, Progress in Development Studies, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 35-58.

Pantazis, C, Gordon, D & Levitas, R 2006, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Britain , The Policy Press, Bristol.

Talbot, H, Madanipour, A & Shucksmith, M 2013, The Territorial Dimension of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Europe, University of Newcastle, New Castle.

United Nations Development Programme 2006, Poverty in Focus , < https://ipcig.org/pub/IPCPovertyInFocus9.pdf >.

Vecernik, J 2004, ‘Who Is Poor in the Czech Republic? The Changing Structure and Faces of Poverty after 1989’, Czech Sociological Review , vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 807–834.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 16). Concept of Poverty. https://ivypanda.com/essays/concept-of-poverty/

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• Poverty Essay for Students in English

Essay on Poverty

Poverty is a disease that has no cure. The deeper this disease is, the deeper its wound. By the way, man lives under compulsion. But usually one wants to avoid it. Poverty is a condition of extreme poverty for any person or human being. This is a situation when a person starts to lack important things in his life such as the roof, necessary food, clothes, medicines, etc. to continue his life.

The causes of poverty are excessive population, fatal and contagious diseases, natural disasters, low agricultural yields, unemployment, casteism, illiteracy, gender inequality, environmental problems, changing trends in the economy of the country, untouchability, little or limited access to people's rights, Problems such as political violence, sponsored crime, corruption, lack of encouragement, inaction, ancient social beliefs, etc. have to be faced.

Poverty has become a big problem of the world, efforts are being made across the world today to remove poverty, but the problem is that it does not take the name of ending. This problem affects a human's economic and daily life. Poverty teaches man to live like a slave in which he has to change the place over time, in this situation due to the lack of education of the poor, his nature and speech also make a difference. Living in a world of poor people has become a curse. Getting enough money to get food is like getting relief from a curse for the poor, that's why they do not have access to education.

Reasons of Poverty

There are many reasons that have continued with carrying it for a long time. Because of this,  freedom, mental and physical fitness, and lack of security in a person remains. It is very important that in order to live a normal life, the country and the whole world will have to work together to bring proper physical and mental health, complete education, a home for everyone, and other important things.

In today's time, there is the problem of poverty which gives all the pain, pain, and despair to the poor. Due to the lack of money from poverty, I show the lack of many things. Poverty makes children spend life in compulsion. If forced to make bread, sometimes in bringing children's books. At that time he is also unable to raise children.

We can tell poverty in many ways like it has become a common thing in India. Most of the people here are unable to get the things they need. Here a vast section of the population is illiterate, hungry, and forced to live without clothes and a home. About half of India's population suffers from this epidemic of poverty.

A poor person lives his life without possession of basic things like food for two times, clean water, house, clothes, proper education, etc. There are many reasons for poverty in India. Incorrect distribution of national income is also a reason. People in the low-income group are much poorer than those in the high-income group. Children of poor families never get proper education, nutrition, and a happy childhood environment. The main cause of poverty is illiteracy, corruption, growing population, weak agriculture, the growing gap between rich and poverty, etc.

Measures to Control Poverty

Corruption has to be erased.

Unemployed will have to give proper employment

A growing population will have to be stopped

Farmers have to be given proper facilities for farming

Education should be provided to children for proper education

Poverty is not just a human problem but it is a national problem. It should be solved by implementing some effective methods on a quick basis. Every person should be united by ending corruption. A problem has been created in which he does not get even the basics. That is why at present, many measures are being taken to prevent poverty so that the standard of living of people around the world can be improved.

Short Essays on Poverty

Poverty is akin to being a slave, as a person cannot achieve anything he desires. It has various faces that alter depending on who you are, where you are, and when. It can be defined in various ways depending on how a person feels or experiences it.

Poverty is a state that no one wants to be in, but it must be removed owing to cultural norms, natural disasters, or a lack of adequate education. The individual who is experiencing it frequently wishes to flee. Poverty is a call for poor people to earn enough money to eat, have access to education, have adequate shelter, dress appropriately, and take steps to protect themselves from social and political violence.

It's a problem that goes unnoticed yet significantly impacts a person's social life. Poverty is an entirely avoidable problem, but there are various reasons why it has persisted in the past.

Poverty robs people of their freedom, mental health, physical well-being, and security. Everyone must strive to eradicate poverty from the country and the world, ensuring appropriate physical and mental health, full literacy, a home for all, and other necessities for living a simple life.

When a person cannot do anything according to his will, he is said to be in poverty. Many different faces alter depending on who you are, where you are, and time. It can be characterized in a variety of ways, depending on how the person feels or what they have achieved. Poverty is a circumstance that no one wants to be in, even if it is forced upon them due to a lack of experience, nature, natural disasters, or a lack of suitable education. Humans have won it, but they prefer to stay away from it. Poverty is a call for needed clothing and protection against social and political violence for the poor to earn enough money to buy food, receive an education, and find a suitable place to live.

This is an unseen problem that harms a person's social life. Even though numerous factors have contributed to its long-term persistence, poverty is a perfectly preventable problem. As a result, a person's freedom, mental and physical well-being, and sense of security are all compromised. It is critical to bring poverty and poverty from worldwide to work together to live everyday life, provide adequate physical and mental health, complete education, a home for everyone, and other essential things.

FAQs on Poverty Essay for Students in English

1. What are the Effects of Poverty?

When people are not able to afford their basic necessities. For example medications and hospital fees are impossible to afford for that means they choose crook ways of obtaining money i.e. stealing, robbery, etc.  

2. What are the Possible Ways to Remove Poverty?

Since India is a developing country, eliminating poverty here is much tougher than in other countries but still some measures can be taken and government assistance would be much helpful in this step which requires some relevant planning and policies for those who fall under the poverty line. Another major factor of poverty is illiteracy and unemployment. Therefore education is the most efficient tool to confine the poverty line in the country. 

3. What is the Poverty Line?

The Below Poverty Line (BPL) signifies the state of people who fall under poverty status. It also symbolizes an economic drawback. In addition, it is used for people who are in need of help and assistance from the government.

4. What are the causes of poverty?

Poverty has several causes, including a lack of access to essentials such as water, food, shelter, education, and healthcare. Poverty is also caused by inequities such as gender or ethnic discrimination, bad governance, conflict, exploitation, and domestic violence. These disparities not only cause a person or a society to fall into poverty, but they can also prevent people from receiving social assistance that could help them get out of it. Due to political upheaval, past or present conflict, corrupt authorities, and lousy infrastructure that restricts access to education, clean water, healthcare, and other essentials, children and communities in fragile states confront greater poverty rates.

5. What can we do to put an end to extreme poverty?

We can aid in the eradication of extreme poverty by determining what causes it in a particular community and then determining what needs to change. Because poverty manifests itself differently in different regions and is caused by different circumstances, the work to end extreme poverty differs depending on the situation. More economic resources are needed to assist people in increasing their income and better providing for themselves and their families. To ensure that poverty does not return, the work must be sustainable, regardless of the solution. As a result, the community must be involved at every stage.

6. What criteria are used to assess poverty?

Each country's government determines poverty levels by conducting home surveys of its citizens. The World Bank, for example, assists and may conduct their surveys, although data collecting is time-consuming and slow. New high-frequency surveys are being created and tested, leveraging estimations and mobile phone technologies. If you want to learn more about these topics, download the Vedantu App that has been specifically designed and curated for students by experts.

7. What is the poverty cycle?

Poverty can be a catch-22 situation. To escape poverty, a person requires access to possibilities such as education, clean water, local medical services, and financial means. Poverty creates a generational cycle if these critical factors are not there. If parents cannot afford to take their children to school, they will struggle to find work when they grow up. Even natural disasters and conflicts can exacerbate the poverty cycle by bringing more people.

8. What are the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of goals for countries worldwide to work together in a global partnership for the benefit of people, the environment, and prosperity. The Sustainable Development Goals aim to abolish extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030 and to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty in all forms by at least half. In September 2015, the United Nations member states accepted this objective as one of 17 to end extreme poverty.

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3. problems students are facing at public k-12 schools.

We asked teachers about how students are doing at their school. Overall, many teachers hold negative views about students’ academic performance and behavior.

• 48% say the academic performance of most students at their school is fair or poor; a third say it’s good and only 17% say it’s excellent or very good.
• 49% say students’ behavior at their school is fair or poor; 35% say it’s good and 13% rate it as excellent or very good.

Teachers in elementary, middle and high schools give similar answers when asked about students’ academic performance. But when it comes to students’ behavior, elementary and middle school teachers are more likely than high school teachers to say it’s fair or poor (51% and 54%, respectively, vs. 43%).

Teachers from high-poverty schools are more likely than those in medium- and low-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are fair or poor.

The differences between high- and low-poverty schools are particularly striking. Most teachers from high-poverty schools say the academic performance (73%) and behavior (64%) of most students at their school are fair or poor. Much smaller shares of teachers from low-poverty schools say the same (27% for academic performance and 37% for behavior).

In turn, teachers from low-poverty schools are far more likely than those from high-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are excellent or very good.

Lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Among those who have been teaching for at least a year, about eight-in-ten teachers say the lasting impact of the pandemic on students’ behavior, academic performance and emotional well-being has been very or somewhat negative. This includes about a third or more saying that the lasting impact has been very negative in each area.

Shares ranging from 11% to 15% of teachers say the pandemic has had no lasting impact on these aspects of students’ lives, or that the impact has been neither positive nor negative. Only about 5% say that the pandemic has had a positive lasting impact on these things.

A smaller majority of teachers (55%) say the pandemic has had a negative impact on the way parents interact with teachers, with 18% saying its lasting impact has been very negative.

These results are mostly consistent across teachers of different grade levels and school poverty levels.

Major problems at school

When we asked teachers about a range of problems that may affect students who attend their school, the following issues top the list:

• Poverty (53% say this is a major problem at their school)
• Chronic absenteeism – that is, students missing a substantial number of school days (49%)
• Anxiety and depression (48%)

One-in-five say bullying is a major problem among students at their school. Smaller shares of teachers point to drug use (14%), school fights (12%), alcohol use (4%) and gangs (3%).

Differences by school level

Similar shares of teachers across grade levels say poverty is a major problem at their school, but other problems are more common in middle or high schools:

• 61% of high school teachers say chronic absenteeism is a major problem at their school, compared with 43% of elementary school teachers and 46% of middle school teachers.
• 69% of high school teachers and 57% of middle school teachers say anxiety and depression are a major problem, compared with 29% of elementary school teachers.
• 34% of middle school teachers say bullying is a major problem, compared with 13% of elementary school teachers and 21% of high school teachers.

Not surprisingly, drug use, school fights, alcohol use and gangs are more likely to be viewed as major problems by secondary school teachers than by those teaching in elementary schools.

Differences by poverty level

Teachers’ views on problems students face at their school also vary by school poverty level.

Majorities of teachers in high- and medium-poverty schools say chronic absenteeism is a major problem where they teach (66% and 58%, respectively). A much smaller share of teachers in low-poverty schools say this (34%).

Bullying, school fights and gangs are viewed as major problems by larger shares of teachers in high-poverty schools than in medium- and low-poverty schools.

When it comes to anxiety and depression, a slightly larger share of teachers in low-poverty schools (51%) than in high-poverty schools (44%) say these are a major problem among students where they teach.  

Discipline practices

About two-thirds of teachers (66%) say that the current discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat mild – including 27% who say they’re very mild. Only 2% say the discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat harsh, while 31% say they are neither harsh nor mild.

We also asked teachers about the amount of influence different groups have when it comes to determining discipline practices at their school.

• 67% say teachers themselves don’t have enough influence. Very few (2%) say teachers have too much influence, and 29% say their influence is about right.

• 31% of teachers say school administrators don’t have enough influence, 22% say they have too much, and 45% say their influence is about right.
• On balance, teachers are more likely to say parents, their state government and the local school board have too much influence rather than not enough influence in determining discipline practices at their school. Still, substantial shares say these groups have about the right amount of influence.

Teachers from low- and medium-poverty schools (46% each) are more likely than those in high-poverty schools (36%) to say parents have too much influence over discipline practices.

In turn, teachers from high-poverty schools (34%) are more likely than those from low- and medium-poverty schools (17% and 18%, respectively) to say that parents don’t have enough influence.

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Table of contents, ‘back to school’ means anytime from late july to after labor day, depending on where in the u.s. you live, among many u.s. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows, most european students learn english in school, for u.s. teens today, summer means more schooling and less leisure time than in the past, about one-in-six u.s. teachers work second jobs – and not just in the summer, most popular.

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Mental health care is hard to find, especially for people with Medicare or Medicaid

Rhitu Chatterjee

With rates of suicide and opioid deaths rising in the past decade and children's mental health declared a national emergency , the United States faces an unprecedented mental health crisis. But access to mental health care for a significant portion of Americans — including some of the most vulnerable populations — is extremely limited, according to a new government report released Wednesday.

The report, from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General, finds that Medicare and Medicaid have a dire shortage of mental health care providers.

The report looked at 20 counties with people on Medicaid, traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which together serve more than 130 million enrollees — more than 40% of the U.S. population, says Meridith Seife , the deputy regional inspector general and the lead author of the report.

Medicaid serves people on low incomes, and Medicare is mainly for people 65 years or older and those who are younger with chronic disabilities.

The report found fewer than five active mental health care providers for every 1,000 enrollees. On average, Medicare Advantage has 4.7 providers per 1,000 enrollees, whereas traditional Medicare has 2.9 providers and Medicaid has 3.1 providers for the same number of enrollees. Some counties fare even worse, with not even a single provider for every 1,000 enrollees.

"When you have so few providers available to see this many enrollees, patients start running into significant problems finding care," says Seife.

The findings are especially troubling given the level of need for mental health care in this population, she says.

"On Medicare, you have 1 in 4 Medicare enrollees who are living with a mental illness," she says. "Yet less than half of those people are receiving treatment."

Among people on Medicaid, 1 in 3 have a mental illness, and 1 in 5 have a substance use disorder. "So the need is tremendous."

The results are "scary" but "not very surprising," says Deborah Steinberg , senior health policy attorney at the nonprofit Legal Action Center. "We know that people in Medicare and Medicaid are often underserved populations, and this is especially true for mental health and substance use disorder care."

Among those individuals able to find and connect with a provider, many see their provider several times a year, according to the report. And many have to drive a long way for their appointments.

"We have roughly 1 in 4 patients that had to travel more than an hour to their appointments, and 1 in 10 had to travel more than an hour and a half each way," notes Seife. Some patients traveled two hours each way for mental health care, she says.

Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are chronic conditions that people need ongoing care for, says Steinberg. "And when they have to travel an hour, more than an hour, for an appointment throughout the year, that becomes unreasonable. It becomes untenable."

"We know that behavioral health workforce shortages are widespread," says Heather Saunders , a senior research manager on the Medicaid team at KFF, the health policy research organization. "This is across all payers, all populations, with about half of the U.S. population living in a workforce shortage."

But as the report found, that's not the whole story for Medicare and Medicaid. Only about a third of mental health care providers in the counties studied see Medicare and Medicaid patients. That means a majority of the workforce doesn't participate in these programs.

This has been well documented in Medicaid, notes Saunders. "Only a fraction" of providers in provider directories see Medicaid patients, she says. "And when they do see Medicaid patients, they often only see a few."

Lower reimbursement rates and a high administrative burden prevent more providers from participating in Medicaid and Medicare, the report notes.

"In the Medicare program, they set a physician fee rate," explains Steinberg. "Then for certain providers, which includes clinical social workers, mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, they get reimbursed at 75% of that rate."

Medicaid reimbursements for psychiatric services are even lower when compared with Medicare , says Ellen Weber , senior vice president for health initiatives at the Legal Action Center.

"They're baking in those discriminatory standards when they are setting those rates," says Steinberg.

The new report recommends that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) take steps to increase payments to providers and lower administrative requirements. In a statement, CMS said it has responded to those recommendations within the report.

According to research by Saunders and her colleagues at KFF, many states have already started to take action on these fronts to improve participation in Medicaid.

Several have upped their payments to mental health providers. "But the scale of those increases ranged widely across states," says Saunders, "with some states limiting the increase to one provider type or one type of service, but other states having rate increases that were more across the board."

Some states have also tried to simplify and streamline paperwork, she adds. "Making it less complex, making it easier to understand," says Saunders.

But it's too soon to know whether those efforts have made a significant impact on improving access to providers.

CMS has also taken steps to address provider shortages, says Steinberg.

"CMS has tried to increase some of the reimbursement rates without actually fixing that structural problem," says Steinberg. "Trying to add a little bit here and there, but it's not enough, especially when they're only adding a percent to the total rate. It's a really small increase."

The agency has also started covering treatments and providers it didn't use to cover before.

"In 2020, Medicare started covering opioid treatment programs, which is where a lot of folks can go to get medications for their substance use disorder," says Steinberg.

And starting this year, Medicare also covers "mental health counselors, which includes addiction counselors, as well as marriage and family therapists," she adds.

While noteworthy and important, a lot more needs to be done, says Steinberg. "For example, in the substance use disorder space, a lot of addiction counselors do not have a master's degree. And that's one of their requirements to be a counselor in the Medicare program right now."

Removing those stringent requirements and adding other kinds of providers, like peer support specialists, is key to improving access. And the cost of not accessing care is high, she adds.

"Over the past two decades, [in] the older adult population, the number of overdose deaths has increased fourfold — quadrupled," says Steinberg. "So this is affecting people. It is causing deaths. It is causing people to go to the hospital. It increases [health care] costs."

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New Vatican doc ‘Dignitas Infinita’: What it says on gender theory, surrogacy, poverty and more

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued an important new doctrinal declaration on human dignity, approved by Pope Francis, that not only reaffirms the Catholic Church’s traditional teaching on abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, but also updates it by denouncing some newer forms of violation of that dignity in the 21st century, such as surrogacy and the promotion of gender theory.

“Declaration ‘Dignitas Infinita’ on Human Dignity"  is the title of this 23-page document that Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández said went through several preparatory drafts over the past five years, and which he presented at a Vatican press conference on April 8.

He revealed in a preface to the text that Pope Francis explicitly asked that the document “highlight topics closely connected to the theme of dignity, such as poverty, the situation of migrants, violence against women, human trafficking, war and other themes.” Thus the declaration goes beyond the focus on single issues and throws a spotlight on the much broader field of violations of human dignity.

Commenting on this in an editorial on Vatican Media, Andrea Tornielli, its editorial director, said: “The new text contributes to overcoming the dichotomy that exists between those who concentrate exclusively on the defense of life that is unborn or dying and forget the other attacks against human dignity, and those, on the other hand, who focus only on the defense of the poor and migrants and forget that life has to be defended from conception to natural death.”

The declaration’s fourth chapter gives attention to 13 broad areas of violations against human dignity, including some new ones in the field of bioethics. The declaration, quoting Pope Francis’ talk to the diplomatic corps on Jan. 4 of this year, says, “the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood” represents “a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.”

It explains that “surrogacy violates the dignity of the woman, whether she is coerced into it or chooses to subject herself to it freely. For, in this practice, the woman is detached from the child growing in her and becomes a mere means subservient to the arbitrary gain or desire of others.” Moreover, it argues that “the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life.” It repeats the pope’s call for the international community “to prohibit this practice universally.”

At the same time, the declaration strongly denounces violence against women in its manifold forms. It says that “while the equal dignity of women may be recognized in words, the inequalities between women and men in some countries remain very serious” and calls for them to be addressed. It denounces coercive abortions and the practice of polygamy. It condemns the phenomenon of femicide and calls on the entire international community to have a coordinated and concrete commitment to protecting women.

It is perhaps noteworthy also that the declaration begins its focus on gender theory by defending the human dignity of L.G.B.T.Q. people (though it does not use the abbreviation). It reaffirms that “every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, while ‘every sign of unjust discrimination’ is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence.”

For this reason, it says, “it should be denounced as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.” This appears to be a response to legislation in some African and Asian countries. At the press conference Cardinal Fernandez said the church supported the decriminalization of homosexuality in the various countries

As widely expected, the declaration issues a firm “no” to gender theory, which it describes as “extremely dangerous” since, among other things, it “intends to deny the greatest possible difference that exists between living beings: sexual difference.” The declaration says: “This foundational difference is not only the greatest imaginable difference but is also the most beautiful and most powerful of them. In the male-female couple, this difference achieves the most marvelous of reciprocities. It thus becomes the source of that miracle that never ceases to surprise us: the arrival of new human beings in the world.”

It recalls that “the Church teaches that human life in all its dimensions, both physical and spiritual, is a gift from God” and says: “Desiring a personal self-determination, as gender theory prescribes, apart from this fundamental truth that human life is a gift, amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God.” The declaration concludes that “all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected.”

The declaration also says no to sex change. It says “we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created” and so “[it] follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception.”

In his preface to the text, Cardinal Fernández said the declaration’s aim is “to offer some points for reflection that can help us maintain an awareness of human dignity amid the complex historical moment in which we are living.”

The introduction and first three chapters of the declaration presents the genesis and development of the concept of human dignity through history, from its emergence in classical antiquity to its development in the Bible and in Christian thought, and in recent decades at the Second Vatican Council and through the magisterium of Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.

The Concept of Human Dignity

The declaration gives considerable space to explaining the concept of human dignity, starting with the statement that: “Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter.”

It says “[human] reason alone” recognizes this principle “which underlies the primacy of the human person and the protection of human rights.”

It recalls the biblical teaching that “all human beings possess inherent dignity because they are created in the image and likeness of God”: “male and female He created them,” as the Book of Genesis (c.1: 26-27) tells us. It explains that “to be created in the image of God means to possess a sacred value that transcends every distinction of a sexual, social, political, cultural, and religious nature. Our dignity is bestowed upon us by God; it is neither claimed nor deserved. Every human being is loved and willed by God and, thus, has an inviolable dignity.”

It recalls that “Jesus, throughout his public ministry, affirms the value and dignity of all who bear the image of God, regardless of their social status and external circumstances” and adds: “Jesus broke down cultural and cultic barriers, restoring dignity to those who were ‘rejected’ or were considered to be on the margins of society.”

It recalls that on Dec. 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly reaffirmed “this ontological dignity and the unique and eminent value of every man and woman” when it issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It presents the publication of the Vatican Declaration as linked to the 75th anniversary of that historic text.

It recalls that the word “dignity” was used in the declaration when it speaks about “[recognition of] the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” and claims that “only this inalienable character of human dignity makes it possible to speak about human rights.”

Seeking “to clarify the concept of dignity even further,” the declaration says, “it is essential to point out that dignity is not something granted to the person by others based on their gifts or qualities, such that it could be withdrawn. Were it so bestowed, it would be given in a conditional and alienable way, and then the very meaning of dignity (however worthy of great respect) would remain exposed to the risk of being abolished. Instead, dignity is intrinsic to the person: it is not conferred subsequently ( a posteriori ), it is prior to any recognition, and it cannot be lost. All human beings possess this same intrinsic dignity, regardless of whether or not they can express it in a suitable manner.”

Grave Violations Of Human Rights

The final chapter of the Declaration focuses on “some grave violations of human dignity.”

It begins by recalling that the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) emphasized that “all offenses against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, and willful suicide” must be recognized as contrary to human dignity. It affirmed too that “all violations of the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, physical and mental torture, undue psychological pressures,” also infringe upon human dignity. Finally, it denounced “all offenses against human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children, degrading working conditions where individuals are treated as mere tools for profit rather than free and responsible persons.”

In addition, the declaration rejects the death penalty, and says, “the firm rejection of the death penalty shows to what extent it is possible to recognize the inalienable dignity of every human being…. If I do not deny that dignity to the worst of criminals, I will not deny it to anyone.” It also condemns “the practice of torture.”

Poverty . The declaration says “poverty” is one of the great injustices of today’s world and “contributes significantly to denying the dignity of so many human beings.” Drawing on Pope Francis’ teaching, it says, “wealth has increased, but together with inequality, with the result that ‘new forms of poverty are emerging.’” It denounces “an obsession with reducing labor costs with no concern for its grave consequences, since the unemployment that it directly generates leads to the expansion of poverty.”

War . The declaration denounces war as “another tragedy that denies human dignity” and says, “With its trail of destruction and suffering, war attacks human dignity in both the short and long term.” While reaffirming “the inalienable right to self-defense and the responsibility to protect those whose lives are threatened,” it says, “it is very difficult nowadays to invoke the rational criteria elaborated in earlier centuries to speak of the possibility of a ‘just war.’”

Migrants . The declaration says: “Migrants are among the first victims of multiple forms of poverty. Not only is their dignity denied in their home countries, but also their lives are put at risk because they no longer have the means to start a family, to work, or to feed themselves.” It notes that when they arrive in countries that should be able to accept them “no one will ever openly deny that they are human beings; yet in practice, by our decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less worthy, less important, less human.”

Human trafficking . The declaration denounces human trafficking as “among the grave violations of human rights,” which “though not a new phenomenon, has taken on tragic dimensions in our day.” It denounces trafficking as “a crime against humanity” and says the church and humanity must not cease fighting against this and also against such phenomena as “the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labor, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism, and international organized crime.”

It says, “We need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all these scourges.”

Sexual abuse. The declaration affirms that “those who suffer sexual abuse experience real wounds in their human dignity” and says these are wounds “that can last a lifetime and that no repentance can remedy.” It notes that “this phenomenon is widespread in society and it also affects the Church and represents a serious obstacle to her mission.” It adds that “from this stems the Church’s ceaseless efforts to put an end to all kinds of abuse, starting from within.”

Abortion . The declaration has a very strong section condemning abortion. It says: “The Church consistently reminds us that the dignity of every human being has an intrinsic character and is valid from the moment of conception until natural death.”

It recalls the words of Pope St. John Paul II: “Among all the crimes which can be committed against life, procured abortion has characteristics making it particularly serious and deplorable. […] But today, in many people’s consciences, the perception of its gravity has become progressively obscured. The acceptance of abortion in the popular mind, in behavior, and even in law itself is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense, which is becoming more and more incapable of distinguishing between good and evil, even when the fundamental right to life is at stake. Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to convenient compromises or to the temptation of self-deception.”

Euthanasia and assisted suicide. The declaration repeats the church’s stance against euthanasia or suicide. It notes that “there is a special case of human dignity violation that is quieter but is swiftly gaining ground. It is unique in how it utilizes a mistaken understanding of human dignity to turn the concept of dignity against life itself. This confusion is particularly evident today in discussions surrounding euthanasia. For example, laws permitting euthanasia or assisted suicide are sometimes called ‘death with dignity acts.’ With this, there is a widespread notion that euthanasia or assisted suicide is somehow consistent with respect for the dignity of the human person.”

The declaration rejects this reasoning and highlights the importance of palliative care. It says, “it must be strongly reiterated that suffering does not cause the sick to lose their dignity…. Instead, suffering can become an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of mutual belonging and gain greater awareness of the precious value of each person to the whole human family.”

It says, “We must accompany people towards death, but not provoke death or facilitate any form of suicide. Life is a right, not death, which must be welcomed, not administered.”

The marginalization of people with disabilities. The declaration denounces the lack of attention to the dignity of the most disadvantaged in society and the “throwaway culture” that is increasingly imposing itself. It calls for special attention and care for those experiencing physical or mental limitations.

Digital violence. The declaration notes that “although the advancement of digital technologies may offer many possibilities for promoting human dignity, it also increasingly tends toward the creation of a world in which exploitation, exclusion, and violence grow, extending even to the point of harming the dignity of the human person.”

The declaration notes new forms of violence “spreading through social media” and mentions cyberbullying, the spread of pornography and “the exploitation of persons for sexual purposes or through gambling.’”

The declaration says that “if technology is to serve human dignity and not harm it, and if it is to promote peace rather than violence, then the human community must be proactive in addressing these trends with respect to human dignity and the promotion of the good.”

This story has been updated.

Gerard O’Connell is America’s Vatican correspondent and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History . He has been covering the Vatican since 1985.

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