Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: Women and Children
Poverty among women and children in Sub-Saharan Africa has long been a pressing issue that attracts the attention of charities, celebrities, and governments worldwide. Seven of the ten most unequal countries globally are located in Africa, with the majority in the southern region. According to the World Bank, which sets the poverty threshold at less than $1.90 a day, approximately 48.5% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day (Lanker, 2018). The rate of poverty reduction in this region is among the slowest worldwide.
The infrequency of poverty surveys, which are conducted every 6.1 years in Africa compared to every 2.8 years elsewhere, further complicates the accurate assessment of poverty levels. By 2012, only 27 of the 48 countries had conducted at least two comparable surveys since 1990 to track poverty (Anon, 2016). This lack of reliable data is compounded by the rapidly growing population, which poses an urgent need for more comprehensive and frequent surveys.
While surveys indicate a reduction in poverty from 57% in 1990 to 43% in 2012, the absolute number of impoverished individuals rose from 288 million to 389 million during the same period (Anon, 2016). This paradox underscores a fundamental challenge in addressing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Population Reference Bureau estimates that the Sub-Saharan population will more than double from 1.1 billion to 2.4 billion people by 2050 (Lazuta, 2013). This demographic surge exacerbates the already dire poverty situation, threatening to overwhelm the region’s limited resources and infrastructure. With nearly two-thirds of the estimated 19 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa living in poverty, the region faces not only current hardships but also a looming crisis of overpopulation. This growth will likely exacerbate issues related to unemployment, land degradation, malnutrition, and disease, and may strain international aid from donors already stretched thin.
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Environmental and Economic Challenges
One of the significant challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa is land degradation, which is both a cause and consequence of increasing poverty. The degradation of natural resources diminishes the capacity for food production and economic growth, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Thousands have perished due to food scarcity resulting from land degradation, while millions face threats from dwindling water supplies, uncultivated land, and infertile soil. Africa’s environmental challenges, such as soil erosion, declining soil fertility, deforestation, and water pollution, pose existential threats to the population daily (Anon, 2018.2).
Compounding these issues is the lack of effective waste management systems, which has led to a drastic decline in living standards. Even when rainfall occurs, it is often contaminated and unusable, yet out of desperation, it is consumed, leading to further illness and death. This vicious cycle will continue to escalate as the population grows and time passes without addressing these critical issues. Even in areas with access to water, the cost is prohibitively high for many. With daily incomes below $1.25, affording water bills is an insurmountable challenge for those struggling to survive.
The socio-political landscape further exacerbates poverty, particularly for women and children. Civil wars, driven by tensions between rebels and governments, have disrupted civilian life and hindered efforts to alleviate poverty (Anon, 2018.1). Although the World Bank has provided aid, corruption often diverts resources before they reach those in need. The loss of men to war efforts leaves women to manage households alone, cultivating land and caring for families amid dangerous and volatile conditions.
Healthcare is another critical area of concern. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to ravage Sub-Saharan Africa, with approximately 55% or 12.2 million women living with the disease (Hunter-Gault, 2006). The mobility of men working in mines contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS, as they often establish second families and inadvertently pass the disease to their spouses. Although medications and organizations offer some assistance, rural women face significant barriers in accessing necessary treatments. Consequently, new mothers are often forced to breastfeed, risking transmission of HIV to their infants due to a lack of clean water for formula preparation. Access to medical care is limited, with one in 250 women dying during childbirth and one in 15 children succumbing to preventable diseases (Anon, 2018.5). The presence of trained healthcare professionals could drastically reduce these mortality rates, yet many communities lack even basic medical resources.
Educational Barriers and Gender Inequality
Education is a critical factor in breaking the cycle of poverty, yet access to educational resources remains severely limited in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite some progress, rural areas still suffer from low school attendance due to unaffordable fees and uniforms, long travel distances, and familial responsibilities. Many children do not progress beyond primary school due to these barriers, perpetuating cycles of poverty and limiting future opportunities.
Gender inequality further compounds these challenges, with women experiencing higher levels of poverty due to systemic discrimination and limited access to resources. Women are often perceived as subordinate to men, lacking individual value and rights to family resources, land, and livestock (Kehler, 2001). Unemployment rates among rural women are approximately 55% compared to 37% for men, reflecting disparities in education and skill development opportunities. Social and racial factors further restrict access to resources, with poor black women facing the most significant disadvantages. Women are expected to work under harsh conditions, including during pregnancy, without maternity leave or job security. The increasing number of female-headed households, driven by divorce, widowhood, and abandonment, further illustrates the precarious position of women in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Population Growth and Cultural Practices
High fertility rates and cultural practices contribute to rapid population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. In some regions, traditional rites of passage, such as cleansing rituals, expose young girls to sexual exploitation and disease transmission (Hunter-Gault, 2006). Teenage pregnancies are alarmingly common, with more than half of all births in the region occurring among women aged 15 to 19 (Mkwananzi, 2015). Arranged marriages and lack of protection leave young women vulnerable to abuse and perpetuate cycles of poverty.
Limited access to resources and training leaves women and children as the most impoverished demographic, with the fewest rights and opportunities for improvement. While strides have been made in advocating for women’s rights, enforcement remains inconsistent, and efforts to challenge the status quo are often met with resistance or violence. The images and stories of malnourished children highlight the urgency of addressing these issues. With the looming population crisis, it is imperative to implement effective solutions to prevent further deterioration of living conditions. The international community must prioritize sustainable interventions that empower women, improve healthcare and education, and address environmental degradation to create a brighter future for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: Women and Children. (2019, May 12). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/poverty-in-sub-saharan-women-and-children/
