Factors leading to poverty in Middle East

Factors leading to poverty in the Middle East

The Middle East and North African region, also known as MENA, originally encompassed the area stretching from Morocco in northwest Africa to Iran in southwest Asia. This region, which includes around 20 countries, is rich in history, culture, and natural resources. MENA has rapidly expanded in geopolitical importance as a result of large oil, natural gas, and petroleum reserves. The region, however, is plagued by ongoing conflict and poverty. Here are seven recent trends in poverty rates in the Middle East and North Africa.

Extreme poverty

Only the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have experienced a major rise in extreme poverty. Extreme poverty in MENA nearly doubled between 2011 and 2015, going from 2.1 percent to 5% of the population. In 2018, 18.6 million individuals in the region were expected to be living on less than $1.90 per day. Furthermore, research has revealed that the inhabitants of the region are particularly sensitive to poverty. When multidimensional poverty, which is an index of numerous poverty indicators such as lack of education, poor health, the standard of living, and levels of violence, is factored in, MENA's poverty rates rise even further. According to the Arab Multidimensional Poverty Report published in 2017, the total number of multidimensional poor in the Arab world is estimated to be at 116.1 million, accounting for nearly 40% of the region's population. Recent studies estimate that around 20% of the region is extremely poor, with the remaining two-thirds poor or vulnerable to extreme poverty. Poverty in the Middle East has been a global issue now.

Class mobility

The ability to move about within a class is extremely limited. Once a family is impoverished, they are more likely to stay poor for numerous generations. Much of the MENA population relies largely on informal labor, such as unofficial taxi services or in-home services like cleaning or childcare, owing to a lack of job growth. These types of work are more unpredictable, with poor pay and few protections, resulting in a greater population prone to poverty and with few resources to escape it. You can help these needy with the help of the feed the hungry organization.

Inequality

According to recent surveys, the Middle East and North Africa is the world's most unequal region. The wealthiest 10% of the population owns 61 percent of the wealth in the region, compared to 47 percent in the United States and 36 percent in Western Europe. Many political and economic observers in the region also believe that this inequality has been firmly established in the society's overall value system, rather than simply being the current situation.

Conflicts

Poverty increases are linked to warfare. Between 2011 and 2015, the aforementioned increase in poverty was centered primarily in Syria and Yemen, two countries that are engulfed in conflict. Throughout Syria's civil war, the rate of extreme poverty has risen from near zero to almost 20%. In Yemen, extreme poverty has increased in the last decade, owing to the country's ongoing strife. Despite the rising number of people living in poverty, these findings suggest that large reductions in poverty in the region are not far off, given that the main cause is well understood.

The region's employment sectors have been severely harmed by conflict. Even outside of the primary crisis states, such as Syria, Libya, and Yemen, the region's job market has been severely harmed - either directly as a result of conflict or indirectly as a result of sanctions, reduced commerce, or population displacement. The region's tourism, industrial, service, and agriculture industries were all important in the early twentieth century. However, the chronic conflict has severely hampered many facets of these sectors. To significantly reduce unemployment and poverty, the International Monetary Fund estimates that the area will need to produce between 60 and 100 million jobs by 2030, with 27 million in the next five years.

Covid-19

While the COVID-19 situation has surely added to the country's economic woes, it has also motivated progress. From the start of the pandemic, governments across the region implemented very restrictive and divisive measures, banning movement across borders and even within cities. Despite varying levels of preparedness, the MENA area has been particularly successful in containing the spread of COVID-19, with many nations beginning to relax travel restrictions and focus on phasing out quarantine. The pandemic has had a significant economic impact, especially given the unexpected drop in oil prices. Many in the region have remained upbeat, seeing this as an opportunity for countries to start tackling fundamental concerns in the region, such as private sector development and social protections. Several states have already mobilized to safeguard both the public and private sectors, indicating that governments have been unexpectedly receptive.

Government

Governments have been mainly ineffective in dealing with economic issues, but the tide is beginning to reverse. MENA governments are often focused on minimizing violence and war allowing poverty to increase swiftly without policy reforms owing to chronic conflict. As a result, extremist religious, ethnic, or sectarian organizations such as Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood have targeted the populace for recruitment. However, in recent years, we've witnessed a surge of civilians demanding more from their governments, a demand that political leaders are beginning to respond to. The Lebanese government has adopted extensive economic reforms dubbed a "financial coup" since the start of Lebanon's current economic crisis and ensuing protests.

Conclusion

The MENA region has had a lot of upheaval in the last 50 years, with a lot of violence and poverty. As recent research has shown, the region's poverty isn't going away anytime soon, and a string of Western-backed conflicts isn't helping matters. Despite these challenges, the region is rapidly becoming a state of unifying cohesion. This region of the world continues to serve as a stark reminder of how perilous extreme poverty can be when combined with violence. It is dangerous for both the host country and the international system. If you want to help them there are many catholic charities to donate to in your region.

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