A recent article in The Economist delivers great news: we very well could reduce extreme global poverty to three percent (possibly even one percent) by 2030. Considering extreme poverty (under $1.25 per day) in developing countries was successfully halved five years earlier than projected (from 43 percent in 1990 to 21 percent in 2010), we have learned quite a lot about what is required to bring poverty rates down.
In a nutshell, countries' economies must grow, and inequalities must be reduced. But the situation is far from simple. Here are some highlights from the article:
Achieving this goalthe near eradication of extreme poverty by 2030will be remarkable. But $1.26 is still a meager existence. Growing family and community assets, empowering women and protecting the environment are Heifer International's methods for bringing families farther above the poverty line and ensuring long-term stability.