UAE Press: Global Efforts Must Be Ramped Up To Stem Poverty

UAE Press: Global efforts must be ramped up to stem poverty

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th May, 2021) The Global Network Against Food Crises report that nearly 20 million more people faced food crises last year is alarming, said Gulf Today in an editorial on Saturday.

The humanitarian agency, set up in 2016 by the European Union and United Nations, has noted: "the outlook for this year is very grim".

It has also warned that acute food insecurity has continued to worsen since 2017, the first year of its annual report into food crises.

Defined as any lack of food that threatens lives, livelihood or both, acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse impacted at least 155 million people last year, the highest number in the report’s five-year existence.

"Now there are fears the situation could worsen as both the coronavirus crisis and wild weather exacerbate fragile conditions linked to conflict and poverty in many parts of the globe," read the editorial.

"Even before COVID-19 hit, 135 million people were marching towards the brink of starvation. This could double to 270 million within a few short months," warned David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), last year.

Women were especially worse-off, with a staggering 47 percent of female workers unable to secure employment even after virus restrictions were lifted, according to the study published on Thursday.

The paper quoted the report - which defined people in poverty as those living on less than 375 rupees ($5) per day - as saying that, "Though incomes fell across the board, the pandemic has taken a far heavier toll on poorer households."

"The international community must ramp up its efforts to see that developing nations do not suffer acute food shortages. Apathy and neglect can be disastrous, leading to terrible consequences," concluded the Sharjah-based daily.