Role of donor agencies in poverty alleviation.

Byline: NAZIR AHMED SHAIKH

Poverty is the most significant issue that affects millions of people around the world. Poverty alleviation or reduction is one of the world's most important challenges, and it is proposed the private sector has an important role to play in creating the economic growth, employment and purchasing options needed for significant poverty reduction. Poverty is highly correlated with many negative measurable aspects of standards of living and therefore reducing poverty can have a positive impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.

How poverty could be alleviated?

There's no one simple process for achieving this goal, but that doesn't make it impossible. Here are seven solutions that guide our work in 24 countries around the world.

Through equity

One of the main causes of poverty is inequality. The systemic barriers that lead to groups of people going without representation in their communities leave them further behind in terms of resources and opportunities. In order for a community, or even a country, to alleviate poverty, all groups and identities must be involved in creating solutions.

One of the biggest inequalities we need to address is gender inequality. According to the UN's High-Level Panel for Women's Economic Empowerment, women's unpaid labor adds up to $10 trillion per year - 13% of the global GDP. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, women own less than 20% of agricultural land in parts of Africa and Asia, yet they make up 60% of the agricultural workforce.

With resilience

Poverty happens when a high amount of inequality meets a high amount of risk. We need to ensure that the most vulnerable people and communities are able to build resilience. Resilience means working with communities to prepare for disasters - whether manmade or natural - in advance. It also means adapting to long-term changes (such as fighting climate change with Climate Smart Agriculture or creating programs to support the education, safety, and livelihoods of refugees or IDPs). These solutions to poverty help to offset the level of vulnerability communities may have in the face of risks - or even reduce the level of risk.

Commit to climate change solutions

Resilience against climate change is especially important and deserves its own mention. According to the World Bank, climate change could force an additional 100 million people into extreme poverty over the next decade without any urgent action taken.

Concern maintains overall climate responses (such as...