Governmental intervention is the solution, says a new report out from Oxfam International and Water Aid. They argue that the necessary scale needed to alleviate global poverty lies in the public services provided by governments. They place special emphasis on the role of rich countries and the World Bank.
The report speaks specifically of services such as providing training and salaries for both teachers and health workers and developing national water and sanitation systems. Oxfam's Bernice Romero has an inspiring goal: “Within a generation, for the first time in history, every child in the world could be in school, every woman could give birth with proper health care, everyone could drink clean, safe water, and millions of new health workers and teachers could be saving lives and shaping minds."
The resources available in countires like the United States are absolutely enormous. Only lifting the little finger of the United States' national budget for use against global poverty and health issues could bring about change in a way we have never seen. The United States is known for its military might, but the potential to bring about so much change for such a small dent in national spending is an opportunity just waiting for them to grab. This is an opportunity that would revolutionize world politics, world poverty, and completely alter the perception of the United States and its use of might.
To bring these issues back down to a practical ground level, many barriers still exist to seeing these lofty goals come about. I have heard first hand accounts (and many more second hand) of foreign organizations attempting poverty reduction, water sanitation, health development, and crop improvement projects, only to be forced out by unbelieving, suspicious local government officials or cheated by their local partners. What are orgnizations and governments who hear the call to action supposed to do when the one they are trying to help refuses help?
I guess that is not totally fair. It is not the needy refusing help. It is those who see an opportunity to feed their greed . The goals set by Oxfam and Water Aid are lofty, and can be reached, but not without difficulty. This will take encouragement for the rich countries who need to step up and help, and wisdom in the countries in which the work is needed. The application of these theories and projects requires trusted and experienced professionals on the ground, especially in countries like China.
