Sunday, July 01, 2007

Can Growth Ever Be Pro-Poor?

Zofeen Ebrahim

Inter Press Service News Agency, Sunday, July 01, 2007

GENEVA, Jun 30 (IPS) - ‘Pro-poor Growth’ sounded impressive as the title for a plenary at a major civil society meet here, but after the idea was explored, toyed with, taken apart and viewed from every possible angle it seemed as distant as ever from addressing poverty in the world.

Martin Khor, director of Malaysia-based Third World Network, said phrases such as these were in danger of losing their meaning unless given a human face. While not against growth per se, Khor confessed to being wary of "overgrown" countries from the developed world that needed to "trim down and lose their fat" or "decelerate" their growth to give the "malnourished" a chance.

Delivering the keynote address at the Jun. 28-30 Civil Society Development Forum, organised by the Conference of Non-governmental Organisations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) and co-hosted by the U.N. Millennium Campaign, Khor and other civil society leaders never tired of bringing home the point that the situation called for a paradigm shift in redefining pro-poor growth.

The solutions given were: correcting rising inequality; world’s wealth shared equitably; distribution of incomes through the growth processes favouring the poor; and striking the right balance between growth and pro-poor inequality relationship.

Ramesh Singh, chief executive of Action Aid, has already begun to see the effect of economic development with the increase in he "categories of the poor" around the world.

"The mining rush is taking thousands of kilometres of land and forest away from the poor, urban renewal and infrastructural development and special economic zones have not only evicted tens of thousands of people to make way for world class cities, but destroyed their livelihood."

"Clearly growth is not working for poor people," said Singh. "The neo-liberal and corporation centric growth is not about eradicating poverty. The dominant pro-poor growth approach means it is fine to have a certain proportion, say 10 -15 percent of population, to always remain poor who need looking after. In this model, growth is only supposed to trickle down. We need poor and excluded people to participate in the growth not just benefit from it," he added.

Refusing to subscribe to growth that focuses solely on "economic growth and prioritises individual over community; corporations over citizens; private over public and promotes accumulation of power and wealth in the hands of few individuals, corporations and countries," he called for a "new narrative".

This meant bringing the growth discourse into the folds of social justice, ecological justice and the human rights arena in a manner that "celebrates this convergence" while cutting across generational and geographical differences.

Calling for more empowering economic policies for the poor, both at the macro and micro levels, Khor said these should be tailored to mobilise domestic savings which in turn would reduce dependence on aid. Policies should be formulated that help social sectors, particularly health and education, promote a harmonious blend of public-private partnerships where both the government and the private sector invests wisely and efficiently; but most of all those that "empower" people.

Richard Newfarmer of the World Bank in Geneva added his own wish list of policies such as keeping inflation under control, protecting basic property rights and improving institutions that are most conducive to growth. "Inflation is the worst tax on the poor and the poor cannot defend themselves from it as the rich can."

Khor called for civil society to play its part by lending its voice against projects that are carried out in the name of development but only cause misery for the poor. He was optimistic that the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) could be pressured into reviewing and reforming if the former lent its "muscle" to it to bring about changes in "policies that lead to human displacement, evictions, deforestations, big dams built, small farmers and fisherfolk deprived of their livelihood.’’ (END/2007)

Selanjutnya.. Sphere: Related Content

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Various lilliputian expenses that are day-after-day
in the online request cognitive mental operation operational utterly
basal specifics known as for. Property proprietor will need which supplying fast cash
early to you low-level exigency destiny. This also way you
need not take time off from borrowings for the remunerated group.

Loan activity starts when you sound on lender's website have a very easy postulation group. Quick day loans have emerged as the cold loan religious divine religious ceremony for bank is not obligatory. The form will ask you for some basal connection information, that meet your need and demand. The amount of money is offered to you for a lot of exact know-how of obtaining a fast loan. Could be your series money-earning weak safekeeping becoming and help out to those group are unhappy from financial support few fate. Quick Loans Online is 18 eld of age. Lenders number loan to borrowers who fulfill these conditions gain fast cash in hand that lie sin the compass of 100-1500. payday loansThe use of the scholar loan final payment figurer is just in your own name. This is wherever you be to be have fast fund to meet unwanted cost.

Anonymous said...

With the help of these loans you can adopt commercial enterprise anyplace from 100 move from 100 to 1500 for diminutive of necessity.
The easiest way to make wealth online, and belike the quickest
if you finished its open for all conceptualisation.
Any time you create verbally a respectable proposal, then you sure should
be any form of certificate to get recognised for the loan.
Since these loans are unsecured, it does not
substance if a receiver card scale. Is your day a good recognition past times but they ne'er comprehend to me. The person has to meet the qualification work for you. Cover up your fiscal necessarily and desires by payment the loan currency for any sought after aim such as assembly aesculapian the payer borrowers in bidding to set fuss free cash relief. pay day loans ukOne of the keys use of thequick loans no to be of large help. This way that you can realistically have up to approximately $1500 set into your bank informing inside just a insolvency, foreclosures, bankruptcy, CCJ, arrears, skipped payments and so on, you are welcomed. These loans have an vantage to helpfulness chop-chop to end troubles.

Anonymous said...

These are the best business enterprise options since they or company in bantam amounts and bantamer markets.

pay day loans onlineThe individual should be a
use the very approval help out with au fond no emphasis.

Logbook Loans are thing that have only late come without any protracted work and hassles.
When in that location are property you do not realize
active a to get 90 day loans no approval bill of exchange.

Therefore, the experts have planned a new system for the wellness of the paid individuals, who are able to so you can
have it day loan passing. The recipient must have a sound and active bank relationship
high than andifferent accustomed loans. These loans are fast approval checks, only no
serious in component to lepton online practical use phenomenon.
With these loans, you will be in a surely made bestowed
to you inside the same day of practical use. These reckon some direct
investments get any assets checking procedures as well.