Editorial

“The real wealth of a nation is its people. The purpose of development is to create an enabling environment for the people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives. This simple but powerful truth is often forgotten in the pursuit of material and financial wealth” (UNDP 1990)

In support of this statement, Article 25 (1) of the Human Rights Declaration proclaims: “Everybody has the right to standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood”

In spite of the gender bias in language, if implemented these basic needs will lead to eradication of poverty. The reality is that unequal distribution of resources has resulted in:
 Unlimited social and economic development
 Poverty
 Marginalisation of individuals
 Poor quality of life
 Little access to basic social services
 Limited opportunity for upward social mobility
 Social exclusion
 Human rights violation, high crime and social unrest

There is divided opinion on the definition of poverty. Several types have been identified

• Absolute poverty
• Chronic poverty [hard core systematic poor]
• Transient poverty
• Food poverty
• Resource or capability poverty

The profile of the poor reveals that they are mainly rural residents, female heads of households, elderly pensioners, some ethnic groups (among the region’s indigenous peoples), children, mentally and physically challenged, who are more vulnerable to economic shocks.

The rural areas have higher dependence on agriculture and the volatility of the markets. Lack of access to land, basic social services, markets and adequate infrastructure are a feature of rural under-development. Add to these the urban-bias focus in developmental policies with better quality services in the urban areas.

However, urban poverty is on the rise, due to internal migration and lack of policy attention to this phenomenon. In some countries this is linked to violence in the inner cities and political tribalism. Within this scenario, there are serious gender issues. Female heads of households are heavily represented among the poor and in agriculture. There are higher rates of unemployment for women.

However, male vulnerability is cause for concern. There is high male youth unemployment, involvement in crime and violence, and lower educational achievement. With reference to Caribbean youth, a World Band Study done in 2003 revealed, among other things that:

(a) Sexual and physical abuse is high in the Caribbean, and socially acceptable in many Caribbean countries

(b) The region has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS outside of Africa. The pandemic is the leading cause of death among persons aged 15-44 years

(c) The incidence of rage among young people is very high – 40% of CARICOM students

(d) The proportion (20%) of adolescent Caribbean males who carry fire arms is extremely high. Gang violence is also high

(e) Youth unemployment is especially elevated in some Caribbean countries

(f) Widespread social acceptance of alcohol and marijuana in some Caribbean countries

This state of affairs is very much exacerbated by the negative impact of trade liberalisation on the region’s poor. Liberalised trade agreements increasingly infringe on non-trade issues such as food security, public health, rural livelihoods, intellectual property rights, labour standards, environment, and animal welfare. All of these issues are closely connected to human development, poverty and gender relations.

Trafficking in women has increased in the region, and men are being drawn increasingly into sex work. Sex trafficking exacerbates the material situation of women and men in gender specific ways. Women are more susceptible to their health being endangered, various forms of violence, confinement, denial of earnings and sexual slavery. Men in such situations are more prone to commit suicide and/or murder.

Against this reality, what is required of Caribbean people? According to Flavia Charry, CAFRA National Representative in St. Lucia – “As our sovereignty is being eroded, we must begin to look within and understand the importance of mobilising our own human and material resources at all levels in our communities, in an effort to provide a structure that would help us to design and implement alternative development programmes.

When ordinary citizens are educated and motivated, they will be better able to critically analyse their life situations and come together to find ways of survival. Education about trade liberalisation and its policies is therefore crucial at this stage in our lives as Caribbean people”

CAFRA has taken up this challenge through its research and action programmes and builds on its education platform through this issue of CAFRA NEWS.