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Quick Statistics

GNI per capita (current US$) (2010) 410.0 [U.S. = 49,040]

Population, total (2010) 34,385,068.1

Rural population (2010) 25,857,571.2 (75% of pop.)

Number of rural poor (2010) 9,696,589.2 (37% of rural pop)

Who are the Poor?

About 45 percent of rural people are poor, as compared to 27 percent of the urban population. The poorest rural people include small-scale farmers and herders, landless people and women who are heads of households. There are an estimated 1 million Afghan widows. Their average age is 35, and 90 percent of them have an average of four or more children. Without the protection of a husband, widows suffer from social exclusion in Afghanistan's patriarchal society. Many widows have no choice but to become beggars

Up to 70 percent of Afghans are food insecure, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and high food prices have recently pushed millions into high-risk food insecurity.

Abuse of Power

Political patrons, corrupt officials and non-democratically elected power-holders are not known to work in the interests of the public good; their personal gain takes priority over

the interests and needs of the population. Local governance that provided a degree of accountability between leaders and communities has been undermined. Kabul-based decision-makers are disconnected

from rural realities.

Progress

The Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS), launched in 2008, which is serving

as the country’s poverty reduction strategy, identifies a number of factors which contribute to poverty including “lack of infrastructure, limited access to markets, social inequity, historical and ongoing conflict, and various productivity constraints.” Identifying th problem and making it known nationwide is an important step to working toward progress.

Poverty In Afghanistan

Andrew Lokantsov and Logan Corn

Why are they Poor?

History

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. The last three decades of armed conflict have worsened poverty and impeded efforts geared to its reduction. Armed conflict is one of many reasons why one-third of Afghans live in absolute poverty with another 37 percent of poor people hovering on the edge. Within the region, Afghanistan has historically been comparatively worse off for a range of reasons including geography, natural and human resource deficits, and lack of economic opportunities. The nature of the ruling systems—often subject to regional and international political pressure— failed to support initiatives that could have improved the living standards of Afghans.

  • The high illiteracy rate in rural areas, where 90 percent of women and 63 percent of men are unable to read or write
  • Rural people's dependance on livestock and agricultural activities for at least part of their income
  • Inadequate land ownership and access to land
  • Lack of irrigation infrastructure

Citations

"Rural Poverty Portal." Rural Poverty Portal. Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/afghanistan>.

Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <http://unama.unmissions.org/Portals/UNAMA/human rights/Poverty Report 30 March 2010_English.pdf>.

"Afghanistan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 24 Feb. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan>.

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