POVERTY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Prepared by: James Oni

Table of Content• Definition of Poverty• The causes to poverty in Papua New

Guinea• Effects of poverty within the Society• Examples of areas in PNG in poverty and

figures.• Possible solutions to poverty in PNG• Summary• Reference

What is Poverty?• The term ‘poverty’ originated from three

languages, Middle English and Old French from the word poverte and Latin from the word paupertat (stem of paupertas) meaning small means or moderate circumstances(Dictionary.com).

• Poverty is the condition of being poor, the state of having little or no money, and insufficient goods or means of support.

What are the causes of poverty in PNG?

• Work and globalization- PNG is seen as a low-cost country by huge international companies and so they invest and as a result we get very little from them.

• Limited household assets- Limited household assets prevents agriculture from providing sole sources of income for most households in PNG.

• Shortage of Land- Resourceful customary lands are sold to the government, larger businesses and companies for money.

• Insufficient health service- Health services are paid by patients, and in most remote areas of PNG medical treatment is in a very low standard.

• Poor water supply and Sanitation- Untreated wells are used for cooking, drinking and washing which leads to catching diseases.

• Lack of infrastructure and transport- This leads to poor systematic communication.

• Inadequate Education

• Disaster

What are the impacts of poverty in our society?

Mental and physical illnesses- individuals are affected mentally and physically since they cannot help themselves out of their own problems. Others get in contact with serious incurable diseases such as sexually transmitted infections.

Increase in negativity and criminality- People start to display negative behaviours and engage in criminal activities.

Death- places under poverty experience deaths closely due to not meeting sufficient amount of goods and services.

Low production of Cash crops and Food- As people face difficulties in life, production and supply of fresh garden food and cash crops declines. Human reproduction is also diminished.

Examples of places with poverty in PNG and few figures.

Obura-Wonenara District (highlighted) is located in the Eastern Highlands Province.Government’s store or Gov’s Store is a settlement in Madang.

No proper housing. Western Province.

Funds needed for PNG school for deprived children. A village near POM city.

2015 Poverty Rate is 37.5%

PNG’s Human Dev. Index is 0.466 (ranked 156)

Measures to minimize poverty in PNG

• Improve health services (Rural areas) of PNG to a better standard.

• Encourage education in remote rural areas of PNG.• Conduct awareness on the causes and impacts of poverty

in both rural and urban areas.• Infrastructural development in rural areas is a must in

order to make life easier and sustainable.• Free people’s choice to government plans so that they

meet what they choose.• Free choice of which health care or medical treatment

should be used.

SUMMARY• Poverty is the condition of being poor, the state of having little or no money,

and insufficient goods or means of support. • Poverty can be caused by unimproved communication and transport, lack of

household materials, no land to cultivate for survival, lack of distribution of health services, poor water supply and sanitation, inadequate education and disasters.

• Poverty has its impact on our society causing deaths, evidential physical and mental illnesses. These result in low production of cash crops and fresh foods which can also affect human procreation. Also, it gives rise to negativities in people’s behaviour which may result in people engaging in criminal activities.

• 2015 poverty rate for PNG is 37.5% and is ranked 156 in the Human Dev. Index.

• Improved health care, individual choices to government plans, proper education and infrastructural development is a need especially to those in life- threatening situation in PNG.

• As social and ethical beings should work hand in hand, and with our government in order to reduce or completely do away with poverty so that every person lives a harmonious life in Papua New Guinea.

References• Carr, S C & Sloan, T S. (2003). Poverty and psychology. New

York: Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers.• Retrieved on 29th August 2015 from

http://devpolicy.org/presentations/2014-PNG-Update/Day-1/Two-decades-of-poverty-in-PNG_John-Gibs

• Retrieved on 2nd September 2015 from http://devpolicy.org/rural-poverty-in-remote-png20111013/

• Retrieved on 9th September 2015 from http://www.undp.org/content/papua_new_guinea/en/home/ourwork/povertyreduction/overview.html

• Retrieved on 9th September 2015 from https://www.oxfam.org.au/country/papua-new-guinea/