This post is part of a series on childhood poverty in the United States in partnership with Save the Children and Julianne Moore. Moore leads the organization's Valentine's Day campaign, through which cards are sold to support the fight against poverty in the U.S. To learn more or to purchase the cards, click here.
There are more than five million Americans living and working overseas as teachers, journalists, students or, like me, in business. Expatriates, or "expats" as we're more commonly called, have decided to live abroad for any number of reasons -- out of a sense of adventure, to learn more about the world, to seek fame or fortune, and sometimes expats have left the U.S. because they feel a deeper connection with another country's culture.
For me, living in Hong Kong and traveling throughout Asia the past two years has had a remarkable effect on my sense of patriotism. It's about more than just homesickness or a greater appreciation for our rights and freedoms. It's about the United States' role as a beacon to the world.
Many Americans may not fully grasp the incredible global influence of our movies and culture, our laws and policies, our innovations in technology and, most of all, our engrained belief that anything is possible.
As an American, one of the most difficult things traveling across Asia is the heartbreaking poverty I've witnessed.
In Afghanistan, I visited orphanages that were overcrowded with children who've lost everyone and everything to years of war and violence. And these were the lucky few, as countless children live on the street with no one to care for them. In India, almost half of all toddlers and infants under five are malnourished. In many parts of Southeast Asia, thriving business districts are located within a hundred yards of horrible slums without potable water or electricity.
In these situations, it's easy to feel fortunate for being born in the United States and to think we'd never let such things happen in our country. And, I began to think how extraordinary it would be if we extended the uniquely American sense of possibility to a simple concept: ending poverty around the world.
But the fact is, ending poverty globally means that we have to address the critical needs of millions of our fellow Americans as well.
Some may argue that the severity of poverty in places like India and Afghanistan should take priority over the needs of the record 46 million people living in poverty in the United States. There's no doubt that the threshold for poverty in the U.S. -- $22,000 per year for a family of four -- would ensure health and wealth for millions of families in the poorest countries.
Others argue that as Americans, we should take care of "our own" and let the rest of the world solve its own problems.
I reject the view that fighting poverty is a choice between home and abroad -- or between the poor and the poorest. We can and must do both.
The fight against poverty should begin with the group most affected by this crisis: our kids. Today, nearly 1 in 4 kids in the United States lives in poverty and, the fact is, when you're born into poverty you're more likely to stay in poverty.
There's no question that if we can get to kids, especially during the earliest years, and ensure they have the health care, housing and education that every human being deserves, it will give them the tools they need to lead prosperous and successful lives.
President Johnson and Sargent Shriver began a war on poverty in the 1960s that dramatically reduced childhood poverty rates within a decade. Today, it's clear that we've surrendered, as current poverty rates for kids are back to 1960s levels.
We can renew this fight.
To begin, we need deeper investments from federal and state governments. And we need more innovative efforts, like the early education and literacy work of Save the Children's U.S. Programs, led by Shriver's son, Mark.
Google is helping. In 2011, we contributed over $100 million to non-profits around the world, and provided an additional $1 billion in free applications and advertising. Google employees also gave over 50,000 hours of volunteer time, with the full support and encouragement of the company.
Everyone has a role to play, and we can start with creating a national will to act.
Imagine if we eradicated childhood poverty in the United States. It would give our kids what they deserve. It would make us an even greater nation, better able to compete in the global economy, and it could spark change around the world.
Lucy Meadmore: Giving Everyone an Excuse to Read
If the writer suggests that the United States govt, it's people & others should do their bit in eradicating childhood poverty, it's an initiative that should be lauded.
Being cynical about foriegn policy would not solved the innumerable problems of the world that keep multiplying every coming year.
I wasn't going to say anything as I didn't wish to become an unwelcome guest but as you've raised the matter: as an Australian I fell about laughing at that statement. You may indeed be better off than India etc but in a recent 3 week holiday in California I saw more homeless people in a week than I've seen in 15 years here. Many of them young.
Technologically, maybe culturally, the USA is indeed a beacon. But socially? Never!
Ok, I'll go home now ;)
He want's to give all our poor kids janitor jobs.
Take, for example, the primary recommendation (other than "we all need to do more"): "To begin, we need deeper investments from federal and state governments. And we need more innovative efforts, like the early education and literacy work of Save the Children's U.S. Programs, led by Shriver's son, Mark. " The term "investment" is too vague in this context. Early childhood educational "investments" are important, but they do nothing to reduce child poverty now; if they work as intended they will make today's children more productive as adults, help them earn more, and reduce poverty in the next generation of children say, 20 years from now. Yes, we can help feed and provide health care for poor children, something the US safety net does relatively well now. But in terms of alleviating other forms of deprivation, there is no getting around the fact that to help poor children today, we have to help their parents today. This means advocating for transfers and investments in poor adults, which has proven less appealing politically than advocating for children (and that is one reason why this piece is all about children). So please, if you want to help today's poor kids today, write your next column about how to help their parents today. Thank you.
"Despite the advances that have been made in contraception over the past fifty years, an estimated 150 million women worldwide cannot get the birth control they desire. Maternal mortality remains the leading cause of death for women of childbearing age—an estimated 500,000 women die each year from pregnancy related causes, with 78,000 deaths resulting from unsafe abortion. Having access to safe, appropriate family planning methods and safe abortion when needed, can make the difference in women’s lives.
Conservative United States’ policy has been exported overseas in the form of the Global Gag Rule, creating barriers to access to reproductive health information, birth control and abortion for the world’s poorest women. The Global Gag Rule bans any foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from receiving financial support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) if the groups do any of the following things: counsel clients on abortion, refer clients for abortion, or lobby their own governments to either make abortion legal or easier to obtain in their countries. The Global Gag Rule denies funding to these groups even if all of these services are legal in the country, and even if they are paid for with other, non-U.S. funds."
Perhaps when considering solutions to childhood poverty, prevention might be one important solution.
SOURCE: www.ourbodiesourselves.org