Afghanistan - Poverty

Question 1

Causes

Answer 1

• Insecurity
• IMR is 166 per 1000 live births
• Long lasting drought - farmers face huge problems
• Decades of ongoing fighting has left the country in ruins – i.e. Soviet War, Taliban, America’s ‘War On Terror’.
• Terrain, ethnic, religious and regional rivalries have made it difficult for authorities in Kabul to rule to country properly
• Inadequate education employment opportunities
• Low national income - GDP =$10.6 billion

Question 2

Social

Answer 2

• Unemployment
• Literacy rate: 30%
• V. High BR – 70% of Afghans under 25 à many will soon move into economically active proportion of society.
• Emigration of skilled/literate = country is loosing its few educated people
• 85% of women over 15 are illiterate
• Regressions of women’s rights
• Self-immolation is increasing
• Overall poor standard of living
• High rate of civilian death

Question 3

Economic

Answer 3

• Extreme poverty à 5th poorest country in world
• V. Corrupt: slipped from 117th – 172nd out of 179 of the world’s most corrupt list
• 1/3 of economy is generated from Opium trade à $4 billion each year
• In 2008 government income of $900 million and improvement from 2004 but still inadequate
• Poor international relation à lack of overseas business investment/ trade
• Too corrupt and risky to attract external business.
• • $10 billion has been pledged by international donors but more is needed)

Question 4

Environmental:

Answer 4

• Landmines à huge no go areas that will take years to clear
• 34% increase in opium production = not enough land available for crop growing (population cannot be fed) and more land is being cleared to crow the poppies
• War causes general damage to environment: resettlement of people who have been driven out of hometowns = new areas of land must be cleared.