Covid 19's Devastating Impact on Poverty in India

Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on people and nations around the world. However, no one has been hit harder than the world’s poor. The UN Development Program estimates that the Covid-19 pandemic could result in 44 million to 207 million people moving into extreme poverty. The UNDP also found Covid-19 as a tipping point that will impact the future of world poverty. In 2020, the number of people in poverty was an astounding 144 million above the predictions made prior to the pandemic.

India, the hardest hit nation on the globe

India had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but this growth has been stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the rich have managed to stay safe, the poor, which is a majority of India's population, have been in constant peril. A majority of India’s poor live in slums without running water, ventilation, or individual toilets. It is impossible to social distance in these circumstances and stay away from germs, resulting in mass spreading of Covid-19.

Economically, Covid-19 has put India’s poor in a very precarious spot. According to the International Labor Organization, over 400 million people in India are at risk of falling into poverty. Following the strict, sudden shutdown imposed by the Indian government, millions lost their jobs. A majority of these workers had agricultural jobs, which are now hardly available due to the current situation. Despite monthly rations and stimulus checks from the government, the poor are left hungry, sick, and penniless.

What Can You Do?

There are many organizations that are trying to counter poverty in India and other developing nations. One of these organizations, Save the Children, focuses on keeping children nourished, protected, and educated, despite their predicament. If possible, supporting organizations like Save the Children and those like it will help bring change to India.

However, to truly help the poverty crisis in India, it is necessary for the US government to support India. With the new Biden administration focusing on Covid-19, inspiring the President to take action to help India’s poverty due to Covid after his first 100 days can have a huge impact on the poverty crisis in India. Sending this attached letter or something similar could inspire the administration to help.

Thank you for checking out this month’s blog. If you're interested in learning more, check out these articles by CNN and Brookings.

Sources:

Coronavirus Pandemic Could Push over 1 Billion People in Extreme Poverty by 2030, Says UN. 6 Dec. 2020, www.indiatoday.in/world/story/coronavirus-pandemic-could-push-over-1-billion-people-in-extreme-poverty-by-2030-says-un-1747115-2020-12-06.

Dhillon, Amrit. 'We Have Abandoned the Poor': Slums Suffer as Covid-19 Exposes India's Social Divide. 3 Aug. 2020, www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/aug/03/we-have-abandoned-the-poor-slums-suffer-as-covid-19-exposes-indias-social-divide.

Gulati, Manoj. How COVID-19 Threatens People Living in Poverty in India. 13 Aug. 2020, impakter.com/covid-19-poverty-india/.

Help Children in India. www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/india.

Kharas, Homi. “The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Extreme Poverty.” Brookings, Brookings, 29 Oct. 2020, www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2020/10/21/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-global-extreme-poverty/.

Kugler, Maurice, and Shakti Sinha. The Impact of COVID-19 and the Policy Response in India. 13 July 2020, www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2020/07/13/the-impact-of-covid-19-and-the-policy-response-in-india/.

Paulo, Derrick A. Hunger, Death, Exploitation: The Plight of the Poor in India in the Pandemic. 23 Nov. 2020, www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider/hunger-death-exploitation-plight-poor-poverty-india-covid-19-13618958.

Regan, Helen. India Records 1 Million Cases of Covid-19 ... and It's the Poorest Who Are Hardest Hit. 17 July 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/07/16/asia/india-wealth-gap-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html.