Sustainable Development – to lead a new dignified life

“Sustainable development is a development that satisfies the demands of the present without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to satisfy their own needs.”

Sustainability can be viewed in many different ways, but at its root is a development approach that seeks to balance many, often competing, objectives against a knowledge of the environmental, social, and economic constraints that people confront as a society.

Development is a concept related to economic growth, wellbeing, and social justice. Every society aims to develop a better structure. You can live a better life if you contribute to the overall development of society.

Development is a concept related to economic growth, wellbeing, and social justice. Every society aims to develop a better structure. You can live a better life if you contribute to the overall growth of society, which eventually leads to sustainable development. 

But the most challenging task is to develop the right goals for sustainable development. The purpose of creating the Sustainable Development Goals is to strive toward peace and prosperity. 

Why set sustainable development goals?

Poverty has always been a source of tremendous concern in a variety of sectors. By setting the right goals, it will be possible for all the developed, and developing countries to end poverty and any other deprivations. For instance, some questions define whether a country is progressing.

1. Are all the children going to school?
2. Does every family has access to healthcare services?
3. Do households have electricity, sanitation, and clean water for drinking?

These are the basic elements of social life that define decent living. If you see people around you deprived of these rights intentionally or unintentionally, you need to step in and help in minimizing the hindrance. 

Problems faced by the underprivileged 

There are several factors that hinder the social development process. Once you identify them, it will be easier to develop strategies to eradicate poverty from the countries. 

1. Lack of Education

Education opens up the thought process and intelligence of human beings. Unfortunately, there are many underprivileged sections of people in many countries who cannot provide schooling for their children.

• Because they don’t have money to pay school fees.
• They need more earning members to feed the family, leading to increased child labor. 
• They don’t adopt birth control measures, increasing the number of mouths to feed without increasing earnings. 

The sole aim of the various organizations is to make people understand how education can offer a rewarding future. If the underprivileged people receive funding for the education of their kids or the Government introduces free education schemes, it will go a long way in the slow reduction of poverty. 

2. Healthcare problems

Do you know people in many corners of the countries die every day because of healthcare service issues? People thriving below the poverty level don’t have the financial strength to undergo treatments at good hospitals.

• There should be more plans for free healthcare services to the poor. 
• Doctors should start free check-up drives as a part of their social contribution. 

Unless everyone holds hands together, it is not possible to progress on the path of positive social development. 

3. Worse condition of surroundings – sanitation & hygiene

If people live amidst dirt and stink, how do you expect them to think progressively? It is essential to drag them out of the unclean environment and help them to understand the need for cleaning and sanitation. 

• Educated people have to reach out to the underprivileged people residing in remote corners of the countries to teach them basic hygiene techniques. 
• Different organizations are trying to share more information about the importance of hygiene to ensure people pay heed to the message.

Fighting against poverty is considered a complicated approach. As poverty management is a long process and the above measure can be a significant proceeding. 

4. Malnutrition 

A bowl of rice every day is necessary to stay alive. Unfortunately, some families stay without food for days. Price control and other measures are the only way to make sure that every mouth gets fed regularly. Malnutrition is responsible for roughly 2.3 million fatalities among children aged 6–60 months in underdeveloped countries each year, accounting for around 41 percent of all death cases in this age range.

5. No knowledge of family planning

Family planning is a critical aspect of life. Why give birth to children when a family is already in poverty? One child is enough to carry on the genetic lineage. There should be a supply of free birth control pills and contraceptives to encourage better family planning.

But before that, social workers have to reach the families below the poverty level and educate them about family planning and its importance. Unless they understand the significance, no one will respond to the drives. 

6. Shortage of food

Hunger is the source of crime mostly. The countries have to apply proper and planned poverty control measures to make sure that no one sleeps hungry. It can go a long way in reducing crimes and violence globally. 

7. The high infant mortality

News of killing fetuses is not unknown. Spread the word about maintaining birth control, measures instead of killing the ones in the womb. Sex determination is illegal in many countries where the mortality rate of female fetuses is high. Organizations must work to make people believe in the strength of women.

8. Water supply

We know, water is life. Water is an essential necessity for life and a determinant of one’s standard of existence. Apart from government initiatives, the volume of drinking water available to individuals is determined by supply and demand factors in both surface and groundwater. 

Natural and human causes such as pollution enhance the supply and demand issues. This reduces the availability of drinking water and raises the cost of delivery. The decline in groundwater table and availability of surface water, particularly during the summer months, has put a huge number of people at risk of not having access to safe drinking water. 

Poor water quality has also been noticed in an increasing number of habitations. To solve this issue on a mass level, every governing body should come forward to ensure that rural parts of the countries get clean and safe water for drinking regularly. 

9. Child marriage – the early end of childhood

It’s time to say “NO” to child marriage. Allow the little girls to enjoy their childhood, get an education, and enjoy an independent life, professionally and personally. Child marriage breaches the rights of children and puts them at risk of violence, exploitation, and abuse. Both girls and boys are affected by child marriage, but girls are disproportionately affected.

10. HIV / AIDS – a taboo in society

People still maintain secrecy when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. But it is crucial for people to know that there is no social taboo about such diseases. Finding the cure is essential.

11. Cultural awareness

Every child should get equal exposure to cultural development. A beautiful mind grows only when the mind sees rich culture everywhere. The organizations should introduce the cultural heritage of the country to these underprivileged populations too. 

12. Believing in equality

A country develops when each individual gets equal access to opportunities and facilities. Leaving behind anyone is not the solution. Finding the strategies to make sure that none is left behind is the secret to progressive society building.

How to improve poverty- affected people’s lives? 

The application of various strategies for poverty management is the beginning of the huge work of developing the poverty-affected population. 

But for that, there is a need for plenty of social workers and organizations who can plan the necessary drives and campaigns to educate people, make them aware, and inspire them to dream about a prosperous future. 

• Many young ones will draw inspiration from the knowledge about prospects that they can achieve on receiving an education. 
• Family planning awareness will actively reduce hunger levels as it will control the number of mouths to feed.

It is a chain reaction where progress in any one aspect will have a positive impact on all the other problems that affect the underprivileged people. 

Role of organizations in improving lives

There are many organizations that are working day and night to help countries progress together with sustainable development. But if you want to accelerate the progress, you have to come forward together and join the organization that has been working for several years, or you can initiate one.

People around the world come forward and join hands to contribute to a great cause and its journey. A strong and well-planned movement from every organization will help build a better society where poverty will be controlled. 

It is not possible to eradicate poverty completely within a few years. But over a considerable span, if the organizations worldwide receive support from the mass, they can accelerate progress notably. Monitor the statistics regularly and you will notice the change in your surroundings. 

Do your part in bringing change and spreading positivity and awareness. It is high time to build a poverty-free world for future generations. 

Come and connect with the organizations on UPDEED that are serving society to build a sustainable world.

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