Eva Guo (10) | STAFF REPORTER
With over 1.2 billion children and 500 million youth (ages 15-24) living below the poverty line worldwide, child and youth poverty remains a deeply troubling issue in society. Even in developed countries, far too many children struggle with homelessness and food insecurity. Governments and global organizations make grand promises to address these problems, yet reality is clearly displayed: there is not enough change.
The causes of youth poverty are complex, with many underlying issues. Lack of jobs, limited access to education, and weak social safety nets leave many vulnerable. In many nations, rising tuition costs and student debt financially burden youth before they even enter the workforce. Additionally, housing costs continue to rise, making moving out for young adults near-impossible.
The question is, even with all the focus around poverty, with all the resources and funds dedicated to solving this glaring problem, why does it continue to exist?
The answer: failure to consider the complexity and depth of this systemic issue.
More often than not, anti-poverty plans fall short as they only tackle one factor of the problem, when poverty is multifaceted.
For example, the push for access to education to lower class families fails to consider other challenges faced by these families, such as if the child does not have enough food and thus cannot focus, or if they cannot get to school. Moreover, it fails to address what happens after their education. Prominent issues such as the competitive job market, low wages, rising housing costs, etc. are swept under the rug. The failures of these initiatives leave many youth and the future generations trapped in a vicious cycle.
So, is enough being done for youth poverty? Yes, but no. While anti-poverty initiatives do exist and have aided some people, they fall drastically short of considering and addressing all aspects of the problem. Impactful actions must be taken to break the cycle of poverty.
