Poverty And Inequality In Africa: Violence

Poverty and inequality in Africa Name Institution Poverty and inequality in Africa Summary of Injustice The issue of poverty and inequality in Africa continue to interact with fragility in complex ways. The current pattern of growth in the continent excludes significant geographical areas and social groups, aggravating the uncertainty of conflict and instability (afdb.org, nd). This paper arises as an urgent call to address political mechanisms that will reduce the risk of national level violence. There is great need for African policy makers and their international supporters to actively manage the resulting pressures, as opposed to reacting only once conflict erupts (Seery & Arendar, 2014). The African continent is changing at a rapid speed. In the future, the combined pressures of a growing population, environmental change and the rapid economic growth will transform the livelihoods of Africans at an unparalleled pace (McGhee, 2016). If such transformations become well managed, they will provide the motivation for Africa’s continuing rapid development. Growth is buoyant across a large proportion of the continent, with new livelihood opportunities emerging and poverty levels on the decline (casade.org, 2017). A growing number of nations have reached a situation where they can look to bring their dependence on foreign assistance to an end. In view of inequality and exclusion, different dimensions stand out. A key dimension rests with the economic isolation of countries and regions (Lynch, 2015). Many African countries remain landlocked with small internal markets depending on neighbors for their access to regional markets. However, the neighbors themselves lack the resources to invest in adequate transport infrastructure (Canadian Council for International Co-operation, 2008). Other countries have potentially very large internal markets, but remain underdeveloped as a result of poor infrastructure and long-lasting insecurity, resulting in widespread economic isolation (Lynch, 2015). Another major factor for fragility occurs with the persistence of extreme poverty and social exclusion for particular social groups, even in economies enjoying healthy growth rates. While Africa has made great strides on poverty reduction in recent years, nearly half the population still lives on less than $1.25 a day (afdb.org, nd). In nations experiencing significant violence in recent decades, poverty rates are on average 21% points higher than in the unaffected countries. Call of action: Partnerships for resilience To address the problems of inequality and poverty, African countries need resilient states and societies, which operate within a robust political framework provided by the African Union. In recent times, many lessons about building effective states, including the importance of inclusive political settlements, reestablishing security and justice, building core economic management capacity and creating legitimacy through public service delivery have been learnt (afdb.org, nd; casade.org, 2017). Further, addressing fragility involves two other important dimensions. In one, there is need to draw on the resilience found in African societies. Over the years, the private sector has demonstrated a profound capacity to manage risk and create livelihoods in even the most difficult environments. Communities can govern their affairs, manage disputes and protect the most vulnerable through the civil society. African women play a crucial role in forging peace and rebuilding livelihoods. Nonetheless, such role is highly unrecognizable. A critical approach for overcoming state fragility is utilizing the diverse forms of resilience, while acknowledging that public goods and services can be delivered through many different means. Regional and continental mechanisms are another strategy (afdb.org, nd). Many of the drivers of conflict in Africa are regional in nature and call for regional solutions. Given the leadership of the African Union, Africa’s regional structures are maturing to the point where they can reinforce ...