1 NO POVERTY
The causes of poverty are wars, natural and man-made disasters, human desires in the money economy and the resulting competition, social systems that promote poverty, and lack of wisdom to escape from poverty. In order to eradicate poverty, we must not only create the causes of poverty, but also reduce or eliminate the causes of poverty that are inherent in the current social system.
In corporate activities as well, it is important not only to eliminate activities that could increase poverty, but also to take concrete actions to prevent the causes of poverty.
Some concrete actions you can take to prevent poverty cause are following: “To eliminate activities that cause wars and disasters, and to carry out activities to prevent poverty caused by wars and disasters.”, “Don’t do propaganda that stimulates people’s desires to scramble, but rather guide people to help each other without being selfish.”, “Abolish the social system that promotes poverty and replace it with a social system that eliminates poverty.”, and “Learn widely the wisdom to get out of poverty and spread it.”
Companies will be required to check whether their own activities are causing problems and to proactively change their behavior.
The United Nations has set seven specific targets for “No Poverty”. In order to actually achieve the goal of "No Poverty", let's take a look at these targets and think about them.
1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
The United Nations sees poverty as low daily dollar consumption, and seems to define extreme poverty as less than $1.25 a day. However, it feels strange to uniformly determine whether people are poor or not based on their daily consumption of money. There is a difference in the ease of living in areas where prices are high and fluctuating and in areas where prices are low and stable. In addition, there are people who are able to live a rich and satisfying life even if their daily consumption is small due to the ingenuity of saving money. If you can secure your own food and be self-sufficient, you may be able to live satisfactorily every day without spending money to buy things. On the other hand, even if they have a high income, there are people who have trouble with money at every turn because they spend a lot of money and have a lot of debt. Even if your income increases, if prices rise further, your life will become difficult. The UN definition seems to be biased towards the idea that the more you earn and consume, the more wealthy you are.
Trying to measure poverty by money alone is a big mistake. Adam and Eve had no money while they were in the Garden of Eden, but they had plenty to eat, they slept in peace, and they lived in abundance without lamenting their lack of clothing and possessions. But as soon as they are banished from paradise, they will experience poverty. By being cast out of paradise, they became involved in a world of possessiveness and strife.
Outside paradise, man is thrown into a money economy and has to deal with production and competition. People experience poverty in a money economy where competition and production are required. Jesus Christ and Buddha warned us not to waste our lives chasing only money. Pursuing only money, competing, and continuing to drag each other's feet will cause people to lose affluence, fall into poverty, and become unhappy.
Does The United Nations try to classify Adam and Eve when they were in paradise, or even Christ and Buddha when they were ministering to people, as being in extreme poverty simply because they have no financial income? Low financial income is a major factor in poverty. But the cause of poverty should not be only money at hand.
The problem of poverty is that it interferes with daily life, and even if people are able to live now, they have great anxiety about the future. Also, if those who are in poverty do not acquire the wisdom to get out of it, there is a risk that the poverty will be entrenched and they will not be able to get out.
In order to solve the problem of poverty, first of all, it is essential to stabilize people's lives. A social system that stimulates people's desires and encourages competition and strife, and creates a social system where the food supply balance is stable and where many people can live with peace of mind. It is necessary for each person to have the necessary wisdom in order to eliminate poverty.
We think it is important to change the target of 1.1 to one that will help eliminate poverty in a more essential sense, rather than making it our target as it is. For example, goals such as:
1.1 Draft Course of Action
・"Change the social system so that people can live without hindrance to their daily lives and without worrying about the future, and disseminate the wisdom necessary for people to live better lives."
1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, relative poverty is defined as those who earn equivalent disposable income below a certain threshold (poverty line). The poverty line is half the median equivalent disposable income obtained by statistics. Intuitively, it seems that households with less than half the income of ordinary households are considered relative poverty. The reason for using the median rather than the average equivalent disposable income to determine poverty is that if there are a small number of very high-income earners, using the average could push the poverty line too high.
Some areas are popular with high-income people, while others are popular with low-income people, so the poverty line will differ from area to area. In addition, depending on the price of goods and the supply of daily necessities, there will be areas where people below the poverty line can easily live, and there will be areas where people above the poverty line find it difficult to live.
Based on the targets of the SDGs, it can be said that Japan's task is to halve the number of people classified as relative poor. To reduce relative poverty rates, people with incomes below the poverty line need to increase their incomes.
In recent years, the introduction of a basic income has been discussed, and it can be said that it is effective as one of the policies to directly increase the income of low-income people living in poverty.
However, even if income increases, if prices rise even further, life will not improve. In order to improve the lives of people living in relative poverty, in addition to increasing income, a social system that provides a stable supply of daily necessities such as safe, cheap and reliable food is required.
Also, it is not good for society to give money uniformly to those who do not work or even those who do not want to work. It will be very difficult to end poverty if the poor do not try to lift themselves out of poverty. Trying to end poverty with basic income alone risks increasing the burden on society. To make people in poverty think that in order to survive, they must do something useful for society, or do what society needs. Changing the hearts and minds of people in poverty may be the most important way to end poverty.
We respect this 1.2 target, but think it needs a fix as well. For example, I would like to set the following goals:
1.2 Draft Course of Action
・”In order to eradicate poverty, we need to support policies that help people in poverty, change their mindsets, raise their awareness to increase their income through wisdom and effort, and at the same time provide safe and secure daily necessities. We aim to build a social system that provides low-cost, stable supplies to people with low incomes.”
1.3 Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable
The social protection system here is probably a word equivalent to the social security system in Japan. In this target, it is desired to enhance systems such as social security and implement measures.
Even if there is a system, if it is not implemented concretely and appropriately, and if people who need it cannot receive the necessary protection when they need it, the system is meaningless. It is important to appropriately review the operation of the system so that the poor and vulnerable can be given fair and appropriate protection, and so that they can respond to changes in society.
The poor should be defined by each country. Vulnerable people are those who are considered to need support from social security, such as the sick, injured, minors, the elderly, and those who are about to give birth.
Adequate protection is interpreted as sufficient protection for the poor to escape poverty, and sufficient protection for the vulnerable to overcome their vulnerability or to prevent inconvenience caused by their vulnerability.
Welfare is extremely important in modern society. At the same time, welfare is also an endless money pit. In fact, it is said that the national burden of welfare is putting pressure on the national finances year after year. If too many people depend on the social security system, society itself risks collapsing. It would be foolish for society itself to create an unsustainable social security system.
Protection is not just about handing out money. It is necessary not only to provide financial protection, but also to give wisdom and the courage to make efforts on their own to those who, with wisdom and effort, can escape from being protected.
1.3 Draft Course of Action
・"We will support the construction of a social system that provides sufficient protection for the poor and vulnerable, and gives them the wisdom and courage to escape from protection on their own."
1.4 By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
This target seeks to ensure equal rights. As for what kind of rights, various things are written, such as rights to economic resources, rights to access basic services, rights to properties such as real estate, rights to natural resources, new technologies, and financial services.
It is difficult to judge what and how far it can be said that "equality of rights has been secured". It may not be possible to achieve perfect equality in access to services.
For example, let's say you create a library that everyone can use. There is a difference in accessibility between those who live very close to the library and those who live several kilometers away. Even if the library is barrier-free and people in wheelchairs can enter the library, it takes a lot of time and effort to pick up books from the bookshelves and look at them. Also, many libraries have installed Braille blocks so that visually impaired people can enter, but it would be difficult for visually impaired people to read books. At first glance, it seems that everyone can use the library equally and consider vulnerable people, but the "right to access information written in books" is not equal.
Depending on what kind of books are held in the library, there is a risk that disparities may arise from region to region. Being near a library that has a lot of good books full of wisdom can help you improve your academic ability, and you may find it easier to get information that enriches people. On the other hand, even if you have a library, if you don't have enough books, it won't do much to increase people's wisdom and improve their lives.
Hospitals and supermarkets are services that are more directly connected to our immediate lives than libraries. Inability to procure daily necessities or access to medical services has a major impact on people's lives. In some cases, it can be life threatening. Hospitals and supermarkets run by the private sector may suddenly raise prices or even cease operations due to deficits. Depending on the region, hospitals and supermarkets cannot be built nearby, and even if there are hospitals and supermarkets, the services may not be sufficient. In order to receive more advanced services, you may end up having to go to a hospital in the city center. In places where transportation is not well developed, disparities in access to service bases tend to occur compared to central Tokyo.
It is undesirable for the general public to experience inconvenience in receiving services due to regional disparities such as the distance from the place where services are provided, the selection and quality of services provided by service bases, or the development of transportation. In practice, however, it may not be possible to eliminate regional disparities in access to life-saving services. Rather, we should accept regional disparities and think about how we can devise a more prosperous and happy life for each region in the midst of those disparities. In other words, rather than trying to deliver the same service to all people, we will return to the essence of the service itself and change the way the service is provided within the constraints of each region.
Economic resources are the labor, energy, materials, technology, capital, etc. required to produce goods or provide services. In other words, economic resources are necessary elements for economic activities such as production, distribution, and sales. By securing appropriate economic resources and using them in an appropriate manner, we can create competitive products and provide services in the market. Basically, everyone should have the right to engage in economic activities such as production, distribution, and sales. However, if rights to economic resources are significantly unequal, there will be a large economic disparity between those who are free to engage in economic activities and those who are restricted. Equalizing the rights to economic resources may be thought of as enabling people to start businesses with equal rights and engage in economic activities such as production, distribution, and sales. Property rights, access to natural resources and new technologies, and access to financial services are also important issues to avoid unfair economic disadvantage.
Making economic resources accessible to all is the ideal of the SDGs. In fact, to ensure free economic activity, it would be important for everyone to have equal access to economic resources. However, even if people have rights, without the wisdom and appropriate information to use them properly and effectively, most people will not be able to make full use of their rights. What is important is not only the equality of rights to use economic resources, but rather the wisdom and information to use them.
Ensuring equality of rights is not the end goal, but a means to an end. The final goal is to prevent people from becoming poor due to regional disparities, status disparities, or information disparities, and to realize a prosperous and happy life for all people. To that end, it is important to ensure equality of rights and emphasize appropriate disclosure of information and the dissemination of wisdom. Not all rights can be physically equitable. However, while there are disparities, we will review the social system so that people can achieve affluence and happiness without creating poverty within limited constraints.
1.4 Draft Course of Action
・"In addition to supporting the reduction of regional disparities in life services, we will focus on education, the dissemination of appropriate information, and library services for people to acquire wisdom to achieve their own prosperity and happiness. Economy including support for entrepreneurs. We will strive to enhance business support services that exchange wisdom and information for the appropriate and effective use of public resources.”
1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
I think that resilience is not so much toughness as the ability to respond, recover, or escape. We can interpret this as constructing a social system that helps the poor and those in vulnerable situations survive, recover from, and escape from difficult situations. In particular, the poor and vulnerable people are more vulnerable than ordinary people to disasters, wars, or environmental changes, and in some cases even in situations that are not a big deal for the general public, they are at risk of their lives. may be So what gives them the ability to adapt, to resilience, or to get out of tough situations?
Financial donations, volunteer support, public welfare services, etc. may be helpful and needed at times. It will also be necessary to develop a social system that appropriately delivers support to those who really need it. However, in some cases, such assistance may actually deprive the poor and vulnerable of their resilience, resilience, or ability to escape. By continuing to receive support, they will lose the power to live on their own, and they will not be able to live without continuing to receive support. In some cases, their dependence on support may become stronger, making them more vulnerable and in need of even greater support. Even if you provide support, it is important to encourage them to recover or escape from difficult situations so that they will not need support in the future.
What does it take for the poor and those in vulnerable situations to become resilient, resilient or empowered to escape? For example, wisdom to survive, courage, knowledge to recover, perseverance to continue self-improvement, strength of will to aim higher without giving up, success stories and experiences of people who recovered and escaped, and friends who makes you feel positive? In addition to thinking about financial and public support, it will be necessary for future support to think about how to make their hearts positive.
1.5 Draft Course of Action
・"We will work to support the poor and those in vulnerable situations, and create a mechanism for relief from crisis situations such as disasters. We will focus on mental support to foster the ability to escape from situations.”
1.a Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
Basically, this can be understood as assistance for eradicating poverty in developing countries, especially least developed countries. Is it correct to understand that securing the mobilization of a considerable amount of resources means financial support? It is important to support developing countries. However, it may be necessary to verify whether the programs and policies currently in place to support developing countries are really helping to eradicate poverty. In some cases, helping people in developing countries may push them further into poverty and vulnerability.
1.a Draft Course of Action
・In order to help people living in poverty in developing countries gain resilience, we will not only provide financial support, but also cooperate in initiatives that give wisdom and courage, and examine the results, outcomes, or whether there are any negative impacts."
1.b Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions
Funds are needed for any activity. Some people are trying to eradicate poverty, but often lack the funds to do what they want. It would be nice to have the right investments in people who are serious about ending poverty. However, it seems that it will not be easy to verify whether the investment is really appropriate. In some cases, there may be people who advertise their poverty eradication efforts more than they actually are, and spend the collected funds on other purposes. On the other hand, people who are serious about poverty eradication may be buried and not invested because they do not promote themselves. I feel like this target should be a little more cautious.
We also need to think carefully about what kind of consideration should be given to the poor and gender, and what kind of policy framework should be created to be considered "appropriate." It is not uncommon for the poor to become unable to escape from poverty due to "support addiction".
We also need to motivate investors. In order to invest, it is required that some kind of merit can be expected or that the investment target is attractive.
1.b Draft Course of Action
・"Creating objective indicators to verify whether or not actions to eradicate poverty are appropriate, and build a system that facilitates investment in people who are doing better. We will review and improve our actions to make them more effective and more attractive to investors at the same time.”
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