Evaluation of Disparities

Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies designed to reduce disparities.
Over the years, many developed nations have been trying to help those less developed countries to get out of poverty. This has happened through ways of giving them aid or money mostly. Along the way, countries have also developed goals like the 8 MDGs to be solved by 2015. But with many developing countries still suffering under poverty, has this aid been enough? Over time, new strategies have been developed in order to resolve this issue. Some of these strategies include trade, debt relief, aid in terms of medical care or food related problems, and even by technology. The only question is, how effective are these strategies?
The introduction of trade could help a country out very significantly in terms of economy. Firstly, it can open barriers and allow international companies to develop business in the developing country, which would be a big benefit to them economically. If there are more companies and more jobs, there would be more employment which would help the citizens greatly because they would be able to afford the basic needs for their families too. One example can be seen through China before 1976 and China now. After the end of the relative isolation in China, the Chinese economy boomed. For one, it grew 8 times bigger. They also managed to increase economic growth by an average of over 10% in a year; exports by 15% a year in the 1980s and 90s. After many other vast improvements in China because of trade, it has risen to the world’s third largest economy in less than 40 years. Unfortunately, it is not easy to help all these countries through trade alone. Many poor countries are primary product dependent. This means that they rely on one or a small number of primary products to obtain foreign currency through export. Compared to manufactured goods and services, the world market price of thee primary products are very low. This plays a very big part in why so many nations are struggling to get out of poverty. Though there have been methods such as fair trade to help these developing nations, it is simply not enough.
The introduction of aid could help a country significantly as well. These forms of aid include teaching farmers how to grow crops, teaching people how to dig proper wells to get clean water, etc. Many developed nations have stopped giving aid without teaching the developing nation how to do it on their own. For example, instead of giving food directly to the poor country, they teach the poor country how to grow that food so that they can carry out sustainable development. Once they’re taught how to do these things, they will be better suited for development. Another way developed nations help countries is by establishing projects that allow workers to gain the proper skills needed in order to benefit the country. Aid can be given through education, which would help children become more literate so they can go out to work and earn money for themselves too. One example of aid that benefited the country well is the UK establishment of the Pergau Dam right here in Malaysia. After the beginning of the work in 1991, Malaysia managed to bring in about $1 billion worth of arms, all from the UK. This helped the economy greatly. So not only does this kind of aid help a country in a short-term, but it sticks to the country and helps it for a long-term.
The introduction of appropriate technology can go a long way as well. For example, appropriate machines can be used to build dams and wells for access to cleaner/fresher water. Once the citizens get this access, there would be some form of sanitation, which would make better healthcare and fewer diseases. Overtime, the death rate would fall. Computers, water filters, renewable energy, improved crops -- all have been touted as tools for pulling people out of poverty. Other machines such as new tractors or farming machines and tools can be introduced to farmers or land workers so that they would be able to increase the rate of food production. The more food there is, the less malnutrition there would be, all benefiting the health of those who live in the developing country. Computers could help benefit the country with the use of internet for the education of the children within the developing nation as well.
Lastly, debt relief can help a country in terms of spending money. If a poor developing nation has to worry about a debt of $1 million and the debt is cancelled, there would be fewer burdens on these countries and they would be able to shift the money towards their development. Most countries located in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America seem to be the ones most heavily in debt. These countries are also known as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). In 1996, the HIPC programme was started by the World Bank and IMF to basically clear most of the debts for the countries that really needed it the most. One example of a beneficial debt relief for a developing nation can be seen through Nicaragua. In the year 2000, Nicaragua received a debt relief of $4.5 billion. This reduced its debt burden of export earnings to below an astounding 150%. It also managed to reduce its annual debt service to below 9%. It generally reduces stress or burdens for a developing country’s economy so they can focus on the things that would benefit their country.
In conclusion, there are many ways that developed nations can help those countries who struggle with poverty. These strategies can be through teaching them new skills, giving them debt relief, and by trading goods and products with them. There would be more employment, proper healthcare, a raised standard of living, and adequate resources for the needs of the people living in these developing nations. This process will be tough and it will take time, but eventually, I think that these developed nations would help the poorer countries develop and get out of poverty.