Mercy Global Concern - 2006

Mercy Global Concern: Briefing paper 1, January 2006

Inequality Matters!

Inequality in terms of income, access to healthcare and education and access to markets for trade are trapping people in a cycle of poverty despite their best efforts.

Halving extreme Poverty by 2015 is doable but will not happen unless governments and civil society ACT to close the ever-widening disparity between countries and within countries.

Here are some startling statistics…

1. Life Expectancy at Birth: Japan 82 - Zambia 38

2. Babies delivered by Healthcare Professionals: United Kingdom 99% - Yemen 22%

3. Average years of Schooling: Canada 11: 6 Years - Nepal 2:4 Years

4. Population with access to Clean Water: Germany 100% - Cambodia 34%

5. Death Rate of Children under 5: Sweden 0.3% - Sierra Leone 28: 4

6. Population living on less than $2 per day Poland 2% - Nigeria 91%