By Cedric Prakash, SJ
In the Global Hunger Index for the year 2024, released on 15 October 2024, India ranks 105 out of 127 countries! With a score of 27.3, India has a level of hunger that is serious. On that day, a World Bank report stated that “almost 129 million Indians are living in extreme poverty in 2024 – on less than $2.15 (about Rs 181) a day.” These are hard facts presented by independent agencies, which the Government of India is unable to find fault with.
These statistics should not surprise anyone: whilst India boasts of producing some of the richest persons in the world, millions of Indians still do not have access to roti, kapda, makhan (food, clothing, and shelter), clean drinking water and the other basic amenities of life. Their journey is for survival, as they are struggling to eke out a living! Understanding the struggle the poor go through, the Church has instituted ‘World Day of the Poor.’
In his message issued for the World Day of the Poor last year, Pope Francis based his message on the theme, ‘The prayer of the poor rises up to God’ (cf. Sir 21:5). He said, “The World Day of the Poor is a pastoral opportunity that challenges every believer to listen to the prayer of the poor, becoming aware of their presence and needs. It is an opportune occasion to implement initiatives that concretely help the poor and to recognize and support the many volunteers who dedicate themselves passionately to those most in need. We must thank the Lord for the people who make themselves available to listen to and support the poorest among us”.
What must be uppermost in the hearts and minds of every disciple of Jesus is the question: Do I hear the cry of the poor? Do I respond?’ The cry, the prayer of the poor, has a message for all of us. Just as God listens to their prayer, God also wants us to respond proactively and help alleviate their poverty.
A World Bank report stated that “almost 129 million Indians are living in extreme poverty in 2024 – on less than $2.15 (about Rs 181) a day.”
The first of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to ‘end poverty in all its forms everywhere’ – something that has to be achieved by 2030! That is indeed a tall order – but if there is the political will to do so, that goal, can certainly be realized. The UN says, “In 2020, the number of people living in extreme poverty (living on less than USD 2.15 a day) rose to 724 million. Those living in extreme poverty struggle to fulfil the most basic needs (health, education, access to water and sanitation)… Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and 2015 – from 1.9 billion to 731 million – too many are still struggling for the most basic human needs”.
In January 2023, OXFAM released its report titled, ‘Survival of the Richest’ at the World Economic Forum in Davos, The Report highlighted the large disparity in wealth distribution in India, which makes the country one of the most unequal countries in the world, grappling with soaring levels of both income and wealth inequality. The Report says that more than 40% of the wealth created in the country from 2012 to 2021 had gone to just 1% of the population, and the richest 10 percent of the Indian population lay claim to an astonishing 77 percent of the nation’s wealth. Only 3% of the country’s wealth had trickled down to the bottom 50%. In 2022, the wealth of India’s richest man, Gautam Adani, increased by 46%, while the combined wealth of India’s 100 richest had touched $660 billion.
These scandalous statistics must make all Indians with a conscience hang their heads down in shame.
India’s youth continue to grapple with soaring unemployment rates, with nearly 83 percent of the jobless population belonging to this demographic, as per the ‘India Employment Report – 2024’ jointly published by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute of Human Development (IHD). The report, which was released on 27 March 2024, underscores a concerning trend where the proportion of educated young people, possessing at least a secondary education, among the total unemployed youth has nearly doubled from 35.2 percent in 2000 to 65.7 percent in 2022.
The plight of tribals, the indigenous people called ‘Adivasis’, the Dalits, and the OBCs, and migrant workers leave much to be desired. Untouchability still prevails in many rural areas. Manual scavenging still exists.
What must be uppermost in the hearts and minds of every disciple of Jesus is the question: ‘Do I hear the cry of the poor? Do I respond?’
Christian ‘charity’ is no longer synonymous with the traditional ‘doling out’. It is easy to throw a pittance to the poor, to give them our left-over food or old clothes. Today, we are mandated to address the systemic, structural issues of poverty, to empower the poor through a right- based approach. The Synodal Report of the first phase (October 2023) has a section dedicated to ‘People in Poverty, Protagonists of the Church’s Journey’ (I.4); The Church’s commitment must address the causes of poverty and exclusion. This includes actions to protect the rights of those who are excluded, and this may require public denunciation of injustices, whether perpetrated by societal structures or by individuals, corporations or governments. What is essential is hearing the voice of those in poverty, listening to their demands and points of view.
Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ (GUJ) is a well-known human rights, reconciliation and peace activist. He is a writer who writes regularly for Catholic and secular magazines. A recipient of several international and national awards, Cedric is currently engaged in Advocacy work.