Nearly half of the world’s population currently lives in poverty, defined as income of less than US $2 per day, including one billion children. Of those living in poverty, over 800 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than US $1.25 a day. They lack access to proper nutrition, clean drinking water, and adequate health services. The first Sustainable Development Goal, SDG 1: No Poverty, includes specific targets to eradicate extreme poverty, and ensure proper access to economic resources for all individuals around the world. It calls for the mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, as well partnerships between developing and developed countries.
Youth involvement is crucial to meeting development objectives. Their perspectives on poverty reduction are especially relevant given that 2/3 of the population in low-income countries is under 25 years old. Their inclusion in development processes should be built on the understanding that young people are not merely a target group but also initiators, participants, decision-makers and leaders. Including a youth perspective ensures young people are recognized as a resource for change in society, and the role of higher education institutions in reaching these stakeholders is critically important.
About the Hub: Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women located in Maharashtra, India, is committed to addressing issues of poverty through education. The institution aims to establish and enhance the role and importance of women in the male dominated fields of architecture, interior design, and digital, environmental and landscape architecture. The institution places top priority on educating students in technical skills, nurturing their creativity and the importance of justice in all areas of life. Part of the college’s activities as UNAI’s global hub for Addressing Poverty includes service learning programs in Tanzania, Zambia and Jamaica. These three programs, in collaboration with UNAI, provided environmental education to students of Savannah Plains International School; developed a sustainable multi-use community block and program to be used as a learning center for students, teachers and the community; and refurbished shipping containers for use in schools as classrooms and reading rooms and a library for Barrack Road primary school.
Addressing Poverty
Assessing the ecological impacts of tourism and developing ecotourism at Kas plateau
This video is of a presentation on assessing the ecological impacts of tourism and developing ecotourism at Kas plateau, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, presented by Prerna Agarwal at an eco-restoration workshop conducted by the Department of Landscape Architecture, Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women 19 September 2015.