Month: June 2019

Poverty in Burundi...

Ending poverty in all forms and everywhere is the first of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Burundi, Baden-Württemberg's partner country, struggles with extreme poverty, with almost 75 percent of the population living below the poverty line. The World Bank defines poverty in absolute terms. People are considered extremely poor if they live on less than $1,90 per day. This means that basic needs cannot be met. The World Bank definition helps to make poverty rates internationally comparable. However, poverty is also relative and far more complex, it goes beyond the financial. Education, health, living conditions, socio-cultural and political participation are important factors for measuring poverty. In Burundi, a large part of the population does not have an adequate water supply or electricity in their households, and access to health institutions and schools is severely limited.

... and poverty in Germany

Poverty is also a problem in Germany. Almost one in five people was at risk of poverty and social exclusion in 2017. While in Burundi the focus is on covering basic needs, in Germany the main question is how one can participate in a “normal” life despite restrictions. A person is considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion, among other things, if their income is below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold. People who receive an income that is less than 60 percent of the median income are at risk of poverty. In 2017, the threshold was 13.152 euros per year for single people in Germany. According to the Federal Statistical Office, one in six pensioners is poor.