Eradication of Family and Child Poverty in Canada - Research Paper Example

? Eradication of Family and Child Poverty in Canada Assignment: Introduction Absolute poverty refers to the condition of life degraded by disease, illiteracy, malnutrition and squalor as to deny its victims of basic human necessities like food, clothing, shelter, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and health, information and education (CDC, 2012). In the UN human development index, Canada is ranked fourth, but the measure of the marginalized aborigines would place Canada at 78th. The concept of poverty focuses on the low absolute income received by households, even though, its objective definition is hard to formulate. The fact that poverty is not just a matter of absolute income also implies something about relative income. According to Gordon (2006), relative poverty can only be defined by comparing one group of people with another. The challenge arises when the measure of comparing populations depends on a whole range of assumptions. Therefore, relative poverty is a process of encroaching deprivation by which people slip out of the mainstream of social life without being the stereotype pauper in rags and tatters (Gordon, 2006). This paper therefore seeks to understand how to eliminate poverty in the family and the child in Canada by use of the specific measurable objectives. One of such objectives is to understand why poverty is persistent, the role of the state in poverty eradication, providing recommendations, the role of the social worker and thereby conclude on the issue at hand. The 2012 report card calls upon the Federal Government to participate actively in its role to reduce poverty to children and to families. In addition, recommendations with reference to policies are offered to level out poverty persistence in Canada (“CAMPAIGN 2000 Report Card”, 2012). Discussion One out of ten children in Canada is poor and the child poverty rate is ranked at fifteen percent (CSR, 2011). There is also the use of food banks by its citizens with forty percent of those relying on food banks being children. October 17 marks the international day for poverty eradication and this year’s theme focuses on ending food insecurity for which the organizers developed the slogan the slogan ‘chew on this!’ The commemoration of this day promotes awareness in the fight to eradicate poverty in all nations and more so in the developing countries. Furthermore, the website advocates for child care that are of at most quality that is needs assessed and affordable and goes on to inform parents of what parameters in forms quality. In addition, the youth has been involved and they serve as volunteers for example the witness to poverty project provide the youth with platforms to learn and reflect on issues pertaining to poverty and more so come up with art works for media displays. It is noteworthy that the federal budget of 2013 does not include the children and instead deficit reductions are placed superior to the development of the human development index. In addition, Canada is a super power specifically a G8, it lacks national plans for housing and homelessness. This is so as there are insufficient resources and its coordination. Sadly, over one million people are unable to retain their housing (“End Child Poverty Now”, 2000). Reasons Why Poverty Is Persistent The poor always struggle against the following five interlocking disadvantages that are: poverty itself, physical weakness, isolation, vulnerability and powerlessness ( World Fact Book, 2008). They therefore, are trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty, in which people struggle to earn income that goes directly into food costs, making them string enough just to continue working for another meal. First, the household is poor characterized by poor social amenities, it has long or short term debts, their labor has low productivity, food and cash flows are low, unreliable, seasonal and inadequate. Secondly, the household is physically weak; there are high rates of dependants to able-bodied adults, who include the sick, children and the old. Because of debts, the need to survive, and poverty, some adults chose to disperse and stay on their own or migrate to different countries or states. Furthermore, the household is seasonally hungry and therefore its members weakened by interactions of parasites, sickness and malnutrition. Thirdly, the household is isolated from the outside world. Its location is on the periphery or away from the trading, discussion and information. The members of the household are often illiterate and un-informed, their children do not go to school, members do not attend public meetings, and if so they do not speak. This makes it very unsociable and less constructed than it is for more well off families elsewhere around the country and the world. Fourth, the household is vulnerable due to the factors into which poverty has disposed them, including inability to afford the essential commodities like food. Members of the vulnerable group indulge in money borrowing to settle debts and therefore indebted, they experience disasters and social demands and hence sell their assets to foot accidents, sickness or funeral expenses and bride price among others. Finally, the household is powerless. They are ignorant of the law; compete for employment and services with others make them an easy victim of predation by the powerful. They therefore accept powerless pays as they are fully aware of the power of the rich; the household avoids political activities which may endanger future employment, tenancy, loan favors and protection. With reference to the Canadian State, the food banks available cannot bridge the growing disparity between the wealthy and the poor, poverty for them arises from the systematic problem arising from low wages, a job market that is precarious, severe shortage of housing in that they are not adequate as in need repairs, the size of the rooms don’t match up with the residents and in terms of affordability it is more than 30% pre-tax earnings and the reduction in the benefits in employment insurance and its cut in programs that are social. Role of The State in Eliminating Poverty The government has the role of ensuring that all the communities within its territories develop. This is so as politics set regulations and guidelines to develop planning activities of social transformation according to the basic needs of the society in order to ensure that people live and acquire what they need for livelihood and survival. This is done thorough policy guidelines that spell out in action plans that are set for each fiscal year. Likewise raise resources through different ways of collecting taxes, loans, grants and fees through costsharing programs and penalties. Secondly, the lack of improvement in targeting poverty is a violation of the convention of the UN that deals with the rights of a childthe government should set targets on what should be achieved within a given time per sector. Third the state can eliminate poverty by using the decentralized style of governance whereby after conducting a needs assessment, they formulate programs that are realistic, the exploitation of both natural and human resources would be easier and more importantly, it ensures transparency and accountability which consequently results in being a devise that ensures quality controls, promotes democracy and is a norm of good governance. Furthermore, it reduces dependency as it empowers the local people. Recommendations First, the government of Canada has set regulations and guidelines to develop planning activities of social transformation according to the basic needs of the society in order to ensure that people live and acquire what they need for livelihood and survival with consultation of the aborigines, territorial government, NGO’s and with the people who live in poverty states. For example, bill C-233, an act to eliminate poverty in Canada.Povertyis an issue of social justice the defection of the bill on housing strategy C-400 that seeks to provide secure, affordable and adequate housing should be reviewed(“End Child Poverty Now”, 2000). Secondly, the government should update how it seeks to support families through taxation, transfer systems and revenue collection to yield the greatest poverty reduction impact possible. That is an enhanced child benefit for low-income families with a maximum of $5400 per child and this is arrived at by combining child benefit through increasing the National Child Benefit. Further, the Child fitness Tax Credit, the Universal Child Care Benefit and the regressive Child Tax Credit should be eliminated and the resources redirected to Finance the increased National child Benefit. Probably, this would bring the child poverty rate to 15 percent Third, the Canadian government should build high quality public system for early childhood education services that will be affordable to all children between the ages of 0-12. The federal spending should reach 1 percent at least of the Gross Domestic Product within 10 years and transfer the payments to publicly manage, nonprofit and publicly owned services. Fourth, old age security at 65, access should be restored, and a further increased guaranteed income supplement for those with low incomes. Fifth, the eligibility for employment insurance should be expanded and restored. A sixth, a needs assessment needs to be carried out for all social housing providers in Canada. For example the short term housing investment including the federal housing and homelessness initiative must be restored and expanded. The Canada Mortgage and housing Corporation must make funds available for maintenance and capital as part of the social housing operating agreement expire. Finally, taxes should be based on one’s ability to pay. This is achieved through the restoration of fairness to the personal taxation system. The restoration of a series of marginal brackets of tax progressively increases funds available to support services publicly used by the Canadians. Role of a Social Worker In Poverty Eradication at a Macro Level A social worker is one who acts as a catalyst and helps with the acceleration of change. Therefore, a social worker is a professional who influences innovative decisions in a direction deemed to be desirable by the change agency. Their success is accounted for by the following features; they are empathetic, exercise homophile, credibility, reciprocity, and the amounts of efforts exerted to work. The services therefore rendered by a social worker include provision of case management, counseling and guidance, community development, advocacy, research and policy analysis. First, he is an observer. He internalizes what he notes about a given community. For this to be successful he must be accepted in that particular society in order to bring about development by complying with the norms of the society Second, he is a diagnostician. A social worker diagnoses the problem a particular community has for example lack of clean drinking water, domestic violence, mental health and child abuse. Third, he is a strategist. Once solutions are identified, he plans the course of action with the available resources and enlightens the community of its availability and enables the community to bring about positive change for themselves. Moreover, the focus is made on enhancing resources and opportunities in accordance with personal capacities. Fourth, he stimulates the community into action so as to appreciate the necessary sacrifice. Since people are the primary ingredients of development, their participation is a tool for assisting members of the community to be empowered to control their own destinies. Fifth, he plays the role of the stabilizer. He seeks to make the community self reliant and self sustaining by sending reinforcing messages about adoption. Generally, the role of a social worker is to ensure community development. Community development can be defined as the rational fostering of improvement of the quality of life in local communities. They note that the best approach to ensuring community development is that which focuses on the use of democratic principles in the solutions to community problems. Conclusion In summary, the involvement of people, as in population groups and families are elements in poverty eradication. Execution of projects and measures with the aim of lifting the individuals out of poverty and imparting self confidence to them is fundamental to the fight against poverty. As earlier discussed, poverty eradication in the family and for the children is possible through decentralization and the capacity of the state to be transparent and accountable is eminent. References End Child Poverty Now, (n.d.) Campaign 2000. Retrieved November 4, 2013 from http://www.campaign2000.ca CAMPAIGN 2000 Report Card – 2012. Retrieved from http://www.campaign2000.ca/reportCards/national/C2000ReportCardNov2012.pdf David Gordon (2006). Christina Pantazis; David Gordon; Ruth Levitas, eds. The concept and measurement of poverty. Poverty and social exclusion in Britain:The Millennium Survey. Bristol, UK: Policy Press. pp. 29–70. Canandian Social Research. (2011). "LICOs - Absolute or relative poverty measure??". Canadiansocialresearch.net. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2011-02-28. World Fact Book, CIA (2008). Population below poverty line, The World Factbook,CIA. Read More