Poverty

UN nations endorse a ‘Pact of the Future,’ and the body’s leader says it must be more than talk

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UN nations endorse a ‘Pact of the Future,’ and the body’s leader says it must be more than talk

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world’s increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page “Pact of the Future” challenges leaders of the 193 U.N. member nations to turn promises into … Read more

Guaranteed income support rose during the pandemic; backlash followed

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Guaranteed income support rose during the pandemic; backlash followed

Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images About 1,900 residents in Texas’ Harris County were set to start receiving $500 monthly payments starting this spring. The money — provided through a new 18-month guaranteed income pilot, Uplift Harris, a Harris County Public Health initiative — was aimed at county residents of 10 ZIP codes who are … Read more

New parents in Baltimore could get $1,000 if voters approve ‘baby bonus’ initiative

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New parents in Baltimore could get ,000 if voters approve ‘baby bonus’ initiative

BALTIMORE — A group of Baltimore teachers is asking voters to approve a program that would give $1,000 to new parents in the hopes of reducing childhood poverty starting from birth. The “baby bonus” will appear on the ballot for city residents in November, after supporters secured the necessary 10,000 signatures to bring the question … Read more

Great wealth transfer or retirement savings crisis? It can be both

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Great wealth transfer or retirement savings crisis? It can be both

Ascentxmedia | E+ | Getty Images It can feel like the U.S. economy has divided consumers into groups of haves and have nots — and retirees are no exception. Research has found a great wealth transfer is underway, with research and consulting firm Cerulli Associates estimating an $84 trillion to shift from older to younger … Read more

The UN says a quarter of the world’s children under 5 have severe food poverty

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The UN says a quarter of the world’s children under 5 have severe food poverty

KALTUNGO, Nigeria — The 9-month-old twins cried nonstop and tugged at their mother, seeking attention but also food. They had received little in the past 24 hours, and there were signs of deeper hunger in the heads too big for their tiny bodies. “Not much milk comes out,” said their 38-year-old mother, Dorcas Simon, who … Read more

Vijay Shekhar Sharma: Inclusive growth should be priority of government: Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm

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Vijay Shekhar Sharma: Inclusive growth should be priority of government: Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, MD, Paytm, says economic growth will be reaching every nook and corner and every village and place and that should be the priority. “That is what I believe the next government should be focused on,” he says.How has been the overall experience in terms of carrying out your business, the last government … Read more

Lawmakers debate if child savings accounts may reduce wealth inequality

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Lawmakers debate if child savings accounts may reduce wealth inequality

Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images An unequal distribution of wealth in the U.S. can make it so some children are behind from birth. Now lawmakers are considering whether federal children’s savings accounts can help. One proposal — the 401Kids Savings Act — would create savings accounts for all newborns. Low- and moderate- income families … Read more

29% of U.S. households have jobs but struggle to cover basic needs

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29% of U.S. households have jobs but struggle to cover basic needs

Over time, higher costs and sluggish wage growth have left more Americans financially vulnerable, with many known as “ALICEs.” Nearly 40 million families, or 29% of the population, fall in the category of ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — according to United Way’s United for ALICE program, which first coined the term to refer … Read more

Movie Review: Ken Loach, longtime chronicler of social ills, seeks a hopeful note in ‘The Old Oak’

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Movie Review: Ken Loach, longtime chronicler of social ills, seeks a hopeful note in ‘The Old Oak’

In so many ways, TJ Ballantyne is a classic Ken Loach hero: a working-class, middle-aged man trying to simply eke out a dignified living, but meeting obstacles at each turn — a victim of unforgiving social realities that leave people like him in the dust. Like many of these Loach protagonists, TJ can’t get a … Read more

Michelle Yeoh to join business and political leaders at Global Citizen NOW summit to fight poverty

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Michelle Yeoh to join business and political leaders at Global Citizen NOW summit to fight poverty

NEW YORK — Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg are among the diverse group of political, business and philanthropic leaders Global Citizen will convene in New York on May 1 and 2, the nonprofit announced on Thursday. The Global Citizen NOW summit will seek support for workable solutions … Read more