In today’s world we are still faced with a high percentage of poverty among the world’s poorest regions, which have the world’s higher percentage of populations. Statistics have shown us that at least 80% of humanity lives on less than 10$ a day. With statistics like this, how are families in the poorest of regions able to afford basic education for their children?

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or even sign their very own signature. Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005, 57% of them being girls. When we see these shocking figures we wonder why more isn’t being done to stop this widening gap that seems to be separating poverty stricken regions from the more wealthy regions around the world. It is now 2013 and developing countries are vastly falling behind with the shockingly fast growing rate of developed countries.

More and more money is being invested into the likes of military and ammunition expenditure. Even with the world’s debt on the rise, military expenditure seems to be increasing considerably more in the armed forces. The significant rise was mainly during the presidency of George Bush from the years 2001 – 2008 from just over 300 billion being spent on the military to nearly 700 billion being spent in 2008. These costs seem so ridiculous when we look into the figures of poverty around the world affecting people affected basic rights.

Many organisations around the world are trying in their own way to help and fund whatever they can to such a huge cause and try to better these countries fighting to provide equal Human Rights for all that we in developed countries take for granted. Organisations such as “A Global Fund for Education” was set up to ensure that millions of children and young people in the poorest of countries around the world have access to a full equality of education. The Global Fund for Education hope to achieve and improve what already has been done around the world, including a focus to increase attention on the hardest to reach and most vulnerable children, those that live in such fragile and conflicted states. Also to emphasize quality in education and contribute to plans and strategies for improving learning achievement as well as access to schooling. Yet more needs to be done, a lack of money means lack of essential needs such as clothes, food, education and a decent health services.

More awareness needs to be emphasized on the outrageous costs that are being spent worldwide for unnecessary needs. If even a fraction of this money was used to provide for Equal Education in the worlds most poverty stricken regions it would be a step towards closing the gaping hole that is continuously widening.

Sean Hackett