Poverty in Nepal and Impacts on Childhood Development

Poverty situation in Nepal is very critical. Although it is blessed in terms of natural resources and a lot of development potential, it is one of the poorest countries in the whole world. Fulfilling just the basic needs like food and shelter is a major concern for many poor let alone some vital facilities like health services and education. While most poor do not even earn a dollar a day, the government efforts have been futile so far regarding the situation in past few years. According to World Bank Data Sheet (2007-2011), the per capita GDP of Nepal is US$ 619. The inflation rate is at double digits while the economic growth is not even half of it. These are just the examples and statistical facts; the reality is much more pathetic.

The main problem behind it is certainly the long standing political instability. The country is still recovering from a decade of armed conflict, and currently is in a transition to a new constitution. That is why, no significant improvement can be expected, until the new constitution is promulgated.

Poverty has direct impact on infant and childhood development. It is supported by the fact that infants who are introduced to new kinds of “objects and simulating activities” have better knowledge and abilities (Charles Stangor, Introduction to Psychology, p.167). Clearly, poor parents cannot provide diverse activities for their children. Similarly, physical development is equally vital, which is also hindered by the economic inability of the poor parents in managing proper food and care. Also, as the children become aware about the social comparison, at the age of 5 or 6 (Charles Stangor, Introduction to Psychology, p. 173), they might feel themselves inferior to the richer children, and thus, develop a pessimistic attitude towards themselves. These all factors show that poverty affects the infant and childhood development negatively.

There are many ways in which poverty can be alleviated in Nepal. Firstly, Nepal is historically famous for its mountains and natural beauty. Thus, tourism and mountaineering can be developed to increase both employment opportunities and foreign investment. Also, there is a huge potential in hydroelectricity, which is a renewable energy, and it is estimated that only 1% of the actual capacity is currently being generated. Even if just these sectors are developed, poverty can be reduced drastically.

References:

WorldBank.Org (2007-2011), GDP Per Capita (current US$), Accessed: September 25, 2012, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD

Stangor, Charles (n.d.), Introduction to psychology, Growing and Development, p. 167 and 173.