A great number of Americans today believe that those living in poverty got themselves into that position due to laziness. Many people fail to see the unavoidable conditions some of these people face. A person is considered living in extreme poverty if they live on or below $1.90 a day. Imagine trying to get by with only $1.90 a day. Poverty is a real problem, and I believe there is an obvious solution.

 98% of the world’s undernourished people live beyond the U.S. borders in developing countries. They live in places where society still belittles women and girls. In places such as Asia, Africa, and Latin America  you will find people that do not believe women are capable of everything that men are capable of. Women are faced with little to no education, poor nutrition, and pay that is less than that of a man.  This kind of discrimination is unacceptable. There is not much these women can do to help themselves because they are trapped in societies that discriminate against them daily. The ability of women is incredibly underestimated.

 To alleviate poverty, we must eliminate gender inequality.  I cannot stress enough the importance of nurturing female’s self-confidence and empowering girls and young women living in poverty to make their own choices about their lives. I believe there are many steps that need to be taken for equality to come about. First off, there needs to be equal access to basic schooling. Girls should be allowed to attend school for the same length of time boys do. If all the young women in low-income countries were to graduate with basic reading skills, extreme poverty could be decreased by a large percent.

 Women also deserve equitable access to resources. Giving women access to energy resources, agricultural empowerment, education, and health care could positively affect, not only the women living in poverty, but also their families. Sophomore Jordyn Campbell said, “I believe that if the women in these low-income countries were given the same opportunities in life as men are, the percentage of women living  in poverty would decrease.”

 I believe arranged marriages also need to come to an end. Young girls should not be forced to marry older men that they do not love. In many places child marriages are arranged because girls are seen as a burden on their family. Many families marry off their daughters to transfer the financial ‘burden’ to her husband and his family. This only continues the cycle of poverty. Marrying young women to older men prevents them from reaching their full potential. They merely become a token of a wealthier man.

 The young girls growing up in this way of life do not even know their own capabilities. Society tells them they are worthless and they have no choice but to listen. Gender inequality is a real problem that must end now.