This week, we’re going to hear about what poverty looks like in 2023, and the ways people are trying to get out of it.
In the West African country of Benin, nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, according to figures from the World Bank. One hospital there recently set off a media storm when it kept new mothers from leaving over unpaid medical bills.
And, have you ever heard of "digital poverty?" This somewhat invisible problem is having a big impact across the world, including in countries considered leaders in tech, like the United Kingdom. In fact, the UK-based Digital Poverty Alliance recently launched a national delivery plan to curb this problem across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030.
World in Progress spoke with Elizabeth Anderson, the interim CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, about what digital poverty is exactly and why it’s become such a problem in the UK.
We’ll also hear about a woman in Mexico using music to raise awareness about the country's indigenous communities. Plus, an upclose look at the hardship people in Ethiopia are experiencing amidst an economic downturn fueled by war and inflation. And why not everyone is giving up hope just yet.