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While social scientists continue the endless discussion on how to stop poverty, the solution might be through the establishment of an international body exclusively to combat poverty that would focus on tackling the structural issues that cause poverty, perpetuates a state of poverty and would address daily outbreaks of poverty.
To take care of a problem of such magnitude on a global scale, it would be necessary to create something like a Human Development Foundation – HDF, with its founders being all the participating countries of the UN with the same voting power and no one with the vetoing power.
The HDF would work like a company, totally disengaged from the existing organizations whose models are not appropriate to aggressively address the issue.
Member countries of the UN would be joined by private, national and international public bodies with a humanitarian mission to achieve the following goals:
- Fighting hunger and malnutrition;
- Granting immediate access to basic health assistance, including distribution of free generic drugs;
- Develop and implement long-term action to prevent other poverty outbreaks in risk areas;
The Acts of Establishment of the Foundation would be determined through an international treaty to be ratified in the National Congress of the participating countries.
Members of the board of directors would be selected among scientists, medical doctors, economists, and anthropologists, former CEOs of large corporations, bankers and people engaged in humanitarian causes.
The HDF would be sustained by the following:
A – Primary source: 1% of annual military budget of each member country for interest-free loans to fund development projects without a repayment
B – A permanent financial contribution: around 0.1% of each debit in bank accounts of individuals and private organizations in the world. That money would be applied immediately in the provision of emergency aid to outbreaks of hunger, diseases and to minimize the effects of natural disasters.
C – A surcharge of 20% on consumer products like cigarettes and alcohol be collected by the State and sent to the HDF. That money would be used to create and improve health care infrastructure as well as to produce generic medicine for free distribution in regions of need.
D – A surcharge of 5% on the sales of brand new luxury transportation vehicles, including yachts and select model cars.
E – A surcharge of 1% on the profit of mega corporations for direct investment in education and technical training.
F – The net income obtained on auctions of goods seized/confiscated by governments.
In addition, the armed forces of all member countries would be engaged in projects for the development of economic infrastructure, managing and acting in the construction of bridges, railways, ports, roads, hospitals, dams, irrigation systems and creation of systems for production and storage of solar and/or geothermal energy.
The Human Development Foundation would work to engage the people of each member country to participate and discuss alternative solutions to effectively prevent and stop poverty and guarantee minimal social conditions in afflicted countries. Special sessions would be held in their respective national congresses to discuss alternatives.
With VISION, LEADERSHIP and POLITICAL WILL, much can be achieved in the fight against poverty around the world.
