ICAP recognizes that the greatest long term global challenge is fighting poverty. Poverty has assumed biblical proportions particularly in Africa. Over 50% of Africa’s population today lives below the poverty line or in the measurements of the World Bank, they survive on less than one dollar a day. ICAP is engaging in innovative programs and services to assist the poor overcome poverty with special focus in sub-Saharan Africa. ICAP is uniquely
placed to address the issue of poverty in Africa. ICAP has excellent expertise and experience on poverty alleviation and an expansive network of contacts in Africa.
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
1. INCREASING PUBLIC ATTENTION/AWARENESS ON POVERTY
- Increase public attention on poverty and effects and causes of poverty;
- Conduct public campaigns to ensure governments address the issue of poverty and speed up the implementation of MDGS.
- Focus on developing and updating information on the extent and effects of poverty in selected countries and Africa as a whole.
- Through original research, compilation of data from publicly available sources, and special projects,
generate useful information on poverty. Additionally, endeavor to bring exposure to critical issues on poverty, including the impacts of poverty on people’s lives.
2. ENGAGE IN RESOURCE MOBILIZATION TO COMBAT HIV/AIDS
- The fight against Aids remains the great challenge of our age. HIV/Aids is expanding at an accelerating rate and prevention and treatment efforts are nowhere enough.
- International Center for Alleviation of poverty recognizes that there are strong linkages between poverty and HIV/AIDS Pandemic. Therefore, in order to combat the pandemic there is need to generate more resources to developing countries. Poverty is a major impediment to the war against HIV/Aids scourge in Africa. If the war against the scourge is to be won, there must be an increase in resources and funding
- Latest research shows that the goal of containing the world Aids epidemic by 2015 will not be achieved without a quantum leap in funding and education.
- The more we delay making a proper investment in the AIDS fight, the more the eventual costs will escalate. ICAP is engaging in mobilizing resources to fight the pandemic, including obtaining affordable drugs and testing kits and partnering with other existing organizations fighting the pandemic.
3. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
- International Center for Alleviation of Poverty believes that MDG are important benchmarks in halving poverty by 2015.Achievement of MDGS will eliminate poverty significantly and success requires sustained action
- Most of the targets set for progress on the Millennium Development Goals are benchmarked for the period 1990 to 2015, promising clear and measurable improvement on standards prevailing in 1990 by the end of 2015.
To date the vast majority of poor countries are well off the track, notably sub-Saharan Africa where most nations are projected to meet few if any targets. The new UN Human Development Report published in September 2005 ranked 177 countries based on quality of life. Twenty-four African nations were at the bottom.
The Millennium Development Goals which form a blue print by all the worlds countries and leading development institutions are:
o Eradicate Extreme Poverty
o Achieve Universal Primary education
o Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
o Reduce Child Mortality
o Improve Maternal Health
o Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other Diseases
o Ensure Environmental Sustainability
o Global Partnership for Development
The Center will monitor implementation and progress of Millennium development Goals in selected countries and make viable and implementable recommendations/actions to meet the goals. In particular ICAP is running a pilot project in Kisumu Kenya which has been declared a millennium town by United Nations. It is UN’s Reform model city and the lessons learned and the achievements will be replicated in other towns in
Africa. As a Millennium city Kisumu is expected to meet the MDG’s.ICAP is the implementing agency.
4. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:
- Women are increasingly the ones that suffer the most poverty. In most African countries women disproportionately bear the burden of poverty. ICAP believes that in order to alleviate poverty and change the poverty landscape we must empower women.
- Women comprise more than half of the world’s population. Women do two thirds of the world’s work, receive ten percent of the world’s income and own one percent of the means of production.
- Although women weld little economic or political power, women remain the dynamo behind the wheels of society. Investment in women offers multiple rewards that can accelerate social and economic progress, with a lasting impact.
- Women are the primary guardians of future generations. Women play a pivotal role not only in the reproduction but also in rural economies especially in food production. Invariably, women tend to reinvest any gains in the welfare of their children and families, multiplying their contributions to national
development Women are the backbone of the rural community, the initiators of social change and the hub around which the spokes of society turn. However numerous obstacles have ensured that women continue to lag behind. ICAP will be undertaking innovative programs that will empower and improve the status of the women.
5. GOOD GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY:
- Good Governance, transparency and accountability are key components towards efforts to alleviate poverty. Poverty is often a result of poor government policies. Corruption and poor management of the economy is also a major factor in promoting poverty. To eradicate poverty from its roots there is need to fight against corruption, improve governance and ensure transparent use of funds.
- ICAP will engage in programs and activities that promote Good Governance.
- Support initiatives that fight culture of corruption and promote transparency and accountability.