moreimports fromdeveloping countries. Thedeveloping countries, however, mustr alsomakeappropriate policy adjustments aspartofglobal liberalization. The expansion andstrengthening ofamultilateral trading framework isanessential component ofaninternational development strategy forthe19905. -34-IV.INTERNATIONAL ACTION TOERADICATE POVERTY 116.Asthe19905began.therewasreasontohopethattheeconomic crisisthat afflicted manydeveloping countries duringthe1980shadabated. Slowbut sustained growthinthedeveloped countries, vigorous expansion ofinternational commerceattheendofthedecade, theintroduction ofpolicies toencourage structural adjustment inmanydeveloping countries, plusattempts atan international leveltoresolve thedebtproblem gavereasontoexpectthatthe incidence ofpoverty wouldsoonbegintodecline inthosecountries thathad suffered mostduring theprevious decade. 117.Alas.itwasnottobe.In1989therateofgrowthofgrossdomestic product inthedeveloping countries asawholewaslessthan3percent,significantly slowerthanin1988andindeedthelowestrateofgrowthinthepastsixyears. ~oreover, aswasshowninchapter I,theoutlook remains poorinsub-Saharan Africa.theoil-importing countries ofWestern AsiaandinmuchofLatinAmerica. Thenegative growthinpercapita incomehasbeensuchthatbetween 1980and1989 averageincomes fellintwothirdsofthedeveloping countries, manyofthem small.Thereisconsiderable evidence thatwomen's incomes havebeenreduced disproportionately. InLatinAmerica asawhole,percapita incomefell 15percent,andinAfrica about30percent.In20countries oftheworld,the fall ~asmorethan35percent;in14countries thefallwasbetween 20and 35percentandin15countries between 10and20percent. 118.InChina, andmuchofEast,South-East andSouthAsia,incontrast, growth was sustained andoftenrapid. Asaresult. inthosepartsoftheworldthe possibility ofreducing poverty wasmuchgreater and,indeed. inmanycountries povertydiddecline, bothrelative tothepopulation asawholeandinabsolute terms. 119.Nonetheless.inthethirdworldasawhole, theabsolute numberofpersons inpoverty continued toincrease andinAfrica, therelative incidence ofpoverty alsoincreased. Foreconomic. social. political andlegalreasons womenaremore likelytobepoorthanmen.Thisunderlines theimportance ofaccelerated growth asacentral component ofanydevelopment strategy intended toeradicate poverty. Growthalonewillnotnecessarily suffice, however. EveninChina, whichhas combined rapidgrowthwitharelatively egalitarian distribution ofincome, there aresignsthatreform andrestructuring havebeenaccompanied bydeterioration in certainsocialindicators ofwell-being -e.g.,ariseintheinfantmortality rate ofgirls. A.Poverty reduction asanational task 120.Asupportive international environment andspecific measures adoptedatthe international levelcancreateconditions whichassistefforts toreduceglobal poverty. although themainresponsibility foreradicating poverty necessarily rests atthenational level. -35-B.Thedefinition andlocation ofpoverty 121.Absolute poverty referstoacondition characterized bysevere deprivation of basicneedsand,mostimportantly, byinadequacy ofnutrition. Absolute povertyis hencecountry-specific, andthemagnitude ofabsolute poverty should beestablished atthecountry levelwhenconsidering specific policies andprogrammes. Itis clearhowever thatintermsofnumbers, mostofthepoorarelocated inAsia, followed byAfrica andLatinAmerica, whereas intermsofproportions ofthe population, theincidence ofpoverty ishighest inAfrica, followed byAsiaand LatinAmerica. MostofthepoorinAfrica andAsiaareinruralareas, whilein LatinAmerica, themajority ofthepoorareinurbanareas. 122.Themajorcharacteristic ofthepooristhattheylackproductive physical assets andhumancapital. Intheruralareastheytendtobethelandless or near-landless agricultural andnon-farm workers, smalllandowning peasants, pastoralists, nomads andfishermen. Intheurbanareas, theyaretheunskilled, untrained andunschooled people; theirproductivity islowandtheylackphysical capital. Ahighproportion ofthepoorarewomen. Inallcountries households headedbywomenarethepoorest inthecommunity. Thepoorsuffer from undernutrition evenwhentheyspendthreequarters oftheirincome onfood. Their children aregenerally belowaverage weight forageandsuffer fromimpaired menta:I andphysical development, whichjeopardizes theirability tobecome productively !
**Analysis**
The text discusses the issue of poverty and its relation to economic development, international trade, and humanitarian aid. It highlights the importance of growth, structural adjustment, and international cooperation to reduce poverty. The text also provides statistics on the incidence of poverty, its effects on women and children, and the characteristics of the poor.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade, Humanitarian aid and relief