Children suffer disproportionately
too. An estimated 2/3 of the world's absolute poor are children
under fifteen. A quiet catastrophe ends millions of lives with
potential. 40,000 children die each year from malnutrition and
diseases and othe preventable conditions. An estimated 150 million
children live on with ill health.
On arrival in urban areas the poor, especially women and children,
have unequal access to clean and and adequate water and may
be forced to live close to landfill and disposal sites or other
undesirable areas. The poor will also be vulnerable because
they are illiterate, without access to information and unaccustomed
to new social environment. This makes it more difficult to combat
the effects of environment degradation. |
Time and time again women and
children are forced into being cheap labour and one form of
which is prostitution.
Refugees "squat" but conservation methods are not practised
in squatter settlements. There is no infrastructure to provide
water or sanitation. The surrounding environment can be destroyed
by ensuing practices such as the collection of firewood for
fuel. Rapid urbanisation creates particular environmental
stresses. Increased amounts of waste are generated making
adequate disposal a problem. This leads to the miles of miles
of people living in bin liners. They live in the waste, thrown
away by others, and stench that are found in many parts of
the Third World.
|
