April 2005 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Inadquate Responses and a Complex Interaction of Factors Behind Increases in Poverty: JCTR Calls for Real Action During the Global Week of Action

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says that it is very clear that inadequate responses and a complex interaction of both local and international factors has made the fight against poverty increasingly difficult in Zambia. According to the Social Conditions Research Project of the JCTR, both local and international responses to the poverty problems have rather been inadequate and in some cases merely cosmetic. The above situation has given rise to low direct investment in human capital, the problem of provision and accessibility to social services (such as clean water, proper sanitation, solid waste management, provision of good roads, etc.), inadequate and inappropriate energy for both cooking, unemployment, inadequate food and nutrition, a poor health and education system and to top it all the escalation in the HIV/AIDS problem. These problems together with the high cost of living have led to suffering of the majority ordinary Zambians, especially women who have ina versatile but stressful fashion responded to these problems.