In 2014, 14.8 percent of the population of Saskatchewan, i.e. 160,000 people, lived in poverty.[1] In 2010 only, poverty cost the province $3.8 billion in heightened service use and missing opportunities for contributions to the GDP and taxes.[2] Poverty is the lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure sustainable livelihoods. In the long run, living in poverty prevents people from taking advantage of opportunities that many of us take for granted.
Populations that are most at risk of poverty include Lone-Parent Families (especially single mothers), children, First Nations and Métis, rural, those living with disabilities, and recent immigrants. Northern …show more content…
The goal of Social Justice is to develop the ability of people to realize their potential in the society in which they live and to enable them to lead fulfilling lives and be active contributors to their community.[5] Poverty reduction means creating conditions which enable all members of our community to develop their talents and abilities, actively participate in economic and social life, and enjoy a good standard of living on a sustainable basis.[4]
The concept of health equity can be defined as the absence of avoidable or remediable differences in health among groups of people. It is based on the principle of social justice and refers to the absence of disparities in controllable or remediable aspects of health.[4] In general the lower an individual’s socioeconomic position the worse their health. In Saskatchewan, there is a tremendous amount of health inequity and disparities among certain groups of populations, especially the Aboriginal populations of the province.
The “new public health” is about values of participation, enablement and empowerment, equity, and social justice, as such, we all need to work together to successfully reduce poverty in …show more content…
A poverty reduction strategy is comprehensive when it deals with as many of the various dimensions of poverty as possible. Moreover, this strategy should be sensitive to the needs of the target communities. We can develop a strategy that works for people by first ensuring it is based on meaningful, province-wide consultation; and by second ensuring opportunities for ongoing public engagement. [2]The evidence indicates that the most successful comprehensive poverty reduction strategies are those that are guided by realistic timelines, targets, and accountability measures, and designed to acknowledge and meet the complexity of poverty