Who Holds the Money and How Is It Spent?
The Progress Report is pleased to share this information from the Women's Learning Partnership.
Facts on Distribution
Among the 4.4 billion people who live in developing countries
THREE-FIFTHS have no access to basic sanitation
Almost ONE-THIRD are without safe drinking water
ONE-QUARTER lack adequate housing
ONE-FIFTH live beyond reach of modern health services
ONE-FIFTH of the children do not get as far as grade five in school
ONE-FIFTH are undernourished

The 3 RICHEST PEOPLE in the world own assets that exceed the combined gross national product of ALL LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES and their 600 million people.

The richest 20% of the world’s population enjoys a share in global income that is 86 times that of the poorest 20%.

More than 1.2 billion people in the world live on less that $1 a day. More than 50% of them are children. Nearly 1 billion cannot meet their basic consumption requirements.

The assets of the 200 richest people are more than the combined income of 41% of the world's people. A yearly contribution of 1% of their wealth or $8 billion could provide universal access to primary education for all.

Industrialized countries hold 97% of all patents, and global corporations hold 90% of all technology and product patents.

Over 80% of foreign direct investment in developing and transtition economies goes to just 20 countries, with China receiving the maximum share.

Debt relief for the 20 worst affected countries would cost between US $5.5 billion to $7.7 billion, LESS than the cost of ONE stealth bomber.

Facts on Consumption
Basic education for all would cost $6 BILLION a year; $8 BILLION is spent annually for cosmetics in the United States alone.
Installation of water and sanitation for all would cost $9 BILLION plus some annual costs; $11 BILLION is spent annually on ice cream in Europe.
Reproductive health services for all women would cost $12 BILLION a year; $12 BILLION a year is spent on perfumes in Europe and the United States.
Basic health care and nutrition would cost $13 BILLION; $17 BILLION a year is spent on pet food in Europe and the United States.
$35 BILLION is spent on business entertainment in Japan;
$50 BILLION on cigarettes in Europe;
$105 BILLION on alcoholic drinks in Europe; $400 BILLION on narcotic drugs around the world;
and $780 BILLION on the world's militaries.
20% of the world's people in industrialized countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures,while the poorest 20% account for 1.3%
The overall consumption of the richest 20% of the world’s people is 16 times that of the poorest 20%.
The share of the poorest 20% of the world's people in global income is 1.1%, down from 1.4% in 1991.
There are 16 cars per 1,000 people in developing countries and 405 cars per 1,000 people in industrialized countries.
On average, developing countries have one doctor for every 6,000 people whereas industrialized countries have one for every 350 people.

Sources: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2000 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000); Human Development Report 1999 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999); Human Development Report 1998 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
-------------------------
The Women's Learning Partnership website is at http://www.learningpartnership.org/