Poverty & Economic

Inequality: A Cross-Cultural
Examination
 What is poverty and economic inequality?

Poverty is a lack of resources Economic inequality refers to

necessary for material the disparities in incomes and
well-being, including but not wealth in a society
limited to, healthcare, food,
water, education, housing, and
sanitation
689 million people live in extreme poverty on $1.90 or less a day
Turkey
Population: 82 million
In poverty: 17 million
 Current State of Affairs

▹ Unemployment is high
▹ Turkey has undergone multiple market
crashes in the last several years
▹ Value of the lira has gone down significantly
▹ Poverty levels are fluctuating due to Covid
MAPS
Causes of poverty &
economic inequality
 Immigration & Rural Migration

Immigration Rural Migration

- 3 million refugees and - Slum towns
growing - Housing that is not up to
- Social service programs code
- Lack of housing - Lack of food, water, or
- Lack of jobs electricity
Gecekondu & Earthquakes
 Children & Education
Children
- 27.7% of urban kids in
poverty
- 40.8% of rural kids in
poverty
- 34.6% no electricity
- 26% malnourished
- 80% no access to
healthcare
Education
- Access to technology is
remarkably low
- 37% of women are illiterate
- Childhood education
wasn’t mandatory until
2012
 - Taxes on
consumption cause
taxation on nearly the

Tax entirety of
impoverished

Injustices incomes
- Corporate taxes only
paid for 12% of all tax
revenues
 Solutions

Reform the tax system and

close loopholes for
corporations and
high-earners

Expansion of healthcare,
housing, and education plans
Invest in social programs
designed to help low-income
earners, including raising the
income limit for social
services