Progress is possible, but it can also be undone

This morning, walking my dog and listening to a podcast about the extraordinary turnaround in global poverty, I heard a stat that stopped me in my tracks:

In 1990, approximately 44% of the world's population lived in extreme poverty.
Today, it's just 9.9%.

That's 2.5 billion people who would be living in extreme poverty today, but aren't. One of the greatest transformations in human history.

But here's the catch: poverty isn't a door you step through forever. As one economist put it, escaping poverty is more like climbing a slippery slope than vaulting out of a trap. Some families escape, only to fall back after a flood, a drought, or a job loss. Climate change is the biggest threat; it multiplies these shocks.

And here in Australia, while the world is moving in the right direction, we're sliding the other way:

3.3 million people (13.4%) live below the poverty line.
761,000 of them are children.
Rents are up 51% since 2020.
Rough sleeping has risen 22% nationally.

Global success hasn't protected us from local failure. Poverty here is driven by inadequate income support and a housing affordability crisis.

What Philanthropy Can Do
Philanthropy can't replace policy. But it can bridge gaps and push for change:

Globally: fund climate adaptation, social protection, and women's workforce participation.
Regionally: support our Pacific neighbours, where climate shocks threaten to undo decades of progress overnight.
Locally: back organisations tackling housing stress, food security, child poverty, and the adequacy of income support.

The world has proved progress is possible. Now Australia has to prove we can stop sliding backwards.