Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2005
Next PageMain Text > Part II ODA DISBURSEMENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2004 > Chapter 2 Details and New Policies about Japan's ODA:Striving for Further ODA Reforms > Section 2. Measures for Each of the Priority Issues
Section 2. Measures for Each of the Priority Issues
1. Poverty Reduction
The issue of poverty not only involves economic aspects such as low income and expenditure, but also entails social and political dimensions in that it creates gender inequality and prevents people from receiving basic social services, such as education and health care, and from having opportunities to participate in decision making processes. Of the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ), many are related to the social sector, including education and health. At the same time, as shown by development experiences in East Asia, sustainable economic growth is essential in reducing poverty. Poverty in each country is caused by a complicated combination of various factors including the economic structure, politics, culture, society, history, and geography of that country. Therefore, assistance must be given with full understanding of the situation of each individual country. The following section details Japan's assistance for poverty reduction based on such viewpoints.