Thanks for tuning into the second version of my bi-monthly chat!
This episode, I share my thoughts on a great podcast, no less than three fantastic memoirs and hard-hitting formal poverty monitoring mission.
First up, The Uncertain Hour, a investigative podcast about socioeconomic issues in the US. Hosted by Krissy Clark, the sixth season – which I talk about in this chat – unveils the intricacies of the Welfare-to-Work policy. Highly recommend!
Next, I take some time to reflect on three books that highlighted to me just how important it is to listen and be attentive to individual experiences of poverty.
Reading from the fantastic memoirs Lowborn by Kerry Hudson, Without Warning & Only Sometimes by Kit de Waal and Undercurrent by Natasha Carthew, it becomes clear that poverty intersects with many other issues such as insecure housing, volatile family situations, racism, rural isolation and lack of opportunities. This intersection differs from one person to the next and makes each individual story uniquely powerful, and worth paying attention to.
Finally, I share some thoughts on the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights – Olivier de Schutter – to Bangladesh. UN Special Rapporteurs are independent experts who call out human rights violations, in this case in relation to poverty. They also make formal visits to selected countries, on invitation by their government, to assess the situation and make policy recommendations. The end of mission statement for Bangladesh applauded the country’s success but also included some critical reflections and strong recommendations that are difficult for others, especially in the country, to make.
You can hear more from the Special Rapporteur about his work and how to tackle ‘poverty-ism’ in Episode #21 we recorded with him in 2021.
PS. Apologies for some of the sound glitches in this episode!
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