Empower the Weak

Empower the Weak

By DrArvind Kumar

On this auspicious occasion of New Year eve, let’s work for empowering the poor and down-trodden. Almost all religions emphasize on helping the poor but we seldom pay heed to sane advice. Undoubtedly, there is need for practical global change in 2011 to take place at the highest global institutions – but also among the world's most needy. Example of Mr. Attali, a free-market entrepreneur and a prolific author, is worth emulating. Mr. Attali advocates a union of the G20 and the UN Security Council, but he also wants to help the world's poor through microfinancing and loans. Attali works on these issues daily. Along with Nobel Prize winner Mohammed Yunus, he founded PlaNet Finance – helping people in poor nations get a start.

He believes two areas need attention in 2011. The first is developing nations. He calls for ‘answering the demand of poor people in the form of microfinancing’ – helping motivated individuals in developing countries. He says: "It is fundamental to increase the ability of hundreds of millions of people. This growth is different – it is not coming from finance, but is creating markets and demand for real people in many places." He urges establishing more microfinance foundations, especially in the US, where there is money but less interest.

The second need, according to Attali, is a more established global rule of law: not about a global world government, but a sound system that tells entrepreneurs the rules of the game are stable. Our collective efforts can help reduce poverty and let’s join hands now.