23.0 CROSS CUTTING ISSUES

23.1 Relationship between Population, Unemployment, Poverty and Environment.

The Democratic Party of Kenya recognizes that there is an interrelationship among population increase, unemployment, poverty and environment. Population is an asset. When population is managed efficiently and sustainably, it can accelerate development. However, high Population growth can intensify and exacerbate the economic socio and psychological problem associated with the conditions of under-development. Other negative consequence of high population growth is that it affects the poor and women. The negative consequence fall most heavily on the poor and women because they are the ones who are made landless, culturally disadvantaged, suffer first from insufficient Government services, bear the brunt of environmental damage and high level of unemployment prostitution and HIV/AIDS with attendant insecurity problems. The poor of necessity degrade the environment in pursuit of getting better livelihoods. Rapid population can contribute to environmental degradation in the form of forest encroachment deforestation, fuel wood depletion soil erosion, declining fish and animal stocks, inadequate and unsafe water, air population, and urban congestion.

Poverty manifests itself in form of hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, minimal health facility and shelter. Poverty has a direct impact on environmental degradation. It has observable impact on environmental degradation which in turn threatens long term strategies for poverty reduction. At the survival level, the poor have little opportunity to observe the environment and little choice not to over exploit the immediate natural resources. For example they must meet their energy requirements from wood fuel. For the current Kenyan situation, degradation and over-exploitation of the environment under poverty conditions is a threat to the attainment of sustainable development. All must be made aware that Kenya is living in an age of environmental alarm, an age in which the very survival of our people is threatened by high unemployment, high poverty levels and environmental damage. These problems must be dealt with not later than immediately. In order to harmonize the relationship among population, unemployment, poverty and environment and natural resources the Democratic Party Government will implement the following strategies:

1. Empower women by ensuring that they obtain productive resources including land, credit and employment

2. Improve women’s political, social, economic, education and health status to achieve sustainable development.

3. Manage population by intensifying Kenya’s family planning programmes.

4. Strengthen rural financial institutions including micro-finance institutions.

5. Manage poverty reduction programmes efficiently and effectively.