Poverty in Malta

Abstract

Poverty is a social problem caused primarily by the prevailing economic and societal circumstances of particular countries or regions within those countries. It is fundamentally a monetary situation or rather the lack of adequate finances to sustain a decent living. It can manifest itself in various ways, with absolute poverty meaning the lack of basic necessities; including food, clothing, and housing, but can also include insufficient access to health, education, and even sanitation. However, other issues may be relevant as well, especially when one discusses relative poverty, thus getting into elements of inequality, or having fewer resources in comparison with others within the same society. The causes may be related to the lack of employment or they can be more deep-seated, such as lack of access to societal resources. Some segments of the population may be more at risk than others, such as children, the elderly, immigrants, the disabled, ex-convicts, lone parents, the unemployed, and other low-income groups.