The Middle East and North Africa is home to approximately 6% of the world population and is rich in its history and its cultural diversity. However, the distinction between the “deserving” and “undeserving” poor is deeply entrenched, and representations of poverty have long been burdened with their share of prejudices and stigmas.
Poverty in the MENA Region
News reports and political leader statements on refugees, terrorism, migrants, and sectarian wars tend to dominate discussions about conditions in the Middle East. The actual situation is actually far worse, because deep below these surface, manifestations of our distress lurks a much more destructive force that contributes to the terrible events we witness daily – a force that has started to tear the region apart from the inside. Poverty and inequality are the twin anchors of an inexorably damaging dynamic that ultimately sends tens of millions of families into agonizing cycles of vulnerability, helplessness, marginalization, and, in many cases, alienation from their state and society. The new agony of poverty, the latest studies show, is that a poor family today will remain poor for several generations, due to the inability of economies to generate enough new jobs and the debilitating and lasting effects of family conditions on education and child welfare.
Stigma Surrounding Poverty in the MENA Region
Mass poverty also means that the Middle East is the most unequal region in the world, with the top 10 percent of its people accounting for 64 percent of wealth. Inequality cuts across virtually every sector of life and society, including the rural and urban divide, gender, income, and ethnicity, because inequality is a deeply engrained structural problem in the Middle East, rather than the fleeting result of short-term economic stresses. The ideology that individuals living in the MENA region must drive the newest cars, wear the latest fashion trends, go out to the fanciest places, and collect the most expensive shoes has been so deeply engrained, that individuals who cannot afford to do so experience a tremendous amount of shame, stress, and pressure. This shame may sometimes be caused internally, however, most times, it is due to the segregation and judgment that occurs from economically higher statuses. The shame and stigma experienced by people in poverty leads to social exclusion, limited social capital, low self-worth, and a lack of agency that could all serve to prolong poverty.
The Relationship Between Poverty and Mental Health
Mental health is, to a great extent, shaped by the social, economic, and physical environments in which people live. Inequalities in society are associated with a significant increased risk of mental health illness. Poverty is a key player. People in poverty can face constant high levels of stress, for example due to struggling to make ends meet, overcrowded or unsafe housing, fear of crime, and comparatively poor physical health. Poverty is clearly linked with a number of mental health problems, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. It is a two-way street. Poverty can be both a cause and a consequence of mental ill health, for example where debilitating symptoms and stigma around mental illness have an impact on income and ability to work.
As a society, we cannot improve mental health or tackle the scourge of mental health inequality without tackling poverty and addressing income and wealth inequality. Hence, these must be at the heart of a national effort to boost mental health equality.