Today we would like to introduce you to Prof. Dr. Okka Zimmermann, who works in the Department of Sociology at the Institute of Social Sciences.
She is committed to the goal of “No Poverty” and answered a few questions for us.
How did you become interested in this topic and where does your interest come from?
I have been interested in international issues such as global justice, life in the Global South and climate change since I was a child. I had children's books on these topics, which I still remember vividly today. My parents introduced me to these topics and they have stayed with me ever since.
During my school and university years, I took part in many exchange programmes, which brought me into contact with international organizations and development cooperation. Through many trips, I also came into contact with poverty and its various manifestations and was thus able to supplement my theoretical knowledge from my studies. During and after my studies, I continued to pursue these interests both in terms of content and (part-time) professionally. The concept of sustainability and international development goals (the MDGs as the precursor to the SDGs) have always played a prominent role in this.
In addition to my work as a research assistant at the TU Braunschweig, I have also been employed as a professor of social work at the IU International University for a good two years. Combating poverty has always played an important role in social work, as poverty massively jeopardizes social participation and individual well-being. Many of the clients we work with are affected by poverty, so I often witness its effects in my day-to-day work.
What 3 words do you associate with this SDG?
Justice, human dignity, participation
Is there a connection between your topic and other SDGs?
It is not without reason that this SDG is the first in the series, as it is closely linked to many other SDGs: Poverty often causes hunger, disease, gender inequality, decent working conditions, war; it can prevent sustainable economic activity, innovation, access to education, health, clean water and hygiene. The fight against poverty thus forms the foundation for a dignified and self-determined life for all inhabitants of our planet.
At the same time, failure to achieve other SDGs can lead to poverty: a lack of education, illness, gender inequality, high energy costs, unemployment, a lack of sustainability, conflicts and wars are key causes of social inequality and poverty.
In recent years, wars, conflicts, pandemics and economic crises have once again made our world more uncertain and unpredictable; it is not only climate change that is jeopardizing the survival and well-being of large sections of the global population in the short, medium and long term. We, who live in a privileged and safe country, therefore have a special responsibility to prevent humanitarian disasters (such as famines), which are sometimes caused by natural events, but often also simply by poverty.