How Financial Literacy Will Contribute to a More Peaceful World | Teen Ink

How Financial Literacy Will Contribute to a More Peaceful World

December 13, 2023
By hicalebshin BRONZE, Waxhaw, North Carolina
hicalebshin BRONZE, Waxhaw, North Carolina
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Financial literacy is crucial to building a peaceful world. A well-recognized element of peace is a stable global economy, which increases job opportunities, income, and infrastructure quality. This presents a strong incentive against crime and war.  Such an economy would have high levels of economic activity, which necessitates widespread knowledge on how to build and maintain wealth, as well as avoid debt. To this end, financial literacy is a building block of a peaceful world.


Teaching others how to be financially literate will help them in life in various ways. It will help families not go through as much financial stress which a cause for many families to crumble. 20-40% of divorces happen because of money problems. Having many stable and healthy families within a community can contribute to a peaceful world. By educating others, it can also help people stay away from fraudulent behavior caused by financial stress. This contributes to a peaceful world by creating less conflicts. When young people are financially literate, it will empower them to pursue their goals and invest in things like a greater education or employment. It will also help economically. Their education will strive them to start businesses, innovate, and create job opportunities for others. A strong economy reduces lots of social and economic struggles and will brew a more peaceful environment


Financial literacy has a negative correlation with violence and exploitation. According to Global Financial Literacy Around the World, countries that have higher financial literacy rates like Denmark and Iceland are some of the safest countries in the world. On the other hand, the countries with the lowest financial literacy scores experience some of the highest levels of crime and drug trafficking: Yemen (13%), Afghanistan and Albania (14%), and Angola and Somalia (15%). Unfortunately, financial illiteracy is more common than literacy: according to blog.gitnux.com., only 33% of adults worldwide are financially literate. This is concerning because financially illiterate people tend to resort to crime and other illegal activities because they see no alternative ways of meeting their needs. Financial illiteracy also causes more than 15% of people to lose tens of thousands of dollars. On a societal level, financial illiteracy spikes bankruptcy and dept rates, lowers savings and investment rates, and increases socioeconomic inequality. To achieve successful economic activity and strong global economies, the world needs a robust education in financial literacy. 


Young people can help contribute to a more peaceful world by being educated financially, by sharing and expanding their knowledge about financial literacy. Youth can get involved in many ways by makings clubs or just educating the community on how to make good financial decisions. For example, Mobaderoon, a group established in Syria to promote peace by using financial literacy, has made a huge impact on communities. Another group called Feed the Minds, a group in South Sedan educated farmers' financial literacy skills. It solved lots of problems in the community and solved conflicts like discrimination, quality of life, and poverty. “Before, there was nobody in my village selected and trained in peacebuilding to help my community in conflict mediation. Before I did not have skills of handling the conflict but [through the training] in this project, I am able to help my community in solving problems.”


Financial literacy is essential to a peaceful world because its contributions to a healthy global economy deters crime and conflict.  Young people can promote financial literacy working in organizations that educate people in the subject. 


The author's comments:

I am a junior at Marvin Ridge High School and I am 16. 


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