The world has never witnessed such wealth in its history as it does today, nor has the size of the global economy ever reached what it has in this era. Yet, poverty has not disappeared, nor has the gap between rich and poor narrowed as much as many economists expected. In fact, the great paradox is that the world is becoming richer while the feeling of inequality is increasing.

Reports from the World Bank and the United Nations indicate that hundreds of millions of people still live in poverty, despite tremendous scientific and technological progress. Moreover, a large proportion of global wealth is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of individuals and companies, while millions face difficulty in obtaining quality education, healthcare, housing, and decent job opportunities.

Globalization has contributed to raising living standards in many countries and lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, especially in Asia. However, at the same time, in some economies, it has widened the income and wealth gap, as the more educated and those better able to invest in technology benefited at a faster pace than others.

Then the digital revolution added a new dimension to this gap. The modern economy rewards knowledge and innovation more than ever, and giant tech companies achieve market values exceeding the economies of entire countries. In contrast, traditional jobs face increasing pressure due to automation and artificial intelligence, posing challenges for less skilled labor.

The effects of the widening wealth gap are not limited to the social aspect but extend to the economy itself. When wealth is overly concentrated, consumption among low-income groups weakens, opportunities for social mobility decline, and this is reflected in growth and stability rates, increasing pressure on public policies.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that investment in education, training, health, women's empowerment, and support for small and medium enterprises are among the most effective policies in reducing inequality and achieving more inclusive economic growth.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Vision represents a model of development that not only focuses on increasing GDP but also seeks to expand economic opportunities, increase homeownership rates, empower youth and women, develop the non-profit sector, improve quality of life, and enable them to access education, work, and healthcare, giving them a fair chance to participate in shaping the future.

The question remains: can poverty be eradicated in the world? Perhaps completely eliminating poverty is an extremely difficult goal, but reducing it and mitigating its effects is an achievable goal if the right policies, investment in human capital, governance, and fairness in access to opportunities are available.