Moral obligation is a controversial issue. We currently live in a “world of plenty,” but the number of human beings who are dying or suffering from hunger, malnutrition, or disease is staggering. In this essay I will examine the arguments for and against the moral obligation to help the poor and hungry, and in particular I will consider Singer's views on the matter. “Do we have any obligations or moral responsibility towards people living in other countries? If so, are we responsible only to our political allies, or obligated only to countries that we believe can benefit us? Or are we equally obligated to countries with which we have little, if any, or even antagonistic relations? We are obligated not to harm others, but are we obligated to do more than not harm others? » There are approximately 6 billion humans living on earth today and 790 million of them lack adequate nutrition. Around a billion human beings do not have access to drinking water. 2.4 billion people lack basic sanitation. 880 million people do not have access to health services. A billion people have no shelter and live exposed to the elements. 2 billion people live without electricity. 250 million children aged 5 to 14 work in factories or as sex workers and have no access to education. 1 billion adults are illiterate. Around 50,000 deaths per day on this planet are due to poverty. People die because they lack the basics necessary to lead a decent human life. In the United Nations Charter – Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there are two articles that we can consider when thinking about moral obligation. First, Article 25: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food,...... middle of paper ... ...if you choose who to let on your boat with your reserve and whose life to save. Should we just help people on a first come, first served basis or should we think of other methodical and perhaps more practical ways to help people in need. Nastiness is not just conduct that is not nice, but conduct that is not nice enough... people use the excuse that they don't need to help developing economies while many others do it anyway. However, from a utilitarian perspective, the fact that other people could help does not lessen your responsibility. Without a true world government to control reproduction. and use of available resources, the ethics of sharing spacecraft is impossible. For the foreseeable future, our survival requires that we govern our actions according to the ethics of a lifeboat, no matter how harsh they may be. Posterity will not settle for anything less.