International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

October 17th, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty presents an opportunity to acknowledge the effort and struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and a moment to recognize that poor people are the first ones to fight against poverty. Participation of the poor themselves has been at the center of the Day's celebration since its very beginning. The commemoration of October 17th also reflects the willingness of people living in poverty to use their expertise to contribute to the eradication of poverty.

The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to October 17th, 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris , where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. These convictions are inscribed in a commemorative stone unveiled on this day. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on October 17th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor. Replicas of the commemorative stone have been unveiled around the world and serve as a gathering place to celebrate the Day. One such replica is located in the garden of United Nations Headquarters and is the site of the annual commemoration organized by the United Nations Secretariat in New York .

In a world characterized by an unprecedented level of economic development, technological means and financial resources, that millions of persons are living in extreme poverty is a moral outrage. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, but rather a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses a lack of both income and the basic capabilities to live in dignity.

• According to the most recent estimates, in 2015, 10 percent of the world’s population or 734 million people lived on less than $1.90 a day.
• According to the most recent estimates, in 2015, 10 percent of the world’s population or 734 million people lived on less than $1.90 a day.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-for-eradicating-poverty

Persons living in poverty experience many interrelated and mutually reinforcing deprivations that prevent them from realizing their rights and perpetuate their poverty, including:

• dangerous work conditions
• unsafe housing
• lack of nutritious food
• unequal access to justice
• lack of political power
• limited access to health care

https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-for-eradicating-poverty

Economic justice and the elimination of poverty go hand in hand. As we work toward economic justice, communicating and advocating in a way that empowers those who experience poverty is part of the work. Visit The Opportunity Agenda’s page on Talking about Economic Justice for communication strategies to support efforts to eliminate poverty and other resources on economic justice.

https://www.opportunityagenda.org/explore/resources-publications/talking-about-economic-justice

Building a sustainable future requires us to intensify our efforts towards eradicating extreme poverty and discrimination, and ensuring that everyone can fully exercise their human rights. The full participation of people living in poverty, particularly in the decisions that affect their lives and communities, must be at the center of policies and strategies to build a sustainable future. In this way, we can guarantee that our planet and our societies can fulfill the needs and aspirations of everyone – not only those of a privileged few – for this and future generations.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-for-eradicating-poverty