Eradicating poverty

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Why do we need an International Day for the Eradication of Poverty?

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty commemorates the call made on October 17, 1987 by Father Joseph Wresinski, founder of ATD Fourth World, to eradicate poverty in the world. Despite the progress made over the past ten years, poverty is still a very real issue that affects all regions of the world. According to the United Nations, 10% of the world’s population, or 734 million people, still live in extreme poverty, i.e. on less than $1.90 a day. This figure has been increased by the COVID19 pandemic, which has plunged an additional 115 million people into extreme poverty since 2020. By 2021, between 143 and 163 million people are expected to be pushed into poverty by the pandemic. In addition to being affected by the pandemic, people living in poverty are also on the first victims of the impact of climate change. Many of the working poor are almost entirely dependent on their environment for survival, and suffer the brunt of droughts and floods. The number of climate refugees is also increasing. The precariousness they face makes them even more vulnerable to a variety of discriminations, including unsafe working conditions, unsanitary housing conditions, lack of nutritious food, unequal access to justice, lack of political participation and representation, and lack of access to health care. Since its creation, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has served as an opportunity to call attention to the misery and isolation in which these people live. It is also an opportunity for all those living in poverty to make their voices heard through testimonies about their living conditions.

The commitment of France and the United Nations to the poorest

“Wherever people are condemned to live in poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”Joseph Wresinski The eradication of poverty and support for the poorest is a priority for France, which is mobilized both at the national level through a strategy of prevention and fight against poverty, and at the multilateral level with the French Development Agency (AFD) which finances and supports projects in 115 countries. The United Nations also considers the eradication of poverty to be a priority issue that falls under the heading of respect for human rights. The United Nations system plays an important role in meeting this global challenge, particularly in the context of the 2030 Agenda, which sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The first of these goals is the eradication of poverty in all its forms and everywhere in the world.

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