17th October each year has been set aside by the United Nations to draw attention to extreme poverty ravaging the world.
This year marks the 27th anniversary of the declaration by the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22nd December 1992, to adopt 17th October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski — which inspired the observance of October 17 as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty — and the recognition by the United Nations of the day as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
2020 Theme: “Acting together to achieve social and environmental justice for all”, aimed at addressing the challenge of achieving social and environmental justice for all.
According to the UN, the growing recognition of the multi-dimensionality of poverty means that these two issues are inseparably intertwined, and that social justice cannot be fully realized without aggressively rectifying environmental injustices at the same time.
It noted that whereas progress has been made in addressing income poverty, there has been less success in addressing the other important dimensions of poverty, including the rapidly growing impact of the environment, within a more holistic approach.
People living in extreme poverty, often through sheer necessity, are the first to act decisively within their communities in response to poverty, climate change and environmental challenges.
The organisation expressed dissatisfaction that their efforts and experience often go unnoticed and unappreciated; their ability to contribute positively to solutions has been overlooked; they are not recognized as drivers of change, and their voices are not heard, especially in international bodies.
The UN therefore called for a change, asserting that the participation, knowledge, contributions and experience of people living in poverty and those left behind must be valued, respected and reflected in the efforts to build an equitable and sustainable world in which there is social and environmental justice for all.
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.
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 as well as limited access to health care among other.
All these, the UN said, need to be changed for the sake of humanity.
0
0
