Poverty is a Shame, Let us all Eradicate it

Ranjan K Baruah

(The writer is associated with North East Youth Foundation. He may be contacted at bkranjan@gmail.com)

17th October is the International Day for Eradication of Poverty

Poverty is one of the biggest challenges facing mankind across the world. There are those who have enough for their needs while there are many more who are struggling for basic things. Poverty continues to stalk different parts of the world and the situation differs from country to country. It is a matter of shame for all of us that we have failed to end poverty. There is growth and development everywhere on Earth but in spite of this, we can see poverty in different forms. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, rather it is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that encompasses a lack of both income and the basic capabilities to live with dignity.

More than 700 million people, or 10 per cent of the world population, still live in extreme poverty and struggling to fulfil their most basic needs like health, education and access to water and sanitation. Most of the people living on less than $1.90 a day live in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, the poverty rate in rural areas is 17.2 per cent — more than three times higher than in urban areas.

Having a job or working independently does not guarantee freedom from poverty as data show that 8 per cent of employed workers and their families worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 2018. There is no doubt that children suffer most from poverty and one out of five children live in extreme poverty. Globally, there are 122 women aged 25 to 34 years living in extreme poverty for every 100 men in the same age group. High poverty rates are often found in small, fragile and conflict-affected countries.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the declaration by the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992, designating 17 October as the International Day for 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 Eradication of Poverty. The theme for this year is ‘Acting Together to Empower Children, their Families and Communities to End Poverty’.

The observance of the International Day for Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to 17 October, 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.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of United Nations, on his message on the occasion said: “Ending extreme poverty is at the heart of the world’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a sustainable future for all. But success in leaving no one behind will remain elusive if we do not target the people who are farthest behind first.” He also said that “on this international day, let us recommit to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 and a fair globalization that works for all children, their families and communities.”

There are many schemes and projects being targeted to end poverty. In India too, we have many schemes and polices but most of these have failed because of poor governance and corruption by government officials at different levels. Millennium Development Goals and presently Sustainable Development Goals have clear focus to end poverty but we are not sure when poverty will be history. We have the opportunity to make poverty history but most of us are yet to take action. Let us all fight poverty and make sure that we make poverty history within our generation. Together we can make a difference and bring sustainable change by ending poverty

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