17 October 2013: The UN marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October 2013, under the theme ‘Working together towards a world without discrimination: Building on the experience and knowledge of people in extreme poverty.’
In a message marking the Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized that the post-2015 development agenda should prioritize poverty eradication and place the world on a sustainable development path. He stressed the “need to do more to listen and act for those who voices often go unheard: people living in poverty,” including disabled, elderly, indigenous and migratory peoples.
Observing that marginalized groups lag behind on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark described UNDP’s efforts to address “poverty as both a cause and a consequence” of discrimination, and to empower and engage the poor “as active agents of development.”
John Ashe, UN General Assembly (UNGA) President, also described the poor and marginalized as key development partners, noting their “unique expertise.” Ban, Clark and Ashe recommended continued inclusion of the poor in formulating the post-2015 agenda.
Guy Ryder, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, recommended that poverty reduction targets recognize “the role of decent work as the sustainable route out of poverty.” The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda, called for recognizing and valuing women’s unpaid care work—childcare, healthcare and energy and water provision—to address gender inequality and poverty.
Monique Barbut, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Executive Secretary, observed that poverty eradication “depends on how we support the drylands,” noting that people living in drylands are the poorest and most marginalized, yet also possess traditional and indigenous knowledge and resilience strategies. She called for smart investment in sustainable land management.
Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), highlighted the UNEP-UNDP Poverty Environment Initiative (PEI), which supports governments to deliver pro-poor environmental outcomes in over 20 countries. He said PEI results provide inspiration “for a prosperous, socially just and sustainable future.”
In honor of the Day, the World We Want platform hosted an event on ‘MDGs, Poverty and the Post-2015 Agenda: Working Together for a World without Discrimination’ as part of its People’s Voices series. Participants discussed how to bring the voices of the impoverished and marginalized to the UN and the global stage. John Hendra, UN Women, said addressing inequality is critical to eradicating poverty.
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Missions of Burkina Faso and France to the UN, ATD Fourth World and the NGO sub-committee for the Eradication of Poverty also organized an event commemorating the day. [UN Website for Day] [Statement of UN Secretary-General] [Statement of UNDP Administrator] [Statement of UNGA President] [Statement of Special Rapporteur] [Statement of ILO Director-General] [UNEP Press Release] [UNCCD Press Release] [World We Want Event] [PEI Website] [Information on ATD Fourth World Event]