REGIONAL FORUM ON POVERTY ERADICATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA CONCLUDES, ADOPTS ACTION PROGRAMME
Press Release
AFR/25
SOC/4426
REGIONAL FORUM ON POVERTY ERADICATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA CONCLUDES, ADOPTS ACTION PROGRAMME
19971107 MIDRAND, 6 November (UN Information Centre) -- A four-day Regional Forum on Poverty Eradication in Southern Africa concluded here late last night with the adoption of the "Midrand Declaration and Programme of Action on Poverty Eradication in Southern Africa".In their Declaration, the participants at the Forum recognized that, although governments have a major role in eliminating poverty, they need help from civil society. They urge governments to cut military budgets and redirect resources towards poverty-reduction programmes. The Declaration expresses concern about the situation of women, who, in many areas, are denied the right to education, asset and land ownership, and access to credit. It also cites violence against women and children, including rape, beatings and abuse, as being on the rise.
The Declaration further states that the deplorable situation of street children and the homeless continues to deteriorate. It recognizes that workers, especially farm labourers, are disadvantaged because they lack knowledge of their basic rights and cannot engage in trade union activities.
In its Programme of Action, the Forum encourages the media to prioritize and highlight poverty-related issues and attitudes and cultural beliefs that work against disadvantaged groups, particularly women, children and people with disabilities. It urges governments, non-governmental and community-based organizations to help establish income-generating projects which ensure the participation of youth, women and people with disabilities. The Programme also calls on civil society to establish structures to protect the rights of people, especially disadvantaged groups.
The Forum appeals governments of the region to provide assistance to the rural poor and embark on land reforms and distribution to give the poor access to productive land and ensure that land tenure systems are gender friendly. It also stresses the importance of implementing all United Nations declarations to ensure the involvement of women in development.
Annexed to the Programme of Action are specific project proposals by South African rural participants which are intended to improve their social condition.
The Forum concluded with the establishment of a task force to implement the agreed recommendations.
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