INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY TO BE OBSERVED ON 17 OCTOBER
Press Release
PI/1187
SOC/4518
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY TO BE OBSERVED ON 17 OCTOBER
199910131999 Observance Focus on Women and Poverty
The seventh observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty -- 17 October -- around the world will focus on women and poverty. At United Nations Headquarters, the Department of Public Information and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs will present a special panel discussion on the topic in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium, in conjunction with the DPI NGO Briefing, at 10:30 a.m. on 14 October.
In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196, proclaimed the observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October. The annual observance provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the need to eradicate poverty, particularly in developing countries. The Assembly invited both intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to assist States at their request, in organizing national activities for the observance of the Day.
The originator of the idea for the International Day was Father Joseph Wresinski, founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World. At a mass in Paris, France, on 17 October 1987, a commemorative stone was unveiled bearing the words, "Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty."
Since 1993, the International Day has been observed annually through various activities in countries around the world, as well as by special events organized at United Nations Headquarters.
Government, non-governmental organizations, community groups, public figures, religious organizations and individuals have worked tirelessly to promote the aim of the Day in many different ways. This year marks the last observance of the Day before the end of the twentieth Century and the beginning of the millennium.
The General Assembly in its resolution 53/198, decided that the themes for the International Day in 1999 and 2000 would be, respectively, "Women and the Eradication of Poverty" and "Globalization and the Eradication of Poverty".
Within the context of overall action for the eradication of poverty, much global attention and prominence has been given to the issue by the United
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Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Poverty and poverty-related issues have been core themes at international conferences organized by the United Nations since 1990, among them the World Summit for Children, the World Conference on Human Rights, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the International Conference on Population and Development, the World Summit for Social Development, the Fourth World Conference on Women and the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT II).
These world conferences confirmed that despite the countless programmes and campaigns waged against poverty over time and across regions, it continues to be a major impediment to human development and economic progress.
Half of the world's 6 billion people are still mired in poverty, living on $2 or even less a day. If the proportion of people living in poverty had remained the same as in 1993 there would be 1.5 billion people living in abject poverty at the dawn of the new millennium. By 2015, it is estimated that the number of people living in poverty will be 1.9 billion, unless concerted efforts are taken now and in the coming years to reduce poverty, both at the national and international level.
The link between poverty and gender was stressed by all the international conferences. The theme designated by the General Assembly for the 1999 International Day is "Women and the Eradication of Poverty". Because women are a key force in reducing hunger and poverty, promoting family welfare and contributing to the overall economic development of developing countries, the empowerment of women is seen as a prerequisite for the effective eradication of poverty.
Groups, organizations and individuals with an interest in social progress and development are urged to undertake activities to raise awareness of the conditions and causes of poverty, and to reaffirm the global commitment made by heads of State and governments at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 to eradicate poverty around the world.
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