United Nations dignitaries hail nobel peace prize winners

 

in special tribute to muhammad yunus, grameen bank

 

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus had shown exactly how to help the poor help themselves, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, President of the General Assembly, said this afternoon during a special United Nations tribute in his honour.

She said Mr. Muhammad’s pioneering work had proven that even the poorest of the poor could work to bring about their own development.  From humble beginnings a quarter of a century ago, his Grameen Bank of Bangladesh had become a major force thanks to his vision and creativity.  The 2006 Nobel Laureate had helped lift hundreds of thousands of households out of poverty by more than $5 million in microcredit loans to 7 million Bangladeshis, most of them women.  The Grameen model had also shown that every single individual had both the potential and the right to live a decent life, across cultures and civilizations.

Taking the podium to commend that “extraordinary institution”, Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown said that, though there was sometimes a shortage of good ideas in development, Mr. Yunus and a few others had introduced microfinance and a novel concept:  that given financial power, the poor could transform their own lives.  “That created a revolution in the world of development.  You have emerged as a spokesman for the whole movement”, he added.

“For many, microcredit is synonymous with Muhammed Yunus”, the Deputy Secretary-General said, pointing out the Nobel winner’s additional success in connecting development to many people in the rich world for the first time.  Though many had previously had difficulty understanding development issues, they could relate fully to the idea of giving a loan to help someone land on their feet.

Expressing his gratitude at having been honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize, Mr. Yunus stressed that microcredit was a human right, adding that there were many faults in the system.  “Poverty is not created by the poor, but by the institutions built and the policies adopted.  We need to revisit those and find out what is embedded within them that creates poverty.”

Though there had been much debate linking microcredit to poverty, the awarding of the Nobel Prize to the Grameen Bank could discredit that, he said.  While microcredit might not be a cure-all, it served as a very important piece in helping improve everything else.  Since conventional finance services were unavailable to millions worldwide, every human being must be allowed access to finance services in a business manner rather than in terms of charity.

Underscoring the need for inclusive banking systems, he said Grameen had started a programme exclusively aimed at beggars, 84,000 of whom had enrolled to date.  Many of them had become part-time salespeople and part-time beggars.  The United Nations should take a stronger position on microcredit, especially in cases of abject poverty.  “There is no better tool than microcredit for empowering women”, he added.  “Let’s push poverty to the museums -– that is a goal we should all be working for.”

Norway’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Government that chooses the Nobel Peace Prize winner, said the Grameen model provided down to earth help that had enabled millions to rise out of poverty.  Copied worldwide, it had served as one of the most important examples of successful development assistance.  Improving living conditions was obviously an important factor in creating peace.  The Grameen model was truly based on respect and confidence in poor women, a groundbreaking concept and certainly one that the Norwegian Government was proud to have funded.

Benin’s delegate, speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the Group of Least Developed Countries, said Grameen had offered millions around the world the prospect of a better future.  Despite the misconception that money could only be lent to the rich, Mr. Yunus’ work had proven that poverty was not an inevitable fact and that limited means could still do great things, as in Bangladesh.  Microcredit activities must be supported and multiplied in the least developed countries.

Japan’s representative said self-reliance was at the core of the innovative microcredit concept.  Poor people could, in fact, earn a living given the opportunity.  The Government of Japan had funded the Grameen Bank and saw it as an inspiration to poor people worldwide.  “You have empowered the powerless and brought them hope and dignity”, he added.

Chile’s delegate added that Grameen’s amazing contribution was a tribute to mankind and a contribution to peace and security.  Though it had contributed towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, including in terms of gender equality and poverty eradication, its main value lay in giving people the opportunity to fulfil their life dreams.

Anwarul Chowdury, speaking in his capacity as High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, as well as his Bangladeshi capacity, pointed out that Mr. Yunus had been trying to empower the weakest and most marginalized for the last 25 years.  “It is not simply the right thing to do, but it is also the pragmatic thing to do”, he noted. 

He pointed out that Mr. Yunus had succeeded in bringing forth several key messages, including the one that peace and poverty eradication were two sides of the same coin.  It was not always the grandiose that brought about change; given opportunities, people in abject poverty could change their lives for the better.

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For information media • not an official record