International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed

New York (Web Desk): International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is being observed across the globe today (Monday).

This year's theme for the Day is “Dignity For All in Practice”.

The United Nations (UN) has urged every individual around the globe to commit towards striving for social justice and peace.

"Today, many people living in persistent poverty and around one point three billion people still live in multidimensional poverty with almost half of them children and youth," it added.

According to the UN official website, “With the commitment to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people everywhere enjoy peace and prosperity, the 2030 Agenda again gestured toward the same promise established under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet, the current reality shows that 1.3 billion people still live in multidimensional poverty with almost half of them children and youth.”

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty and the 30th anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, this year, the UN honors people living with poverty and their daily courage and raises awareness on why global cooperation is necessary to eradicate poverty.

As per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the observance of the International Day for the 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. 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.

Through resolution 47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, the UN General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.