In 1992, the General Assembly declared that the 17 October would be the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. By acknowledging the issue of poverty through the observance of an International Day, an opportunity is presented to acknowledge the effort and struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and a moment to recognize that poor people are the first ones to fight against poverty. Participation of the poor themselves has been at the centre of the Day’s celebration since its very beginning. The commemoration of October 17th also reflects the willingness of people living in poverty to use their expertise to contribute to the eradication of poverty.

The broad theme of ending poverty is a goal that should be at the heart of efforts to improve humanity’s position on the planet.

Too many people around the World are living in poverty, which is defined as those living on less than US$1.25 ($1.98 AUD) a day.

Think about what US$1.25 actually buys you these days. Not much at all. Could you live on it?

In addition, we are currently at the mid-point of the 3rd United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027). It also considered that the theme of the 3rd Decade, to be reviewed at its seventy-third sessions, should be “Accelerating global actions for a world without poverty” in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To find out more about the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, have a look at the UN’s webpage: Background | United Nations.