United Nations Secretary-General Message on International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

New York, 17 October 2019 – GNP:

Here is the message of United Nations Secretary-General on the occasion of International Day for the eradication of poverty. Extreme poverty is at the heart of the world’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable ‎Development Goals and build a sustainable future for all.  But success in leaving no one ‎behind will remain elusive if we do not target the people who are furthest behind first.‎ This year’s observance focuses on “acting together to empower children, their families ‎and communities to end poverty”, as we mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations ‎Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children are more than twice as likely to live in extreme poverty than adults.  Poverty ‎condemns many children to lifelong disadvantage and perpetuates an intergenerational ‎transfer of deprivation. Today’s children will also live with the devastating consequences of ‎climate change if we fail to raise ambition now.

From conflict zones to cyberspace, from forced labor to sexual exploitation, girls are ‎at particular risk, but they are also a force for change. For every additional year, a girl remains ‎in school, her average income over a lifetime increases, her chances of being married early ‎decrease, and there are clear health and education benefits for her children, making it a key ‎factor in breaking the cycle of poverty.

One of the keys to ending child poverty is addressing poverty in the household, from ‎which it often stems. Access to quality social services must be a priority, yet today, almost ‎two-thirds of children lack social protection coverage.  Family-oriented policies are also ‎indispensable, including flexible working arrangements, parental leave, and childcare support.

On this International Day, let us recommit to achieving Sustainable Development Goal ‎‎1 and fair globalization that works for all children, their families, and communities. (GNP)