International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

17 October 2012

image Villagers in Molia, Niger tend a community run garden that feeds 100 families. Credit: David Ohana/ OCHA.

Extreme poverty destroys the lives and spirit of people; it kills more children, young persons, and adults than any war. Every day, people living in extreme poverty are challenged and threatened by lack of food, shelter and access to essential services.

Recognizing that poverty is violence, the 2012 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on "Ending the violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting empowerment and building peace".

Learn more about UNDP's work to reduce poverty >

Our Stories

image

In Georgia, vocational training equips youth for job market

By Sophie Tchitchinadze, a finalist in UNDP's second annual storytelling contest Last year, 19-year-old Nino Narmania learnt she needed computer skills to do her favourite job—sewing and making clothes. Intrigued and excited by the project, she enrolled in a college-level professional tailoring prog more

image

In Benin, women cotton growers embrace organic agriculture

Each year, on average, Benin produces 220,000 tons of cotton, representing 45 percent of its fiscal income and 13 percent of its Gross National Product. Yet, in the northern municipality of Banikoara - Benin’s top cotton-producing region - the excessive use of chemical fertilizers by some cotton gro more

image

In Venezuela, music provides hope for impoverished youth

Nehyda Alas, a teacher and director of Venezuela’s Teresa Carreño Youth Symphony Orchestra, believes that when children are exposed to music their behaviour improves. He should know. Alas has been teaching music education to at-risk youth from Caracas’ poor communities, where children and teens are more

image

Emiliana helps herself by helping the elderly in Bulgaria

“Don’t take her away,” urged Emiliana, a Bulgarian social assistant who provided personal care to an 87 year-old woman in Pravetz municipality. The elderly woman had lost two of her three sons and was living alone with arthritis and diabetes until Emiliana intervened. Emiliana kept the woman company more

image

Creating resilient economies in Mongolia

Tsetsegdelger Byamba and her husband Hatanbaatar, of Mongolia, were among those who lost everything following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Unemployment, a daughter’s illness and a fire in their home destroyed life as they knew it. Today, however, Tsetsegdelger is the proud owner of a more

Our Videos

SHARE SHARE
Message from Helen Clark
Helen
Helen Clark:

"Today, we do have reason to celebrate the progress made to eradicate extreme poverty, but we must continue to work together on its eradication.  I hope that the global development agenda beyond 2015 will reflect this level of ambition."

View full statement
Match Against Poverty 2012
thumbnail
Brazil to host the 10th edition of the Match Against Poverty, featuring Ronaldo, Zidane and other football stars

 

Learn more about the Match
Twitter