Hyderabad:The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed on October 17 every year, is an event aimed at fostering understanding and dialogue between impoverished individuals and society at large. This global initiative underscores the pervasive issues of poverty, violence and hunger, striving to identify solutions and uplift those affected by poverty while amplifying their voices.
History: Rooted in a deep belief in the significance of human rights, the day urges worldwide collaboration to ensure these rights are honoured, emphasising that a poverty-free world is vital for human advancement. The origins of this observance date back to a significant gathering in 1987, uniting people from diverse backgrounds to honour victims of poverty's harsh realities and advocate for their rights.
Theme: "Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all," has been kept as the theme for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, highlighting the plight of those trapped in extreme poverty, often enduring grueling work conditions without earning sufficient income to support themselves and their families adequately. It advocates for fair wages, safe working environments, and universal social protection to uphold human dignity and promote social justice.
Multidimensional Poverty: Poverty extends beyond financial constraints, encompassing various facets of life, including health, education and living standards. The World Bank emphasises that poverty is a call to action, prompting efforts to provide sufficient nourishment, education, shelter and safety, granting individuals a voice in their communities.
Health
• Malnutrition • High infant mortality rate.
Education
• Poor education • Child marriage
Standard of living
• Lack of water resources • Not having a permanent roof/house
• Low purchasing power • Cooking fuel
• Sanitation • assets
Others
• Child labour • Exploitation of people
• Criminal Activity to meet fundamental needs
The World Social Summit identified poverty eradication as an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of mankind and called on governments to address the root causes of poverty, provide for basic needs for all and ensure that the poor have access to productive resources, including credit, education and training. A social perspective on development requires addressing poverty in all its dimensions.
Challenges for India: In India, poverty remains a significant challenge, despite strides in recent years. The country grapples with unequal wealth distribution, limited access to education and healthcare, and discrimination based on gender, caste, and religion. Factors contributing to poverty include a large population and disparities in access to resources.
According to the World Bank, 22.4% of Indians lived below the national poverty line in 2019. According to the 2023 National Multidimensional Poverty Index Report, 135 million people escaped multidimensional poverty between 2015 and 16 and 2019 and 21. The country registered a significant decline of 9.89 percentage points in India’s multidimensionally poor from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021.
The rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty, from 32.59% to 19.28%. Providing multidimensional poverty estimates for the 36 States and Union Territories and 707 administrative districts, the report states that the fastest reduction in the proportion of multidimensional poor was observed in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.
Those living in poverty face interconnected hardships, ranging from dangerous work conditions to inadequate healthcare and political powerlessness. Addressing these multifaceted deprivations is crucial in breaking the cycle of poverty and realizing fundamental human rights.
Also read-13.5 cr people moved out of multidimensional poverty in India in 5 years: Niti report
