International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2022

October 17 is the 30th anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This Day highlights the need for global unity, the shared responsibility required to end poverty, and the discrimination people face in poverty. Additionally, the Day aims to honor and support the millions of people living in poverty.

The overarching theme of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty for 2022–2023 is Dignity for All in Practice. In addition to being a fundamental right, dignity for all in practice serves as the basis for all other fundamental rights.

Our findings in “Hope In A Time of Pandemic” reveal the effects that COVID-19 has had on poverty, exacerbating inequalities and exposing social protection system gaps and failures.

According to General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi, for 25 years, the number of people living in poverty was steadily declining. However, the number of people living in poverty is now increasing due to climate change, COVID-19, and conflict.

The current climate emergency also amounts to new forms of hardship for those in poverty. These new forms of violence include increased natural disasters and environmental degradation resulting in livelihoods being destroyed, including crops and homes, for people living in poverty.

Today, the millions of people living in extreme poverty is a moral outrage in a world with unprecedented economic progress, financial resources, and technical advancement. In order to achieve SDG 1, “End poverty in all its forms everywhere”,  Mercy Global Action calls for the recognition of human rights that prioritise the elimination of poverty and enhance people's livelihoods.