The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries.
This year, countries around the world unanimously adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, one of the chief ambitions of which is to eradicate poverty.
"Eradicating poverty will require sound economic policies that create decent jobs and ensure social protection, coupled with improvements in the human capital of young people to strengthen their employability," said UNFPA's Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, in his statement marking the day. "An essential, but often neglected aspect of the development of human capital is the realization of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights for all."
With its partners, UNFPA works to reach people living in poverty, especially women and youth, who lack access to education and health care, including reproductive health information and services. This keeps them trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, which runs from one generation to the next.
To help break this poverty trap, UNFPA works to improve sexual and reproductive health, eliminate gender inequalities and empower women to take control of their own lives.
