UN chief urges int'l community to stand by poor
Noting that the pandemic could push up to 115 million persons into poverty this year, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday urged the international community to stand in solidarity with all the current people moving into poverty, through the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
The UN chief issued the appeal in a video message to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed annually on October 17.
"The Covid-19 pandemic is a double crisis for the world's poorest people," said the UN chief.
“First, they have the highest risk of contact with the virus, and least used of quality healthcare,” said Guterres.
“Second, recent estimates show the pandemic could push up to 115 million persons into poverty this year - the first upsurge in decades. Women are at the greatest risk because they’re more likely to reduce their jobs and less likely to have social protection.”
Extraordinary efforts needed
The UN chief underscored the necessity for extraordinary efforts to fight poverty at the moment.
As the pandemic demands strong collective action, he needed governments to accelerate monetary transformation by buying sustainable recovery.
Additionally, countries need “a fresh generation of social protection programs”, that also cover people who work in the informal economy.
“Joining together in keeping cause may be the only way we’ll emerge safely out of this pandemic,” said the Secretary-General.
“On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, let’s stand in solidarity with persons living in poverty, through the entire Covid-19 pandemic and beyond,” he added.
International Day for Eradication of Poverty
The International Day was established by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in December 1992.
The theme this year is ‘Acting together to attain social and environmental justice for all’.
For the UN, this focus recognizes “the multi-dimensionality of poverty”, and therefore social justice can't be fully realized without also attempting to address environmental injustices, including those because of climate change.
