As the world marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, hear from the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Country Teams on where the world stands when it comes to poverty and how quality jobs and protections can help restore dignity for millions.
On the summit of a hill, where access roads often succumbed to heavy rains, Hambini Village in Papua New Guinea stands as a symbol of resilience and community spirit. Its 9,000 residents, spread across 1,500 cocoa farming households, faced formidable challenges. Yet, amidst these challenges, a steady transformation has been taking place, led by the villagers of Hambini.
The Girls Education Project, a collaboration between the Nigerian government, UNICEF, and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has increased girls' enrollment in school and improved learning outcomes.
Migration often brings with it many risks for communities, such as sexual harassment, crime, and human smuggling given how porous borders are. With ITC's support, Ndey Fatou stepped away from the dangers of unsafe migration towards a thriving local enterprise.
Wage losses, job insecurity, and a rising cost of living crisis have been a common thread in the past few years, across the world, directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, decent jobs that deliver a fair, secure income for all are critical to tackling inequality and poverty. Social protection systems help vulnerable people find such jobs and improve their ability to cope with crises through increased access to education, health, and other social security nets, helping absorb the impacts of shocks without major social or economic setbacks.
Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of priorities and initiatives — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians.
The world needs to focus on the transformative entry points that can have catalytic impact for achieving the Goals: food systems; energy access and affordability; digital connectivity; education; jobs and social protection; and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This action has already begun. At the country level, Resident Coordinators and UN country teams have been on the ground working with host Governments to boost SDG progress and engagement in the areas it matters the most.
Eight years ago, Member States gathered in this Hall to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals. A promise to build a world of health, progress and opportunity for all. A promise to leave no one behind. And a promise to pay for it. It was — always — a promise to people.
The participation of women in politics is a priority for the United Nations and should be so for society as a whole. For the first time in its history, Costa Rica, in an effort to acknowledge it, will be holding gender-balanced elections in 2024, thereby ensuring an unprecedented space for women's political participation in the country. However, this significant achievement faces a massive and growing challenge: hate speech, discrimination, and digital violence against women.
