The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an international observance celebrated each year on October 17throughout the world.
The first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at Trocadero to honor victims of poverty, violence and fear at the unveiling of commemorative stone by Joseph Wresinski, founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World.
In 1992, four years after Wresinski’s death, the United Nations officially designated October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
The text engraved on original commemorative stone in Paris is self-explanatory as it affirms that “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.”
In Sudan the ousted regime launched the first steps towards preparing the national strategic document of reducing poverty to cover five years starting from 2019.
According to official statistics conducted by Zakat Chamber in Khartoum there are more than 240 thousand families in Khartoum State only suffering from poverty let alone those living in shanty towns around greater Khartoum who are not registered a matter that indicates that the numbers may be triple the announced statistics.
I read one of the chocking reports which affirm that 120 children die daily due to malnutrition and this also due to poverty of their parents.
It is high time for the transitional government to work out an emergency plan to adapt a strategic document of poverty reduction as a first step towards eradication of poverty, besides seeking investments and loans from the international donors considering that it is an international issue.
Rural development might be one of the solutions as IFAD promised to provide assistance to the transitional government to develop the rural areas and support the poverty eradication, besides granting considerable amounts of foodstuff.
The prime minister of the transitional government, Dr. Hamdok is a legend international expert in reforming the agricultural sector, regional integration, and administering the agricultural resources, so he is qualified to supervise this dossier through initiating the strategies that lead to eradication of poverty.
