Acting Together to Empower Children, Their Families, and Communities to End Poverty: October 17, 2019

Every year, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is commemorated around the world on October 17. This day gives a platform for people living in poverty to speak out about their lives, their struggles, and their efforts to overcome poverty. It is also a day for individuals and communities to hear these testimonies and commit to taking action alongside those in poverty to end it.

2019 also marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention recognizes the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Poverty hurts children’s development and their life opportunities and health as adults. Applying the Convention means that people in positions of responsibility and power are legally bound to promote, protect, and fulfill children's rights.

Many children joined and spoke at commemoration events to remind us of the importance of ensuring the rights of every child and recognizing children’s full participation as active change makers, especially in the fight to overcome poverty.

People gathered in New York, New Orleans, and southwest Virginia around the United States as well as countries throughout the world to commemorate the day. Enjoy some of photo highlights from the US!

In New Orleans,

Don Everard (Executive Director of Hope House), John and Katie (St. Thomas House of Hospitality New Orleans Catholic Worker), and Ashana Bigard (Executive Director of Education Justice Project) partnered with Dierdre Mauss from ATD Fourth World to mark the day. People gathered at Hope House in New Orleans to learn about and discuss the Multi-Dimensional Aspects of Poverty (MAP) research.

In New York,

the annual commemoration was held at the United Nations Headquarters, with messages presented from the UN Secretary-General, children and activists fighting poverty, Member States’ representatives, the City of New York and UNICEF. Over two hundred children were in the UN meeting room, including children from Brownsville, New York, and Madrid, Spain, who spoke and other young people who performed beautiful songs.

In Virginia,

the Clinchco Senior Center was full of people from throughout Dickenson and neighboring counties. They celebrated how their community empowers young people and children to be active change makers in the community and to follow their ambitions. Students from Ridgeview High School attended, helped out, and presented during the commemoration, bringing enthusiasm for the opportunities they see and want to be part of.