Advocacy at the United Nations
The International Movement ATD Fourth World is influential at the United Nations (UN), holding general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1991.
ATD Fourth World has representatives at the UN in New York and in Geneva and is regularly solicited by UN agencies to bring the ideas of people experiencing poverty to UN issues.
ATD Fourth World Activists, (members with firsthand knowledge of poverty), from New York and around the world are often invited to share their expertise at the UN.
Our Focus
Recognizing poverty is multidimensional. It is more than a lack of money.
Calling attention to the strengths and knowledge of people in poverty.
Listening to and involving people in poverty because they have vital knowledge needed for the success of anti-poverty programs and policy.
Promoting a human rights-based approach to poverty eradication, which includes leaving no one behind, decent work, dignity, and social and environmental justice.
Our Impact
Creating and maintaining a space for participation of people with experience of poverty.
Throughout the UN, ATD Fourth World is known and respected for bringing, as well as relied upon to bring, firsthand knowledge of poverty and to offer solutions based on this experience.
Bringing firsthand experience of poverty to UN commissions, high level forums, white papers, and reports. As examples:
The Report on Extreme Poverty & Human Rights (1996) which resulted in the creation of a permanent UN post for a Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights
The Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights (2012)
Organizing events such as a commemoration for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Orchestrating high-level meetings between people who never meet: officials and people with experience of poverty.
Investing in the UN's work on "social development."
Bringing speakers with firsthand experience of poverty to share their knowledge and recommendations in relation to housing and homelessness, social protection, childcare, decent work, digital gap.
Having a respected leadership role on the NGO Committee on Social Development because people trust us.
Advocating for language that promotes dignity.
For instance, “people in situations of poverty” rather than “the poor.”
Helping develop new language between the Millenium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Leading a successful recent effort to add language about dignity to a UN Secretary General report about poverty.
Stacy White
I spoke at the UN on October 17th. I said, “I’m going to get my word out there and someone is going to listen.” It was a challenge for me. As nervous and scared as I was, I was determined to do that. I wanted them to know and to see, however well made up I was that day, this is what poverty looks like. People who didn’t hear me speak thought I was part of the UN audience. It’s a perception of what poverty looks like. One person said, “You look expensive.” The dress and shoes I had on were from the church. Maybe I was shining.
Had I not met ATD and spoken at the UN, I would not have the knowledge and voice I have now, would not do the work I do now.
It put me in the position to speak up for myself, speak for others, let them know their rights and what they are entitled to. A lot of people have changed because of that. When they go to public assistance, or the doctor, or some meeting with someone with power, they know they have rights and should be heard, not just given a piece of paper.
When I finally got to the Noisy-le-Grand camp, I said to myself: Those destitute families will never be able to pull through on their own, but if I join them they will climb the steps of the Elysée Palace, the Vatican, the United Nations and all the great international organizations. They must become full members of our society.
Joseph Wresinski
Maryann Broxton
My job as the Main Representative to the United Nations (UN) for International Movement ATD Fourth World is to make sure the voices, insight and knowledge of people experiencing deep and extreme poverty are heard in places where policy is being made and discussed. I represent ATD’s priorities which always include participation and poverty.
I’m the first ATD Fourth World Activist (person with a personal experience of poverty) in this role and I don’t want to be the last one. There may be others with experience of poverty in similar positions at the UN, but it’s not spoken of freely.
The experience of poverty gives you a clearer vision of how things should work because policy shapes your life. Policymakers don’t implement policies, so they don’t know how it might actually affect people.