In 2021 an estimated 698 million people, or 9 percent of the global population, were living in extreme poverty. These were individuals living on less than $1.90 dollars a day. While another 1.8 million people living below $3.20 and 3.293 million people living below $5.50 dollars a day respectively.
The poverty line is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country which is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year’s worth of necessities for the average adult.
As the world celebrates the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. 1.3 billion people still live in multidimensional poverty with almost half of them children and youth.
The day aims at marking strides towards eradication of poverty by the year 2030 which is also established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a basis of all fundamental rights.
This year’s theme is the “Dignity for all in Practice.”
Disrespect, injustice, denial of opportunities are some of the inequalities faced daily by individuals living under the poverty line. According to the United Nations, this year’s theme seeks to remove dignity as a proverbial or abstract concept, as, “it belongs to each and every one. Today, many people living in persistent poverty experience their dignity being denied and disrespected.”
“This Day honors the millions of people suffering from poverty and their daily courage and recognizes the essential global solidarity and shared responsibility we hold to eradicate poverty and combat all forms of discrimination,” United Nations.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
