EDUCARE
None of us want to live in poverty and we know that poverty is one of the worst human rights violations. Globally extreme poverty is defined as surviving on less than $2.15 per person per day at 2017 purchasing power parity. Poverty entails more than the lack of income and productive resources to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, as well as the lack of participation in decision-making. According to the most recent estimates, in 2023 almost 700 million people around the world were subsisting on less than $2.15. It is projected that the global goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 will not be achieved, with almost 600 million people still living in extreme poverty.
Through resolution 47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The observance of the day can be traced back to 17 October 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected.
All must stand united and fight against poverty but the best way would be to make a career in a field that would help in eradication of poverty. Well, though there is no direct career that would ensure poverty alleviation but joint effort of different professionals would certainly add in a positive way. Roles of and responsibilities are different for different actors and players in this area. Government will have their policies and schemes and programmes to eradicate poverty. There are ministries that focus on different programmes and activities.
As it is important to know the cause of poverty and how it impacts communities one may study courses like social work, development studies, economics, etc. A master’s degree in social sciences and humanities gives us an idea about the situation. We may look for courses like rural development or rural management as these courses are specially designed to work in a way that would empower more and more persons.
We may also focus on entrepreneurship which would bring positive transformation to end poverty. Startups, innovations are equally important and we may choose to make our careers in this way. Positive attitude must be our asset as it would give us more motivation to work with people who are facing poverty. One may work with voluntary societies, charitable trust, non governmental organisations , civil society organisations , etc . There are many international organisations that work for the alleviation of poverty like the United Nations.
A mere academic qualification is not enough to be successful in this field as we have seen how poverty has affected people around the world so we must have 21st century skills .Ending poverty in all its forms is the first of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must be aware that at current rates of progress, the world will likely not meet the global goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. This brings more challenges as well as opportunities for us to work in the field of poverty alleviation. Together we can end poverty and it will be a shame for all of us if we can’t end poverty in our lifetime.
(The write is the Advisor, Skill Employment and Entrepreneurship Department of Bodoland Territorial Council and can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com or 8473943734)
