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Franciscans International participates actively in UN efforts to eradicate poverty and, particularly, extreme poverty.


What is poverty?

"A sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil cultural, economic, political and social rights." (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: E/C.12/2001/10)


Franciscans working on poverty

photo credited to DGAAN

In 2005 , the Third Social Forum of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights was dedicated to "Poverty and Economic Growth: Challenges to Human Rights."

Sister Valsa Joseph Palathingal, a Franciscan Missionary of Mary from India, has dedicated her life to the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe, commonly known as Dalits, in the State of Tamil-Nadu. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights invited Sr Valsa to be one of the panelists in the session dedicated to The Perspectives of Those Living in Poverty: Voices from Around the World. Sr Valsa presented on Poverty in Economically Growing India and gave testimony of her work among Dalits and Tribals.


Resources

 

How can I help?

  • Contribute examples of best practices for FI's poverty eradication program
  • Conduct research and provide grassroots input to prepare for upcoming commissions
  • Team up with FI to put on a workshop, roundtable, etc
  • Partner with UN agencies on poverty reduction projects
  • Advocate at the national level for poverty eradication programs
  • Celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17 by listening to the stories of people who live in poverty.
  • Join the Millennium Campaign and educate yourself about the issues.
  • Locate a sister congregation in a least developed country (LDC) and support a microfinance project, a well, livestock, etc.
  • Invite speakers to your prayer group, classroom, church, community centre, etc.
  • Find local development projects in your area to support: tutoring centres, healthcare centres, housing development, etc.
  • Mobilize communities and advocate that governments:
  • help establish MDGs at the core of national poverty reduction plans;
  • integrate MDG financing in national budgets;
  • provide technical support to governments;
  • increase public investment in long term MDG plans;
  • plan across all sectors and integrate human rights;
  • Write your local papers about the Millennium Development Goals and projects that your community has undertaken to complete them.
  • Check out the MDGs Youth Action Guide



FI PUBLICATIONS

Compilation of the Best Practices
Apr. 15, 2003 - To invigorate progress toward reaching the UN Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people who live in poverty by 2015, Franciscans International played a leading role in creating a "Best Practices in Poverty Eradication" project of the NGO Sub-Committee on the Eradication of Poverty in New York.

Click here to read our news article about Best Practices in Poverty Eradication .

The project led to the publication of a compilation of successful programs and projects to eradicate poverty. Click here to download the document Best Practices in Poverty Eradication