Message by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promises to leave no one behind, and calls for eradicating poverty by 2030. For this, we need swift action by Governments to translate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into effective policies that are supported with appropriate resources. The 2030 Agenda is ambitious — we need ambitious measures to take it forward.
The 2030 Agenda emphasizes the integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of poverty eradication, so we need integrated action across different policy spheres, making the most of capabilities and resources through targeted policies designed to accelerate progress across the board. This is the importance of UNESCO’s leadership in advancing cooperation through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. Along with the Organisation’s Global Priorities, Gender Equality and Africa, these are areas with catalytic impact across the 2030 Agenda, acting as development multipliers for a wide range of goals and targets.
Capabilities must be combined with ownership. National plans to eradicate poverty will be stronger if they are inclusive, integrating the voices of all parts of society. Access to basic services is essential, as is the required knowledge capabilities — but eradicating poverty calls also for greater participation by all women and men, starting with young people, whose empowerment is key to success.
Eradicating poverty is a human rights imperative — it is also a development imperative and a peace imperative. This is why we need action now to translate promises into reality. This is UNESCO’s message on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
