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A briefing note from the Chronic Poverty Research Centre
The Millennium Declaration in 2000 committed 189 governments to “making the right to development a reality for everyone and to freeing the entire human race from want”.
Everyone must include the millions of people living in chronic poverty. But all too often the development policies of governments north and south bypass those in greatest need.
At present CPRC estimate that up to 420 million people experience poverty for most or all of their lives. Frequently this means people dying easily preventable deaths and passing poverty on to their children. People in chronic poverty include smallholders, the landless and casual workers whose daily labour means bare survival. In remote rural areas and urban slums, in femaleheaded households, among disabled people and those excluded or discriminated against because of their caste or religion and for older people, chronic poverty means a denial of basic rights – to education, water and sanitation, health services.
Genuine freedom and security for all means not just reaching the MDGs – but eliminating chronic poverty – the overriding challenge for the present generation.
CPRC believes that success at the September 2005 Summit depends on world leaders focusing on five key points.
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- 143Kb ~ 1 min (4 pages)
