Poverty eradication is one of the most prominent Sustainable Development Goals and even takes priority, as it is the first goal in the Sustainable Development Plan, which seeks to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030. The Arab Youth Network for Sustainable Development is a leading network in raising awareness about poverty eradication in various parts of the world through activities and training courses that keep pace with the times, contribute to effective policymaking, and encourage innovation and critical thinking at all ages in order to support transformative change in the lives of people and their communities.
What is poverty?
(Poverty involves more than just a lack of income and productive resources needed to ensure sustainable livelihoods. It is reflected in multiple forms, including hunger and malnutrition, lack of access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, as well as limited participation in decision-making, which negatively affects individuals and communities).
Facts about poverty:
According to the latest estimates, around 700 million people worldwide were living on less than USD 2.15 per day in 2024.
According to a report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), one-third of the region’s population (about 35%) is expected to fall below the poverty line in 2024 and 2025.
Poverty is expected to remain notably high in low-income countries, likely exceeding 63%, according to the ESCWA report.
The war on Gaza threatens to push the entire population of the Strip – around 2.3 million Palestinians – into multidimensional poverty, meaning deprivation of basic necessities for survival.
If we use the threshold of USD 30 per day as the definition of global “poverty” and account for differences in price levels across countries, the latest statistics show that 85% of the world’s population – about 6.7 billion people – live below this poverty line.
Poverty Eradication:
According to the Sustainable Development Plan for 2030, the plan is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind, giving priority to those most at risk of marginalization. Achieving this ambitious developmental vision requires adopting well-considered policies that ensure sustainable, inclusive, and equitable economic growth, supported by decent job opportunities for all, enhanced social inclusion, reduced inequalities, increased productivity, and the creation of an enabling environment for sustainable development. The first goal was included in the 2030 Agenda in recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and everywhere represents the greatest global challenge of our time and is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development. Despite major efforts to eradicate poverty by 2030, the persistence of poverty—including extreme poverty—remains a serious concern, especially in Africa, the least developed countries, small island developing states, some middle-income countries, and countries affected by or emerging from conflict.