Brief summary of presentation of information made:

The meeting began with an introduction of the moderator and the panellists.

 

Adrina Dinu, Moderator

“Poverty continues to be the greatest challenge humanity is facing”

Most countries were not on track to achieving 2030 goals even before COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 100M people pushed back into poverty and hunger by COVID.

 

His Excellency Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Ambassador Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations – Chair of Alliance for Poverty Eradication.

Question: 70% of the world’s poor live in middle-income countries and we’ve seen COVID exasperate this. How can middle-income countries get back on track?

 

• No poverty is the first goal for a reason as it leads to others, such as health and education.
• Middle-income countries were not on track prior to pandemic for a variety of reasons: Conflict, education, climate, other mitigating factors.
• Tools required:
  • Agriculture – Physical tools and education. Education is more than skill acquisition but is also humanising and social. ICT skills also important.
  • Social Protection – Minimum requirements for life such as health and education must be met for all.
• The pandemic has seen the number of Billionaires increase. We must respect every country.
• More conflicts are arising from climate change.

 

Shameran Abed, Senior Director of Microfinance and Graduation Programme at BRAC

Question: Why is it so hard for many people around the world to get out of poverty?

 

• Took BRAC 30 years to really realise that the poorest of poor (Ultra-poor) are so marginalised that they were not able to engage with BRAC projects. They are hidden within societies, so intentionality is required to engage specifically with them.
• 80% of poorest have no safety net.
• Ultra-poverty does not just mean economically vulnerable but also socially vulnerable. Not able to access services or programmes.
• Investment and Resources requires. Partnerships between Governments, Civil Society, Academics.
• Evidence-based approach important to know and replicate what works.
• Knowledge and Resources exist, we need to marry-up.
• Unlikely to hit 2030 target but we can get a long way by then.

 

Violet Shivutse, Founder and Co-Ordinator of Shivutse Community House Workers, Kenya

Question: How do we provide agency at a grassroots level for women and how do we scale this up?

• Has experience from rural community and contributing on the ground.
• Informal sector (Caregiving) a major barrier to achieving goal.
• Grassroots alliances created in response to HIV when health services were overwhelmed.
• Land is the source of livelihood for grassroots women (GW). Organisations such as the speaker’s overcame the lack of procurement and marketing opportunities, and allowing GW to show what they can produce (are not dependent on handouts). Formalised GW who are normally left out of decision making to get land access.
• Created local land lease guidelines so GW can lease land as a collective. Guidelines have now been implemented elsewhere, with organisation working with 2 other countries.
• Agriculture and microfinancing programme need to reach GW, links SDG1 with SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

 

Sofia Spechmann Sinerio, Secretary General of CARE International

Question: Why should societies and Governments focus on unpaid care work?

• 9% addition to Global GDP if unpaid care work was paid ($10Trillion).
• Occurs in every economy, with 30-40% increase in the last year (Childcare with working from home).
• We need to build forwards, and with data.
• Girls need to be able to have financial agency, closing this gap is vital to SDG1, with a wider impact on other SDGs.
• Hard-won rights are being undone by COVID, so inaction now is more costly than ever.
• Unpaid care work is not a women’s role but is a societal issue.
• We need to challenge social norms to bring about economic justice and rights for women and girls.
• Paris Forum – Governments encouraged to spend up to 10% of Domestic GDP on child, elder and disability care services – 18 Million new care jobs.
• Global Manifesto launched:
  • Access to care a right, dismantling barriers for women and girls and increasing opportunity for Governments to invest in Universal healthcare, education and social protection
  • Global fund for Universal Social Protection so we can prioritise most marginalised.
  • Employers to provide family-friendly workplaces, free of abuse.
• Women and Girls in Decision-making leadership positions.
• All (Governments, Non-profits, Civil Society) need to be accountable to contribution of SDGs.

 

Professor Robert Walker, Bejing Normal University and University of Oxford

Question: China has seen great poverty reduction. What are the key success factors that other countries can use?

• Hard to overstate China’s success. Around half of this was during MDGs (2000-2015). Took a systematic approach which saw 30,000 a day lifted out of poverty.
• Success due to National Infrastructure:
  • Provision of Social Assistance and Entrepreneurism.
  • Eradication rural poverty led by Xi Jinping (CCP General Secretary)
  • Identification of poor families, and ~775,000 public officials made responsible for lifting these families out of poverty (around 20-25 each).
  • Financing deprived areas – partnering with rich areas and encouraging businesses to invest there.
  • National Economic growth as important as poverty eradication programmes.
  • Poverty Eradication considered in ALL policies.
  • Focus on Ultra-poor and rural areas first, with targeted/intentional programmes.

 

Maryann Broxton, Activist and Co-ordinator of the Multidimensional Aspects of Poverty Research, USA

Question: There is a need to eradicate poverty in all forms, and not just economic. What does poverty look like in the USA and Global North?

• Language is important. ‘The Poor’ can marginalise and dehumanise, whereas ‘Generational Poverty’ ignores the role of systems of maintenance. ‘Persistent poverty’ better as it removes blame and avoids concepts of ‘most needy’ and ‘most deserving’.
• USA is a rich country but with high inequality.
• We need a multidimensional guide that takes a holistic view of poverty.
• Evidence/data-driven and with partnerships.
• Representation of those with experience important – inclusion up, mid- and down stream in decision making and sharing power.
• At the moment, others are making decisions on what is best for people in poverty and are not including the knowledge that comes with experience.

 

Q+A: What should be our top two priorities, and is eradication of poverty by 2030 possible?

H.E Tijjani Muhammad-Bande:

• Invest in Education (ICT and Cultural Understanding) and Advocacy
• Use Data-driven policy.

Shameran Abed

• Vaccine equality between Global North and Global South to start recovery.
• Social Protection Programmes – from support to productive inclusion.
• Target towards ultra-poor.

Violet Shivutse

• Fund Basic service infrastructure.
• Redistribute roles and decision-making power.
• Collaborate on Disaster and Risk practices.

Sophia Spechmann Sinerio

• Centre Women and Girls in Decision-making.
• Local, National and International Green jobs for women (women hardest hit by COVID and Climate Change)
• Urgency is real particularly among young people and we need this pressure for target to be achieve – as where there is a will there is a way.

Robert Walker

• Policy to be assessed against all dimensions of poverty.
• Mandate for poverty eradication needs to be extended to include all these forms.
• Rich countries need to forgo their national needs to assist on a global level.

Maryann Boxon

• Hard truth – hard to do by 2030.
• Need political will – people before profit. Corporate level changes not just personal behaviour modifications. Stronger corporate regulations require political will to enact.
• People with experience included in decision-making.

 

What was of particular significance to share with The Salvation Army globally?

The Salvation Army works with people in poverty around the world. Programmes to alleviate poverty and assistance for those in poverty are at the heart of The Salvation Army’s social work. The Salvation Army can learn from the expertise of panellists to help guide the maintenance and creation of such programmes.

What is The Salvation Army currently doing to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals addressed in this meeting?

The Salvation Army poverty alleviation programmes annual reach approximately 1.3 Million people, including shelter, food, microfinance, training and education.

More information can be found in pages 6-12 of ‘Where there’s a need’ https://issuu.com/isjc/docs/where_there_s_a_need...

 

What opportunities are there for The Salvation Army to create or further develop the work in this area?

• The Salvation Army will benefit from taking a data-driven and evidence-based approach, as championed by the panellists.
• The Salvation Army should consider the accessibility of programmes to the ultra-poor and intentionally target this demographic where and when it is both possible and necessary.
• A variety of voices and experiences are required in decision making and positions of power, including those of women and those with experience of poverty.

Web links for more information

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty/ - More information regarding Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty