The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty , was established in 1993, by UN resolution 47/196, when the United Nations General Assembly designated October 17th to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries. Particular interest and attention on this day is however focused on developing countries, as the day has been leveraged to raise awareness about the need to eradicate poverty across the globe.
According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty. They "die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.” (UNICEF)
Around 27-28% of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. (2007 Human Development Report)
In conjunction with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and World Food Day, October 16th, groups and communities across the globe are taking a stand. Around the world from October 17-19, over 100 million people in over 2,000 events across more than 100 countries have registered to Stand Up and Take Action against Poverty and for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
