More Inclusion, Less Poverty

UNDP

16 October 2008

UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina fights to eradicate poverty, but also promotes inclusion of the weak and marginalized into agendas for development, says the organization on the eve of October 17, the International Day for Eradication of Poverty.

It recalls the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 60 years ago, affirming that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family.
On this day, we reflect upon the message by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who provided some global indications on the state of poverty and human rights.

Ki-Moon said that `...sixty years on, hundreds of millions of people are still deprived of basic human rights such as food, housing, education, and decent working conditions. Those forced to live in poverty often face social exclusion, discrimination and disempowerment. Poverty robs the poor of their human dignity`.

Close interconnection of poverty and human rights is also evident in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Poor people are often excluded from social mainstreams, deprived of their human rights and left to linger in a transitional plight. It is not a coincidence that poverty and extreme exclusion rates in this country are very often close to one another.

UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina fights to eradicate poverty, but also promotes inclusion of the weak and marginalized into agendas for development. We are aware of the fact that the fight for social inclusion and human rights is inseparable from the fight to eradicate poverty and help people build better lives.

In the process of Bosnia and Herzegovina�s integration into the European Union, UNDP will assist the country�s efforts to ensure higher levels of social inclusion and lower levels of poverty.