Excellencies,Distinguished participants,Ladies and gentlemen,
I thank FAO and IFAD for inviting me to speak on this important topic of renewing efforts to address rural poverty to meet SDG 1 by 2030.
I also congratulate FAO on a successful launch of the Corporate Framework on Rural Extreme Poverty earlier this year. This important initiative will bring us closer to ending rural poverty, hunger and malnutrition as well as achieving the other Sustainable Development Goals.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are still far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at the global level, by their target year.And nowhere is the urgency to eradicate extreme poverty more pronounced than in rural areas.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Close to 80 percent of the extreme poor live in rural areas. This figure jumps to about 84 percent if we are using multi-dimensional measures of poverty. In terms of access to basic services, only 41 per cent of rural dwellers have access to piped drinking water and 87 percent of the 840 million people without electricity live in rural areas.
Extreme rural poverty affects women and children, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous groups, and fisherfolk disproportionately.
The challenge of eradicating rural poverty is most pronounced in Africa, in the least developed countries, small island developing States, conflict-affected countries and fragile States. These are the countries with the least potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Rural poverty is also a major concern in some middle-income countries and developed countries as well.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the majority of the world¡¯s poor live in rural areas, we need to learn more about the various dimensions of poverty and multiple deprivations that afflict them.
Rural poverty goes beyond income and includes hunger and malnutrition, low capabilities, inadequate asset holdings, limited agency, social exclusion and marginalization. Rural areas also lag behind when it comes to accessing quality infrastructure, finance and information and communication technologies.
With the right set of policies and political will, the world can eradicate rural poverty.
The policies and strategies that we promote should not only help people to escape poverty traps, but they must ensure that those who escape poverty do indeed stay out of poverty.
We need to assist countries develop better statistical systems if they are to collect timely and high-quality data to inform policy.
We should also remember that in many developing countries, extreme rural poverty continues to persist as a result of social and cultural norms that severely limit women and girls¡¯ access to education and healthcare as well as to technology, credit, training, extension services, and markets.
Therefore, the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all rural women and girls should be a top priority.
Dear colleagues,
It is in rural areas where the battle against poverty must be won if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
DESA stands ready to join hands with FAO, IFAD and the UN system to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Thank you.
I thank FAO and IFAD for inviting me to speak on this important topic of renewing efforts to address rural poverty to meet SDG 1 by 2030.
I also congratulate FAO on a successful launch of the Corporate Framework on Rural Extreme Poverty earlier this year. This important initiative will bring us closer to ending rural poverty, hunger and malnutrition as well as achieving the other Sustainable Development Goals.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are still far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at the global level, by their target year.And nowhere is the urgency to eradicate extreme poverty more pronounced than in rural areas.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Close to 80 percent of the extreme poor live in rural areas. This figure jumps to about 84 percent if we are using multi-dimensional measures of poverty. In terms of access to basic services, only 41 per cent of rural dwellers have access to piped drinking water and 87 percent of the 840 million people without electricity live in rural areas.
Extreme rural poverty affects women and children, persons with disabilities, older persons, indigenous groups, and fisherfolk disproportionately.
The challenge of eradicating rural poverty is most pronounced in Africa, in the least developed countries, small island developing States, conflict-affected countries and fragile States. These are the countries with the least potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Rural poverty is also a major concern in some middle-income countries and developed countries as well.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the majority of the world¡¯s poor live in rural areas, we need to learn more about the various dimensions of poverty and multiple deprivations that afflict them.
Rural poverty goes beyond income and includes hunger and malnutrition, low capabilities, inadequate asset holdings, limited agency, social exclusion and marginalization. Rural areas also lag behind when it comes to accessing quality infrastructure, finance and information and communication technologies.
With the right set of policies and political will, the world can eradicate rural poverty.
The policies and strategies that we promote should not only help people to escape poverty traps, but they must ensure that those who escape poverty do indeed stay out of poverty.
We need to assist countries develop better statistical systems if they are to collect timely and high-quality data to inform policy.
We should also remember that in many developing countries, extreme rural poverty continues to persist as a result of social and cultural norms that severely limit women and girls¡¯ access to education and healthcare as well as to technology, credit, training, extension services, and markets.
Therefore, the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all rural women and girls should be a top priority.
Dear colleagues,
It is in rural areas where the battle against poverty must be won if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
DESA stands ready to join hands with FAO, IFAD and the UN system to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Thank you.
File date:
Thursday, October 31, 2019