Welcome to the United Nations
Challenges for institutions in eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity
in a changing world
1. Efforts to eradicate poverty need to be accelerated as a matter of priority and as an integral part of
overall efforts to implement the SDGs.
2. Governments have the primary responsibility for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) for the people they serve, and therefore for eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity.
3. Effective, inclusive and accountable institutions and the sound functioning of the public sector are
necessary to drive poverty eradication and promote prosperity.
4. The principle to leave no one behind should guide public institutions and public administrations in
delivering on all their functions, alongside the principles of effectiveness, inclusiveness and
accountability, as recognized in SDG 16.1
Recognizing the multiple forms and dimensions of Goal 1 on poverty eradication
5. To identify the poorest and most vulnerable people and understand their needs, public institutions
need to have an in-depth and holistic understanding of various dimensions, manifestations, factors
and dynamics in poverty, and of who is at risk of being left behind.
6. This requires not only quality disaggregated data, but also employment creation and decent work, as
well as active political and institutionalised engagement and participatory processes that are truly
inclusive of the poorest and most vulnerable.
7. In pursuing poverty eradication, it is important to ensure that all people especially the poorest and
most vulnerable, have equal opportunities to participation and equal access to services and
infrastructure.
8. Public administrations have the responsibility to improve the well-being of not only citizens but also
minorities, migrants, refugees and other poor and vulnerable people in the country.
Developing effective multidimensional poverty eradication strategies
9. Some countries have made major progress in eradicating poverty and lessons can be learned from
their experience. Eradicating poverty requires a whole-of-government approach involving ministries,
local authorities, agencies and a multiplicity of actors working across sectors and boundaries of society. It is important that people have free access to information, law and government regulation, a
precondition for the effective rule of law.
10. It is important to develop well-resourced poverty eradication strategies with specific objectives, clear
target beneficiaries and timelines, and a focus on the multiple dimensions and factors of poverty.
Addressing the multiple dimensions of poverty requires social security policies and sound policies
that promote employment and decent work, develop educational and skills, improve housing, invest
in infrastructure including water and electricity, and bolster health services. Efforts to improve
governance at all levels and make institutions more effective, inclusive and accountable are an
integral part of poverty eradication efforts.
11. Important regional disparities often exist within countries regarding the level, characteristics and
dynamics of poverty. To ensure balanced progress in eradicating poverty in all regions, it can be
useful to develop a national plan for sub-national development and poverty eradication,2 which in
particular address urban and rural dimensions of poverty.
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