Forty-six Libyan NGO’s issue a joint statement on the “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty”
Forty-six (46) Libyan none governmental organizations, among them Human Rights Solidarity, published today, Thursday 17th October 2019, a joint statement in which they expressed their concern that the suffering of the poor in Libya will increase and the cycle of poverty will widen if the current state of public expenditure continues in a context of conflict and insecurity, and called on “Libyan officials and decision-makers to make efforts to take into account the rights of the poor and those affected by the conflicts and wars that have left thousands of internally displaced people, destruction of infrastructure and neighborhoods, and the spread of corruption and laid waste of resources, the most important of which human resources, thousands of young people killed and injured”.
The NGO’s called on the government and all political parties to “urgently seek a solution to the conflict and end the political divide, in order to ensure macroeconomic stability and embark on a comprehensive program to rebuild economic and social infrastructure and related institutions”.
17th October is the “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty” was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992, and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)[i] on 20 November 1989, and for this the United Nations made the theme of this year’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty “Acting Together to Empower Children, their Families and Communities to End Poverty”.
Human Rights Solidarity
Tripoli – Libya
17 October 2019
Text of the Joint Statement:
Joint statement by Libyan Civil Society Organizations on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty[ii]
“In a world characterized by an unprecedented level of economic development, technological means and financial resources, one-tenth of the world’s population (700 million) still live in extreme poverty on less than $ 2 a day”, United Nations.
Today, Thursday 17th October, is the “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty”, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations[iii] in 1992, and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution. 17th October[iv] presents an opportunity to acknowledge the effort and struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and a moment to recognize that poor people are the first ones to fight against poverty. Participation of the poor themselves has been at the center of the Day’s celebration since its very beginning. The commemoration of October 17th also reflects the willingness of people living in poverty to use their expertise to contribute to the eradication of poverty.
Information is scarce in terms of statistics and figures on the percentage of poverty in Libya, and the extent of measuring the state’s efforts to address it. No details about Libya, for example in the “Arab Multidimensional Poverty Report” indicated that ESCWA[v] is making efforts with the Libyan authorities concerned Specialized studies on that. Similarly, the World Bank’s statistics and indicators for Libya do not have any information on poverty rates[vi], but the World Bank report on the economic prospects for Libya, pointed out that high inflation coupled with weak basic service delivery are likely to have “increased poverty and exacerbated socio-economic exclusion … exacerbating further the hardship of the population”[vii]. Expectations are that the suffering of the poor will increase and that the circle of poverty will widen because, according to the World Bank Libya will “be forced into ad hoc adjustments necessary to stave off crisis” from depleting its foreign exchange reserves if “the current pace of public spending in a context of conflict and insecurity” continues.
October 17th is an opportunity to remind Libyan officials and decision-makers to make efforts to take into account the rights of the poor and those affected by the conflicts and wars that have left thousands of internally displaced people, destruction of infrastructure and neighborhoods, and the spread of corruption and laid waste of resources, the most important of which human resources, thousands of young people killed and injured.
On this occasion, we, the undersigned organizations, call on the government and all political parties to urgently seek a solution to the conflict and end the political divide, in order to ensure macroeconomic stability and embark on a comprehensive program to rebuild economic and social infrastructure and related institutions.
Building a sustainable future requires us to intensify our efforts towards eradicating extreme poverty and discrimination, and ensuring that everyone can fully exercise their human rights. The full participation of people living in poverty, particularly in the decisions that affect their lives and communities, must be at the centre of policies and strategies to build a sustainable future. In this way, we can guarantee that our planet and our societies can fulfil the needs and aspirations of everyone, for current and future generations.
List of names of organizations:
- جمعية الثائرات، طبرق،
- منظمة مدافعات، بنغازي،
- جمعية النهضة درنة، درنة،
- حقوقيين بلا قيود، بنغازي،
- جمعية شباب وعطاء، سبها،
- جمعية نور الحياة، طرابلس،
- منظمة أصدقاء اللجوء، سبها،
- منظمة نساء الطوارق، أوباري،
- منظمة نبض الحياة، بني وليد،
- منظمة صوت المهاجر، الزاوية،
- جمعيه الميدان الخيرية، طبرق،
- الشراكة المجتمعية بطبرق، طبرق،
- منظمة دار السلام لطفولة، طبرق،
- منظمة أربن للتوجه المدني، الكفرة،
- منظمة جيل ونماء الشبابية، طرابلس،
- جمعية تبينوا لحقوق الإنسان، نالوت،
- الاتحاد النسائي الليبي بالجنوب، سبها،
- منظمة البريق لحقوق الطفل، طرابلس،
- المركز الليبي لحرية الصحافة، طرابلس،
- المنظمة الليبية للشباب والتنمية، درنه،
- مؤسسة وفاء للإغاثة والتنمية، طرابلس،
- مؤسسة بلادي لحقوق الإنسان، صبراتة،
- منظمة النصير لحقوق الإنسان، طرابلس،
- المؤسسة الليبية لحقوق الإنسان، طبرق،
- المركز الدولي اتش دي ميديا طبرق، طبرق،
- منظمة التضامن لحقوق الإنسان، طرابلس،
- شبكة اوهارد لحقوق الإنسان، مكتب ليبيا،
- جمعية روح الثورة للأعمال الخيرية، طبرق،
- فرقة نسيم الحياة للفنون والمسرح، طبرق،
- جمعية حكمة النساء للمرأة والثقافة، الكفرة،
- المركز الاستشاري لحقوق الإنسان، طرابلس،
- المنظمة المستقلة لحقوق الإنسان، مصراتة،
- منظمة ضياء السلام لرعاية الطفولة، الجفرة،
- منظمة شباب الطوارق للحوار والمناظرة، سبها،
- جمعية مدى يد العون للأعمال الخيرية، الكفرة،
- جمعية انا ليبي للأعمال الخيرية والتنمية، طبرق،
- المنظمة العربية الدولية لحقـــــوق المرأة، طرابلس،
- جمعية بادر للأعمال الخيرية والتنمية والتوعية، طبرق،
- جمعية الفنيق للدراسات الميدانية والاستكشافية، طبرق،
- المنظمة الليبية للعمل الاجتماعي والثقافي والتنمية، طبرق،
- منظمة انطلق للتنمية المستدامة لحقوق الطفل، طرابلس،
- جمعية الدرصاف للأعمال الخيرية التوعوية التنموية، طبرق،
- منظمة مهاجر للهجرة غير القانونية وشؤون النازحين، الكفرة،
- منظمة الابتسامة للأعمال الخيرية والتوعوية والثقافية، طبرق،
- مؤسسة تارتيت للبناء والتطوير والتنمية البشرية، سبها وأوباري،
- جمعية المنظمة خطوة بخطوة لسيادة القانون وحقوق الانسان، سبها،
[i] United Nations: “Convention on the Rights of the Child”. This landmark human rights treaty sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.
[ii] United Nations: “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty”.
[iii] United Nations: “UN General Assembly Resolution Nr. 196/47”, 22nd December 1992.
[iv] The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to 17 October 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. These convictions are inscribed in a commemorative stone unveiled on this day. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on October 17th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor.
[v] United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA): “Arab Multidimensional Poverty Report”, publication in 2017, page 6.
[vi] World Bank: “Libya: Statistics & Charts”
[vii] World Bank: “Libya’s Economic Outlook – April 2018”, 16th April 2018.
