Poverty: a question of human rights

According to Louise Arbour, former Canadian Supreme Court judge, "…poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world." Arbour is now the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and her comments about poverty and human rights frame this year’s recognition of International Human Rights Day.

Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on December 10. It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In her remarks about poverty and human rights, Louise Arbour makes the connection between the two in plain and simple terms: "Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime…Poverty eradication is an achievable goal."

Unfortunately, many do not see elimination of poverty as a realistic goal or even as a human rights issue. Rather it is often perceived as tragic but inevitable, and even as the responsibility of those who suffer it. At best those living in poverty — countries and individuals — are portrayed as unfortunate, at worst as lazy and undeserving.

For Arbour and others, it is better to see poverty as a cause and a product of human rights violations. It is this double edge that makes poverty probably the gravest human rights challenge in the world. On reflection, the links between human rights and poverty are clear: people whose rights are denied — victims of discrimination or persecution, for example — are more likely to be poor. Generally they find it harder or impossible to participate in the labour market and have little or no access to basic services and resources. Meanwhile, the poor in many societies cannot enjoy their rights to education, health and housing simply because they cannot afford them. And poverty affects all human rights: for example, low income can prevent people from accessing education – an "economic and social" right – which in turn inhibits their participation in public life – a "civil and political" right – and their ability to influence policies affecting them.

Governments and others in authority now have a duty to tackle the problem of poverty; it is no longer a matter for charity alone. By signing on to international agreements such as the Millennium Declaration, they have committed to make poverty history.

But the task of overcoming poverty is not to be left to government alone. All of us can play a role. Visit the Make Poverty History website to see what others are doing and how you can help.