The ‘International Day for the Eradication of Poverty’ is very important for GCAP as it aligns with our global strategy and objective. The new GCAP with a renewed mandate commits itself to work towards not only eradicating poverty but to also fight rising inequality with new vigour and commitment.The presence of poverty, insecurity and inequalities continues to be a scandal in a world where knowledge and resources exist to ensure healthy and dignified lives for all. While a few consume in an extremely unsustainable manner and accumulate soaring wealth, billions of others have no access to adequate food, safe drinking water, proper sanitation, housing, health, education, security and justice.

Women, children and socially excluded people still comprise the vast majority of people living in poverty and face harsh discrimination – and often violence – on a daily basis. It is also worrying that women lack economic empowerment and social protection and continue to live in a context that places them in a situation of vulnerability to violence patriarchy both in home and in society. Furthermore, today, marginalization is seen everywhere – from the poorest to the richest countries. Large-scale migration, displacements and the sharp increase in the number of refugees – resulting from poverty, conflicts and environmental degradation – is an alarming result of these trends. A lack of adequate financial market regulation – as well as the inter-linkages between financial markets and international commodity and food prices – could lead to new global crises affecting food, energy access and livelihoods.

Demographic trends will create new challenges with increased population and different distribution of age groups. As GCAP our current focus is on gender equality and social exclusion, role and accountability of private sector, redistribution and climate justice. We manifest our commitment once again to the pursuit of equality and justice, eradication of poverty, favoring inclusion, the right to decent work and respect for human rights.

In the era of the SDGs, GCAP will continue as a global campaign and advocacy platform that harnesses the energies of strong grassroots-based national coalitions and constituency groups, especially in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It will continue to challenge institutions – mainly states and private corporations – to hold them accountable for the inequalities perpetuated by their ‘business as usual’ models of development, which include high fossil fuel-based growth, excessive consumption and production patterns, gender discrimination and trickle-down economics.

Through this statement, we call the world leaders to work towards fulfilling their promise made under the ‘Agenda 2030’ and the ‘Paris Climate Agreement’ and steer the world into an era of sustainable consumption and production by fixing accountability of both the public and private institutions and giving civil society and citizens the space to raise their legitimate voice for an inclusive world, justice for people and the planet.

Beckie Malay, Salina Sanou and Riccardo Moro

Co-Chairs, GCAP