International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated on October 17 each year. The 2011 theme is “Only A Development That Includes Everyone Is Sustainable.”

More than a decade into the 21st century, the continued existence of poverty despite decades of anti-poverty programs, have led specialists to the conclusion that poverty is more complex than initially imagined.

They have acknowledged that income poverty is only one feature of a highly complex occurrence. Poverty facts and statistics show that most of humanity lives on just a few dollars a day and whether you live in the wealthiest nations of the world or the poorest, the high levels of inequality are seen. Poverty is the state for the majority of the world’s peoples and nations.

The relation of poverty to progress is the great question of our time. The poor live without the basic freedom and choices others take for granted. They often lack adequate food, shelter, education, and health which keep them from leading normal lives. Powerless to influence key decisions affecting their lives, the poor are exposed to diseases, economic dislocation, and natural disasters.

Poverty remains the most pressing issue facing many parts of the world. Global poverty reduction strategies are expected to provide the stimulus to combat poverty in all aspects, fostering growth, social development, and good governance to boost incomes and opportunities that many in richer countries take for granted.