Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Domestic

‘A concerted effort needed to fight poverty’ |17 October 2019

‘A concerted effort needed to fight poverty’

Minister Larue

“We can only succeed in the fight against poverty through a concerted effort,” the Minister for Family Affairs, Mitcy Larue, has said.

The minister said this in her message on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty being celebrated today, October 17.

The full text of Minister Larue’s message reads:

“Today, October 17, the world commemorates the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

“This year, the day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Acting together to empower children, their families and communities to end poverty’. Particular emphasis is being put on the participation of children in society, as a process and not as a one-off event in order to ensure their involvement in decision-making.

“On this day, the Ministry of Family Affairs, in particular the department of poverty alleviation, along with all other partners in poverty alleviation, take the opportunity to renew the country’s effort and engagement to alleviate poverty in Seychelles.

“It is also the opportunity to appreciate all the effort that is being made to lessen poverty in our country. Since the creation of the poverty alleviation department in October 2016, about five thousand households have been visited by its officers, with more than one thousand consequent anti-poverty interventions concluded. However, there is unfortunately some families and individuals that remain in the poverty trap. We must continue in our endeavour to identify those remaining cases of poverty and intervene on their behalf in order to ensure that no one is left behind.

“However, in spite of continued government and civil society effort, we must remember that ending poverty starts with an individual initiative. I therefore strongly call on everyone concerned to wake up and find ways of improving your daily livelihood and that of others, particularly through education, employment and your participation in society. The first and best form of empowerment is self-empowerment.

“For many years we have been addressing the issue of poverty mainly through monetary measures and by ensuring that everyone embraces a respectable standard of living. Following the launch of the Seychelles Multidimensional Policy Index in July 2019, we have moved into a new phase by addressing poverty from a multidisciplinary approach which includes all forms of poverty namely housing, health, education, employment, sanitation, infrastructure and access to services. This multidimensional approach calls for the collaboration of all partners and engagement of all families and the community as a whole. We can only succeed in the fight against poverty through a concerted effort.

“Today also provides me with the opportunity to salute the hard work done by everyone involved in touching the lives of our needy citizens in a discrete but positive way. I say a big thank you to government departments and organisations, NGOs, religious and charitable organisations as well as devoted individuals for their quest to empower the community and to stop poverty.

“May we always be united in this noble endeavour.”

More news