International Charter for October 17

World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty

Proclaimed by the United Nations as
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

June 2013

International Charter for October 17

World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
Proclaimed by the United Nations as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

On October 17, 1987, one hundred thousand

people from all backgrounds responded to a
call from Joseph Wresinski to come together
in Paris to celebrate the first World Day for
Overcoming Extreme Poverty at the Plaza of
Human Rights and Liberties, where the
historic Universal Declaration of Human
Rights was signed in 1948.
The declaration engraved on the
Commemorative Stone unveiled that day
recognizes the dire and unacceptable
situation faced by people experiencing
extreme poverty, violence and hunger around
the world. It proclaims that extreme poverty
is a violation of human rights and affirms the
need for all people to unite to ensure that
these rights are respected.
People living in extreme poverty are
active defenders of human rights, and the
World Day recognizes their daily
commitments, undertaken with others, to
defend and respect the dignity of every
person. The World Day demonstrates that
change is possible through the new and
enduring meeting opportunities it creates,
and
the
new
responsibilities
and
commitments for eradicating poverty that
such meetings encourage and generate.
On December 22, 1992, the General
Assembly of the United Nations declared
October 17 the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty.[1] Since then,
Governments, local authorities, members of
civil society and the private sector have
recognized the importance of October 17 and

the International Day has become a key

rallying point for a growing number of
citizens
of
all
backgrounds,
and
organizations of all kinds, in the fight to
eradicate extreme poverty.
In 2006, the United Nations General
Assembly welcomed the report of the United
Nations General Secretary on the
Observance of the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty.[2] This report
recognizes the importance of the effective
participation of persons living in extreme
poverty, especially with regard to the
conceptualization,
development,
implementation and evaluation of policies
and projects against extreme poverty, and
identifies ways to promote the mobilization
of all stakeholders in the fight against
extreme poverty. In particular, it highlights
the need for an approach based on human
rights.
Indeed, the International Day places
human rights at the very heart of the fight
against poverty and thereby affirms the need
for the effective recognition, protection and
observance of human rights and their
indivisibility.
With the growing global recognition
of October 17 comes the necessity and
responsibility to ensure that the original
message, meaning, purpose and intent of the
Day are respected and preserved in
accordance with the guidelines provided in
the following Charter.

THEREFORE, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR OCTOBER 17 CALLS

UPON ALL GOVERNMENTS, CITIZENS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO OBSERVE
THIS DAY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FOLLOWING GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
I. Respect the Spirit of the Day
1. The Day is a gathering for peace and human dignity in the spirit of the declaration
engraved on the commemorative stone in honour of the victims of extreme poverty on
Trocadero Square in Paris, France, which reads:
On October 17, 1987, defenders of human rights and citizens of all countries
gathered together on this square. They paid tribute to the victims of hunger,
ignorance and violence. They expressed their conviction that extreme poverty is
not inevitable. They proclaimed their solidarity with those struggling around the
world to destroy it.
Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human
rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is
our solemn duty.
(Father Joseph Wresinski)
2. The Day provides opportunities to promote meetings that would not normally happen in
everyday life, between the poorest and other citizens, around a common desire and
commitment to eradicate extreme poverty. It is a time of dialogue and reflection for all who
come together, as well as a learning experience for those who are unaware of the situation of
people living in poverty.
3. The Day must recognize and respect the equal dignity of everyone. Recognizing that the
poorest are often the victims of all forms of violence everywhere in the world, it is a time to
refrain from any show of force or violence when we gather together in solidarity with people
living in poverty.
4. The Day should include or reflect the commitments and contributions of people fighting
extreme poverty on a daily basis. It should include speeches, testimonies and other
contributions from the poorest as integral parts of any gathering or initiative. Everyone's
contribution must be clearly identified and given equal importance in the dialogue, project,
workshop or other initiative that takes place on the Day. The speeches, testimonies and other
contributions from the poorest generate and record valuable knowledge that serves as a critical
source of knowledge for better understanding and action.
5. The Day is meant to promote and demonstrate mutual understanding, solidarity and the
shared responsibility of all individuals and groups from different backgrounds, working in
close collaboration with people living in poverty. Therefore, the preparations leading up to the
celebration of the Day should be a process that continues throughout the year.
6. The Day symbolizes the daily struggle of those who live in extreme poverty and is the
moment when they can freely express their dignity and daily struggle for independence from
public or private assistance. For this reason, there should not be any overt acts of charity,
expressions of pity or offers to provide or strengthen assistance to people living in poverty.
7. The Day reminds us that the poorest are often forced to live in shame. Therefore,
organizers must ensure that all activities undertaken on this occasion as well as all messages,
press releases and recorded media (texts, photographs, films, videos, etc.) respect the dignity
of people living in poverty who are at the heart of this gathering.

II. Objective of the Day

8. To gather together citizens and institutions, public and private, to express their rejection of
extreme poverty through, but not limited to, the following means:
meeting, talking and interacting with people in poverty;
demonstrating solidarity with people in poverty, including those who are absent or fear to
participate;
expressing why and how to reach the poorest people throughout the year, especially those
absent because they are too crushed by poverty;
educating and mobilizing all stakeholders men, women, children, young and old. In
this regard, it is important to educate children and youth in human rights and the fight
against poverty by mobilizing the educational system, media and movements of children
and young people. To give them the opportunity to express their refusal that other children
or young people are rejected and left out of everybody future;
inviting philosophical, spiritual and religious bodies to share how they are trying to reach
the poorest by focusing on them in their projects and activities;
enabling every citizen participating either individually or through an organization, to
express its solidarity and to renew its commitment to unite in a common struggle, by
doing a gesture significant in the culture of his country and respecting the spirit of Day;
giving an international dimension to the celebration of the Day by reading texts from
people who live in poverty in other countries, showing their relationship beyond borders.
This can be done by seeking the cooperation and support of representatives of the
international community; and
raising public visibility to the Day through the mutually respectful participation of
representatives of government agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society
groups, media and the private sector.
III. Proposed guidelines to achieve these objectives
9. Celebrate the Day in places that recall and highlight the often ignored history of the
poorest or that honour and respect the victims of poverty. This could be, for example, at the
Trocadero Commemorative Stone and its replicas across the world or in places of significance
for each country, such as places where very poor families have lived.
10. Honour the victims of extreme poverty by reaffirming the link between poverty and
human rights, by reading the text of the Commemorative Stone [3] and the I bear witness to
you [4] and by observing a moment of silence following the reading of these texts.
11. Recall the history of the Day, in particular its origins as an initiative of the poorest, in all
documents, invitations and calls to gather, and fully recognize the role of all organizations
and people involved in this project.
12. Link the Day to the realities at the local level, and promote links to the realities at the
international level through the use of common tools and the mutual sharing of contributions.

IV. Misuse of the Day

13. This Day is not meant to be used as an opportunity to promote elected officials, political
parties, public or private organizations, personalities, policies, programmes, initiatives and
public or personal causes other than those directly related to the Day. Therefore, the Day
should not be used as a
forum for people with political, administrative or associative responsibilities, even if they
are encouraged to generate policy changes;
platform or venue to claims or personal publicity, or for public or private organizations to
publicize, disseminate or claim what they do for the poorest;
place where people living in poverty come to display their situation of distress in front of
others; or
forum for associations or organizations, without the equal participation of the poorest.
V. Framework of Organizing Committees
14. The Organizing Committees may be created at the local and national levels and it is not a
requirement that these Committees be legally recognized associations or organizations nor are
they required to operate within a legally recognized association or organization.
15. In keeping with the spirit of the Day, local and national committees should be composed
of individuals and groups from all backgrounds who come together to organize the celebration
on October 17. Their members are invited to work together throughout the year.
16. Organizing Committees should be free committees with no membership fees or other
contributions. Each member participates within the limits of their available financial, human
and other material resources.
17. Committees should undertake to uphold the principles and abide by the guidelines
provided in the International Charter for October 17. Each member should be encouraged to
sign this Charter as a demonstration of their personal commitment to uphold the general
principles to respect the deep meaning of the October 17 celebration.
18. To the extent possible, after taking into account their local and national conditions,
Organizing Committees should strive to relate and connect their celebration with the
international theme of the Day.

VI. Recording and sharing of knowledge and experiences

19. All Organizing Committees are invited to exchange information with and submit questions
and suggestions to the International Committee for October 17, in order to promote
international links and mutual support among themselves.
20. All Organizing Committees are also invited to submit a report on their celebration each
year, together with relevant texts, photos, videos and articles. Where possible, Committees are
also invited to submit an annual report on their activities.
21. All Organizing Committees are further invited to utilize the website devoted to October 17
which provides news and information on events and celebrations which are being organized
around the world. This site, which is maintained by the International Committee, provides free
access to tools as well as documents and other resources on the history of the World Day for
Overcoming Extreme Poverty. This site is also meant to promote, support and facilitate
connections and interactions among the many diverse people, groups and organizations who
work every day to overcome extreme poverty.

Notes
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

United Nations General Assembly, 93rd Plenary Meeting. "Resolution 47/196.

Observance of an international day for the eradication of poverty (A/RES/47/196).
22 December 1992.
United Nations, Report of the Secretary-General on observance of the international
day for the eradication of poverty (A/61/308). 5 September 2006.
The text can be found at http://overcomingpoverty.org/article/commemorative-stone
The text can be found at http://overcomingpoverty.org/article/i-bear-witness-to-you

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