Every year, October 17 marks an international mobilisation to give a voice to those who struggle every day against poverty. The theme chosen for this day does not result from a decision made by a small group: it emerges from the words of hundreds of people, including people experiencing poverty, from all around the world.
A global consultation to bring out a collective voice
At the beginning of February, a questionnaire was sent by the Forum, on behalf of the International Committee for October 17, to gather contributions on the theme of the World Day for Overcoming Poverty. In previous years, a main theme had been chosen for a two-year cycle covering the period 2024–2025: “Ending social and institutional maltreatment”.
For the period 2026–2028, the choice was made to adopt a long-term main theme, accompanied by a specific sub-theme for 2026.
The summary of this consultation process is now available. It is the result of a large-scale process designed to ensure that the selected themes are rooted in lived experiences, struggles and concrete reflections. This approach is unique: it is the people directly affected by poverty, as well as those who walk alongside them, who identify what matters, what causes harm, what resists and what enables people to stand firm.
We did not simply collect opinions. We listened to stories. We heard calls for solidarity, proposals, anger and hopes. And we took these words seriously.
Voices from around the world: a wealth of experiences and proposals
This consultation gathered 100 individual and collective contributions from 29 different countries. Participants also shared longer contributions than in the previous year, with an average of 770 words per contribution, compared with 470 words in 2025.
The document first presents proposals for the main themes for the period 2026–2028. The contributions highlight several major concerns: human dignity, human rights, peace, the environment, access to basic needs and the necessity of building fairer societies.
Participants also explained the reasons behind their choices. Their contributions remind us that dignity is the foundation of human rights, that these rights are universal and interdependent, and that the fight against poverty requires collective mobilisation. They also highlight the profound consequences of poverty, conflicts, exclusion and inequalities.
From dignity to rights: understanding poverty through lived realities
A significant part of the consultation focuses on the words of Joseph Wresinski engraved on the Trocadéro Stone on 17 October 1987:
“Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated…”
The contributions show that poverty is not merely a material hardship: it represents a systemic violation of human rights and dignity. They describe realities marked by inadequate housing, exclusion, insecurity, stigmatisation and a lack of recognition of the voices of those directly concerned.
The discussions also helped deepen understanding of the principles associated with fundamental human rights: their universal, inalienable, interdependent and indivisible nature. The testimonies reveal the gap that still exists between these principles and lived realities. When one right is denied or weakened, it is often the ability to exercise all other rights that becomes more difficult.
The contributions also emphasise the essential role of people living in poverty as agents of change. Their participation in public policies, recognition of their experiential knowledge and the creation of spaces where their voices can be heard appear to be indispensable conditions for building appropriate responses.
The proposals put forward call in particular for transforming systems that produce inequalities, ensuring the participation of those concerned and strengthening spaces for dialogue, solidarity and co-construction.
Safe Homes for All: lessons from the 2026 sub-theme
The consultation then examined the 2026 sub-theme, focusing on housing, the meaning of home and the right to inhabit the Earth.
The contributions remind us that decent housing is not simply a roof over one’s head: it is an essential condition for security, stability, health, belonging and social participation. They also highlight the close links between social justice and climate justice.
The realities of homelessness and inadequate housing are described as violations of human rights. Participants highlight their multiple causes — poverty, conflicts, disasters, inequalities, discrimination and shortcomings in public policies — as well as their consequences for people’s dignity and security.
The consultation made it possible to compare different possible formulations of the 2026 sub-theme. The “right to housing” appears as a concrete and legally recognised formulation; the “right to a home” places greater emphasis on the human, emotional and social dimensions of housing; the “right to inhabit the Earth” opens a broader reflection on the dignity of every person and on the relationship between human beings and their environment.
Other proposals also emerged around decent housing, home, living environments and access to land and its resources. They incorporate essential dimensions: sustainability, inclusion, security, legal recognition, equity and collective commitment.
The obstacles identified are numerous: the housing crisis, poverty, discrimination, lack of information, institutional failures, conflicts and environmental challenges. The proposed solutions are based on inclusive policies, support, participation of those concerned and structural transformations.
From words to action: building the 17 October mobilisations together
The consultation also explores the links between dignity and human rights through concrete experiences. The contributions highlight the importance of listening, respect, housing, education, work and justice, affirming that dignity must guide public policies and collective actions.
They also show that the notion of “home” goes far beyond simply owning or having access to housing. It includes security, health, access to essential services, social participation, land justice and environmental protection.
Particular attention was given to the conditions needed to encourage collective contributions, especially those of people with direct experience of poverty. The needs expressed include meeting spaces, accessible digital tools, adapted materials, awareness-raising activities and mechanisms allowing all voices to participate.
The proposals for 17 October celebrations emphasise the central role of the voices of those concerned: testimonies, visual and digital materials, media, gatherings, cultural activities and educational initiatives are all ways to encourage dialogue, information-sharing and collective commitment.
Finally, the video conferences organised with participants provided several lessons for future consultations. The discussions highlight the importance of prioritising concrete action, simplifying processes and providing shorter, more accessible and better-adapted documents in order to facilitate everyone’s participation.
A living summary, a foundation for the future
As every year, this summary exercise seeks above all to respect the words entrusted to us, as they were expressed, without overinterpreting them.
We have brought together ideas where possible, while ensuring that space remains for individual voices, sometimes from minorities, which provide essential perspectives. This document is not a position statement: it aims to be a mirror, a relay and a foundation for continuing reflection and preparing together the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
What this consultation reveals is a collective reflection built from lived experience, far removed from preconceived ideas. It invites us to listen differently, understand differently and act differently.
It reminds us that the voices of the poorest people are an essential source of knowledge and transformation. We therefore invite everyone, as an actor or partner of the Forum on Overcoming Extreme Poverty, to take ownership of this document in order to build the initiatives for October 17.
More than a fixed report, this summary is a living tool. It can support local discussions, training sessions, awareness campaigns and collective approaches, by providing valuable insight rooted in lived realities.
Because the fight against poverty begins with listening, this consultation reminds us that people experiencing poverty are not only affected by solutions: they are essential actors in creating them.