The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, together with other United Nations agencies, marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty every year in partnership with numerous organizations, particularly the International Committee for October 17, and with people experiencing poverty and those working alongside them to build a world without poverty.
Every year, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty provides an opportunity to recognize the efforts and struggles of people living in poverty, to ensure that their concerns are heard by the United Nations and its Member States, and to encourage the world to recognize that they are at the forefront of the fight against poverty. Today, the poorest people are also among those most severely affected by epidemics and climate change.
Under the 2026–2028 theme, “United for Peace and Human Rights,” this year’s observance highlights the close links between poverty, human rights, and peace. The theme emphasizes that peace is about more than the absence of conflict. It also depends on justice, social protection, the meaningful participation of everyone, and respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.
The 2026 theme, “Safe Homes for All,” draws attention to the right to adequate housing as a foundation for a life of dignity. Worldwide, up to 3.4 billion people live in inadequate housing conditions, with those already experiencing poverty and exclusion being the hardest hit.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2026
On October 16, 2026, ATD Fourth World will join people experiencing poverty, United Nations representatives, and international partners at UN Headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This year’s gathering will highlight the importance of safe housing and the essential role of people with lived experience of poverty in building a more just world.
The International Movement ATD Fourth World, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the International Committee for October 17, and the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations invite participants to mark the 34th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty under the overarching theme “United for Peace and Human Rights,” with a particular focus on “Safe Homes for All.”
The commemoration will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, followed by an observance at the Commemorative Stone in Honor of the Victims of Extreme Poverty, located on the North Lawn of the United Nations Gardens.
Safe housing is a fundamental human right
For millions of families around the world, finding and maintaining safe, secure, and affordable housing remains a daily challenge. Forced displacement, extreme poverty, and the increasing commercialization of housing prevent many people from accessing the stability and security they need to live in dignity.
Yet a home is more than a roof and four walls. It is a place where families can feel safe, nurture relationships, raise children, and build their futures without fear. Without secure housing, accessing education, healthcare, employment, and meaningful participation in community life becomes more difficult.
The theme “Safe Homes for All” calls for housing policies that recognize housing as a fundamental human right and are developed in partnership with the people and families most affected by housing insecurity. Their knowledge, experiences, and aspirations must be recognized as essential to developing effective and just solutions.
Giving a central place to people with lived experience of extreme poverty
The commemoration in the ECOSOC Chamber will bring together people with lived experience of poverty, United Nations representatives, and international partners. Together, they will reflect on the relationship between housing, human rights, and the eradication of poverty.
The event will be hosted by Bani Dugal and Thunny Brown, who will welcome participants and guide them through the program.
The opening remarks will be delivered by Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Her contribution will situate the commemoration within the broader context of the UN’s work on international cooperation and sustainable development.
A central moment of the program will feature contributions from ATD Fourth World activists from different parts of the world. Saskia Jacobs, from Belgium; Patrick Lubin and Julissy Acosta, from New York; and Jean Kabonyi, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who will address participants via video message, will share perspectives grounded in their experiences of poverty and their commitment to social change.
Their testimonies will underscore a fundamental principle of ATD Fourth World: people experiencing poverty must be recognized as full participants in the decisions that affect their lives. Their knowledge and experience are indispensable to developing policies that respond to the realities faced by families and communities.
The program will also feature Claudia Fuentes Julio, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Her contribution will bring a human rights perspective to the discussion and emphasize the importance of recognizing and protecting the dignity and fundamental rights of everyone, including those experiencing extreme poverty.
Remy Sietchiping, Deputy Director of the UN-Habitat Liaison Office in New York, will present the perspective of UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency responsible for sustainable urban development and human settlements. His participation is particularly relevant to this year’s focus on ensuring access to safe housing for all and the need to place adequate housing at the heart of efforts to build inclusive communities.
Marcelo Lafleur, Senior Economic Affairs Officer at UN DESA, will also participate. He will bring an economic and policy perspective to discussions on poverty eradication and the barriers that prevent people from accessing secure and stable housing.
The commemoration in the ECOSOC Chamber will conclude with remarks by Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations. France is one of the event’s partners, alongside ATD Fourth World, UN DESA, and the International Committee for October 17.
A musical performance of Somewhere, from West Side Story, by Laura Iniesta Mingot, accompanied on piano by McQuay Morton, will enrich the gathering and offer a moment of reflection on the shared aspiration for a world in which everyone can live in peace and dignity.
By bringing together activists, human rights representatives, housing specialists, economists, and diplomatic partners, the commemoration will provide an opportunity to connect lived experience of poverty with international commitments.
The challenge is not simply to recognize the right to housing, but to ensure that people and families experiencing poverty are involved in shaping the policies and solutions intended to make that right a reality.
Remembering the victims of extreme poverty
Following the commemoration in the ECOSOC Chamber, participants will gather at the Commemorative Stone in Honor of the Victims of Extreme Poverty on the North Lawn of the United Nations Gardens.
As a place of remembrance and solidarity, the Stone invites everyone to acknowledge the suffering caused by extreme poverty and to renew their commitment to eradicating it.
The ceremony will include remarks by Donald Lee, President of ATD Fourth World; readings of the inscription on the Stone in the six official languages of the United Nations; a minute of silence; a musical performance of Siyahamba by a choir; and a symbolic gesture.
This moment of collective reflection connects the challenges faced by people experiencing poverty today with our responsibility to ensure that future generations can live free from extreme poverty, exclusion, and discrimination.