Message with reference to international day of poverty eradication

Navid Ahmed Shaikh

Vice-Chair, Committee of the Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development (GPPAD)

Secretary, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety, Government of Pakistan 

People living in poverty do not lack talent or potential; they lack the opportunities, resources and support to realize it. Poverty is therefore, not a lack of potential, but a lack of opportunity.

Poverty eradication is not a one-time achievement or a final destination. Hard-won progress can be reversed by a single major shock. Building resilient social protection systems is therefore essential to help people escape poverty, safeguard their gains and sustain progress—a system that bends, but does not break.