It has often been pointed out that poverty is at the root of the many problems facing children around the globe. Poverty is one of the chief obstacles to implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It leads to violations of children's rights such as infant mortality, malnutrition, undue suffering from easily preventable diseases, sexual exploitation, HIV/AIDS, use of children in armed conflict, exploitation of child labor, homelessness, and educational deprivation.

It is also widely recognized that the gap between rich and poor countries - and between the rich and poor within both developed and developing countries - is ever widening. It is clear that, more than ever, the eradication of poverty needs to be a part of every effort to build a better world for children. This effort is a central priority for the GNRC.

Poverty has a spiritual dimension
GNRC members understand poverty not only as a complex, socio-economic phenomenon, but also recognize that it has a spiritual dimension.

Empowering individuals
The GNRC makes a special effort to be inclusive of people from marginalized sectors in society in its meetings and programs. Many GNRC programs directly seek to empower the poor to change their own societies. For instance, street children are the primary actors in the GNRC Africa’s Education for Peace program and Youth Peace Clubs. Through programs like these, people who may have had very little support before are empowered not only in the fight against their own poverty, but also enabled to address other pressing social issues like war and urban violence.

Transforming social structures
For the GNRC, addressing spiritual poverty is just as important as fighting material poverty. GNRC members believe that religious leaders and communities have a special role to play in establishing the conditions needed for a real transition to greater economic equality for people around the world. The GNRC’s unique interfaith approach to ethics education for children also targets the reduction of poverty by empowering young people to bring greater economic justice to their communities today. These young people will also be the primary actors in building the compassionate societies of the future. Learn more about the activities of the youth of the GNRC at the GNRC youth site.

The theme of poverty eradication is a part of many regional GNRC initiatives. More information is available from the “Regional Networks” menu above.

Also see the GNRC paper, “The Approach of Religious People to the Eradication of Poverty,”  which discusses the GNRC’s unique potential to contribute to the eradication of poverty.