World Vision Lao shows solidarity with the world’s poor

Thousands of Vientiane residents gathered to show their solidarity with the world’s poor by taking part in a mass walk around the Patuxay monument. The event marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the 8th anniversary of National Week for the Eradication of Poverty in Laos on Oct 22, 2011.

Mr Bounheuang Douangphachanh, Minister of Prime Minister Office said that the event showed the solidarity of the Lao people towards the poor not only in this country but around the world, poverty and hunger being a global concern. The event was first commemorated in Paris, France in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered to recognize the victims of poverty and hunger.

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated worldwide on the 17th day of October. In 2003, the Lao government has declared October 17-24 as national week for Poverty Eradication. Since then the anniversary of the occasion has been marked annually. World Vision Lao works alongside the government, United Nations (UN) agencies, and other organizations in implementing poverty eradication initiatives through the Area Development Programmes (ADPs).

Based on the 8th National Congress in 2006 report, the number of poor people living in Laos has been steadily declining over the past five years. The Party determined directives and issued policies to address poverty reduction so that Laos can graduate from the UN’s list of least developed countries by 2020. By 2015, the government aims to have fulfilled all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Laos has a total of 142 districts of which, prior to 2005, 72 were considered poor and 47 classified as being in absolute poverty, with 80 percent of the population living in rural areas and some scattered in remote areas.

According to the National Committee for Rural Development and Poverty Reduction report, the number of poor families decreased from 300,000 to 160,000 from 2001-2005. The demographic figures in relation to poverty have decreased from 39 to 28.7 percent. The poverty rate continued to fall between 2005 and 2010, from 28.7 to 26 percent, and the government expects the rate to drop to 15 percent by 2015.

On behalf of Lao government he also appreciates World Vision Lao’s work is supporting the government’s goal by working in 36 out of the 72 poor districts in five provinces namely: Luangprabang, Bolikhamxay, Khammouane, Savannakhet, and Champasack. Mr. Grant Power, the Operations Director of World Vision Lao stressed that World Vision is now a key partner with Lao government and supports Laos’s effort to make progress in reducing poverty.

Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of UN, in his message marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, says that although great progress has been made against poverty, today those gains are in doubt. “Too many people are living in fear: fear of losing their jobs; fear of not being able to feed their families; fear of being trapped forever in poverty, deprived of the human rights to live with health and dignity and hope for the future.”

However, he believes that we can overcome the challenges we face, namely the economic crisis, climate change, rising costs of food and energy, and the effects of natural disasters.