International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is globally marked on October 17.
This year, citizens of Serbia welcome this date with fresh statistical data showing that the poverty risk rate has decreased by 0.3 percent over the past year, in 2023.
By as much as 0.3 percent. Despite this result for our economy, one in five residents of Serbia is still at risk of poverty.
The question that the A 11 Initiative persistently raises is why does our government ignore the existence (and even every mention) of poverty in society? Why is the most basic right we seek considered a luxury?
“Economic and social rights are viewed as a cost or a list of nice but expensive wishes, rather than as resources. Thus, we witness a constant erosion of rights that are essential for our daily lives – the right to healthcare, food, housing, and, in times of need, the right to rely on society through the social protection system. A spiral of wrong moves is set in motion by the distorted perception of decision-makers who are a key factor in formulating the current normative and institutional frameworks for combating poverty,” says our legal advisor, Uroš Ranđelović.
You can read his piece on the perception of poverty in Serbia, in honor of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, on the Peščanik website.
Our struggle for a life in dignity, a roof over every single head, a living wage, and access to public services that belong to us – continues. Follow the A 11 Initiative team on this journey.