Reducing the number of people in extreme poverty was the theme that dominated the first day of the Ministerial Forum for Development, which is attached to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). At the opening of the event on May 29, the former Chilean Planning Minister, Clarisa Hardy, highlighted that in the last decade 51 million people in Latin America came out of extreme poverty - people with an income of less than US$ 1.75 per day.

28 million people have left the extreme poverty classification in Brazil in the nine years of the Family Grant Program, according to the Minister for Social Development, Tereza Campello. She said that a country is only strong when it reduces socio-economic inequalities.

"We were only able to remove these 28 million people [from extreme poverty], not just through economic growth, but also because the Brazilian government has constructed public policies that effectively ensure the [social] inclusion of millions of Brazilians", said Tereza Campello.

The Minister cited five points that she considers should be highlighted in the advancement of public policies in Brazil: the reduction of rates of unemployment, increase in the minimum wage, strengthening family agriculture, universal access to health and education services, and a secure income. Currently more than 43 million families receive government benefits. "We [the government] have brought income, but we want to bring services to improve and train the poorer population", she said.

The meeting of the Ministerial Forum will continue through to next Thursday (May 31), with participation from 30 Latin America, Caribbean and African countries. The meeting is being held at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), in Brasilia. It is the first time that the forum has taken place outside the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.

 

Source: 
Agência Brasil