“On the part of non-governmental organizations and civil society, a major impact of the International Day [for the Eradication of Poverty] has been its empowerment of poor people. The International Day provides an important opportunity for people living in poverty to be visible, to have voice and to provide their testimonies on one day of the year. People living in poverty are also empowered because the International Day gives them a sense of belonging in the community, through their participation and involvement in community development programmes.”

(United Nations, Report of the Secretary-General, A/61/308, paragraph 53).

Each year, UNDESA, along with other partners including ATD Fourth World International, prepares initiatives and events to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP).

For 2025 the theme is Ending Social and Institutional Maltreatment: Ensuring respect and effective support for families living in poverty. To learn more read the Concept Note for October 17, 2025.

See if there is an October 17 event near you or come to or watch the event at the UN.

October 17, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, is a day for understanding and togetherness, a day to put the furthest behind first and a day to recommit ourselves to ending poverty in all its forms everywhere. People experiencing poverty are at the heart of every October 17 commemoration and the drivers in choosing the global theme. The 2025 commemoration will focus on ensuring respect and effective support for families. We need to better understand why poverty persists and why despite all the efforts made by parents, their children continue to experience the same deprivation. We need to better understand the reality of poverty as experienced by the people affected, so that appropriate support can be actioned. By focusing on families, we continue to highlight the hidden dimensions of poverty — in particular the social and institutional maltreatment they suffer in their daily lives, including situations of family separation due to poverty, and the pressing need to end it.

Concept Note for October 17, 2025