Students Stand Up Against Poverty

from All Africa

The NEWS (Monrovia)

NEWS

By Jimmey C. Fahngon
Monrovia

Thousands of students mostly from public schools in Monrovia on Wednesday stood up for several hours in a campaign to eradicate poverty in their country.

The 'stand up' was also in celebration of this year's World Poverty Eradication Day which is celebrated on October 17 each year.

Some of the student spoke with The NEWS and said their action was geared towards reminding world leaders to fulfill their promise made during the 2000 New York Millennium conference at which time it was agreed to reduce poverty by half by 2015.

But the students said since the declaration by world leaders much was yet to be seen by them especially in Africa as it relates to reducing poverty in 2015.

Student Jacqualine Wesseh said it was incumbent upon world leaders including Liberian to ensure that poverty was reduced by half in 2015 since they were the ones who willingly made the commitment.

She said due to poverty some of her colleagues were not in school because their parents were unable to support them in school adding, "this is why we decided to participate in this stand-up campaign against poverty to remind our leaders about their commitment."

Most of the students called on the government of Liberia to ensure that poverty was eradicated in Liberia.

They believe when poverty is eradicated, the children would truly assume their future responsibilities.

UNDP National Communication Officer, Anthony Selmah who read a statement from the United Nations in Liberia, said Liberia was lagging behind in meeting the Mellinnium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to him, the MDGs country progress report published in 2004 indicated that Liberia was lagging behind in almost all the MDGs and may not, unless the development tempo was hastened to achieve the targets.

Selma noted that the report recorded a declining trend particularly in infant mortality rate, immunization against measles, population with sustainable access to improved water and sanitation and urban population with access to improved sanitation.

However, the UN statement acknowledged that progress was now being witnessed under the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's led-government and said the formulation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Program is expected to improve the prospects for achieving the MDGs.

The statement said, "the leadership of Johnson-Sirleaf has adopted a results-oriented and pragmatic approach and putting emphasis on building local and national capacities as the basis for reconstruction and recovery and meeting the MDGs."

The statement pledged the UN's strong commitment to support the government of Liberia as well as other coalitions to keep the momentum and ensure that Liberia is back on track to achieving all the MDGs by 2015.

The program which was held at the Fish Market in Sinkor, Monrovia was organized by Global Call to Action Against Poverty-Liberia (GCAP) and United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) with support from UNDP.