Tuesday, September 16, 2025
23.5 C
Lagos

The Power of Faith to End Extreme Poverty by 2030

Over 30 leaders from major world religions and heads of global faith-based organisations launched a clarion call to action to end extreme poverty by 2030, a goal shared by the World Bank Group. Ending Extreme Poverty: A Moral and Spiritual Imperative notes that remarkable progress has been made in reducing extreme poverty.

Over 25 years, the world has gone from nearly 2 billion people to fewer than 1 billion living in extreme poverty. Now, for the first time in human history, there exists both the capacity and moral responsibility to ensure that no one has to live in extreme poverty’s grip.

“We have ample evidence from the World Bank Group and others showing that we can now end extreme poverty within fifteen years,” the Moral Imperative statement notes.

“In 2015, our governments will be deciding upon a new global sustainable development agenda that has the potential to build on our shared values to finish the urgent task of ending extreme poverty.”

“We in the faith community embrace this moral imperative because we share the belief that the moral test of our society is how the weakest and most vulnerable are faring. Our sacred texts also call us to combat injustice and uplift the poorest in our midst.”

The Moral Imperative statement seeks to generate the necessary social and political will by inspiring greater commitments from others to join in this cause, tapping into many of the shared convictions and beliefs that unify the world’s major religions around the call and responsibility to combat poverty.

The announcement today from global faith leaders arose from the World Bank’s “Faith Based and Religious Leaders Roundtable” held
on February 18, the first high-level meeting between World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and faith leaders.

Ruth Messinger, President of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), said “AJWS is deeply gratified to endorse the joint Moral Imperative statement because as an organization motivated by the Jewish commitment to justice, rooted in Jewish values and Jewish historical experience, we are committed to realizing human rights and ending poverty in the developing world.”

Endorsers are committed to galvanising greater commitment and action from within the faith community globally and across every sector to end extreme poverty. David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World, noted: “Now that it has become clear that it is feasible to end extreme poverty, faith communities are committing ourselves to ramp up our advocacy and build a movement that will translate this possibility into political commitment.

The unprecedented progress that the world is making against hunger and poverty is an example of our loving God moving in the contemporary world, and God is inviting us all to get with the program.” World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim responded to the launch of this moral imperative, stating, “Faith leaders and the World Bank Group share a common goal – to realise a world free of extreme poverty in just 15 years.

The moral imperative can help drive the movement to end poverty by 2030 by inspiring large communities to act now and to advocate for governments to do the same. These commitments from religious leaders come at just the right time – their actions can help hundreds of millions of people lift themselves out of poverty.

The statement closes by framing the imperative in stark terms: “Poverty’s imprisonment of more than a billion men, women and children must end. Now is the time to boldly act to free the next generation from extreme poverty’s grip.”

Image Credit: Sssbpt

spot_img
spot_img

Hot this week

Designing the Future: Arc Christian Benimana, Prof Taibat Lawanson to Headline Ecobank Design and Build 2025

Ecobank Nigeria has announced that celebrated architect Arc. Christian...

Sovereign Trust Insurance Wins Enactus Catalyst Award

From L-R: Victor Akinfala, Head Partnerships & Special Projects,...

SEC DG: Commission Considering Gradual Implementation of ISSB Standards

The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission...

Universal Insurance MD/CEO, Jeff Duru, Bags CIBN Associate Membership

  Dr. Jeff Duru Managing Director/CEO Universal Insurance Plc The Managing Director/CEO of...

Sterling One Foundation CEO, Olapeju Ibekwe, Joins Board of UN Global Compact Network Nigeria Ahead of UNGA 80

    Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation,...

Topics

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plans Micro-Life Firm in 2020

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc plans to float a micro-life...

Africa, ME, Turkey ICT Spend Forecast at $243bn in 2017

ICT spending in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa...

Min of Niger Delta Affairs: How Far Can Umana Go?

By Haniel Ukpaukure Umana Okon Umana, Minister in charge of...

Expert: Fintech, Financial Inclusion Critical for Sustainable Growth of Nigerian Economy

A renowned economist, Dr. Biodun Adedipe, the Chief Consultant/CEO,...

British Theatres, Concerts Say No Shows Without Insurance Support

By Carolyn Cohn and Barbara Lewis  Mr. Tope Smart Group Managing Director/CEO NEM Insurance Plc British...

SEC DG, House Committee on Capital Market Chair Visits NSE

L – R shows Chairman, Committee on Capital Market...

‘Kari Qualified as Commissioner for Insurance’

Two classmates of Alhaji Mohammed Kari, Commissioner for Insurance,...

Interswitch CEO, Elegbe, Mentors Young Entrepreneurs at CcHUB

Mitchell Elegbe, GMD / Founder, Interswitch Group has advised...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img