Proposals for Rio + 20

Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation emphasize poverty eradication as a prerequisite for sustainable development. Nevertheless, in spite of progress in some countries over the last two decades, poverty levels remain high. According to the Multidimensional Poverty Index, used in the UNDP’s Human Development Report, 1.7 billion people experienced acute deprivations in health, education, and standard of living in 2011. Even in ‘rich’ countries, economic growth has not eradicated poverty nor extreme poverty: nearly 1 in 7 people are at risk of poverty within the European Union and the USA. In order for the outcomes from Rio +20 to mark a decisive step in moving towards sustainable development, ending the violence of extreme poverty must be a central concern.

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