The United Nations' first Sustainable Development Goal — No Poverty — is a bold promise: end extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030. As of today, progress has been uneven and dramatically set back by COVID-19, climate shocks, and geopolitical conflict.
Where We Stand
Over 700 million people still live on less than $2.15 a day. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia carry the greatest burden, but pockets of poverty persist even in high-income nations. The pandemic reversed nearly a decade of gains.
What's Working
Countries with robust social protection systems — cash transfers, universal health coverage, and free public education — have made the most progress. Brazil's Bolsa Família and Kenya's cash transfer programs demonstrate that direct support works.
What You Can Do
- Support fair-trade businesses that ensure living wages
- Advocate for progressive tax policies
- Donate to evidence-based anti-poverty organizations (GiveDirectly, Against Malaria Foundation)
- Vote for policies that fund social safety nets
Poverty is not inevitable — it is a policy choice. Each of us holds a thread in this global web.