Eradicating extreme poverty and reducing inequality remain some of Africa’s biggest challenges which the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is trying to help member States tackle through various policy recommendations and actions.
This was said Thursday by Thokozile Ruzvidzo, Director of the Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division at the ECA, in remarks to the third session of the committee on gender, poverty and social policy.
The committee is meeting for the next two days to look into the core role of the newly-formed Division that was reformulated to address gender, poverty and social policy as key African priorities.
The Division is home to sub-programmes that seek to address emerging issues impacting the lives of African women and girls, promote and support member States in their work to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment; and contribute to Africa achieving inclusive and equitable sustainable human and social development.
“Despite strides the continent has made in reducing the incidence of poverty, under the current trajectory, it is unlikely that extreme poverty will be eradicated by 2030,” said Ruzvidzo.
Global extreme poverty is predominantly concentrated in Africa, and is declining much slower in the region compared to the rest of the world.
Particularly relevant to the new priorities of the Division is urbanization, the ECA Director said.