Poverty Alleviation & Economic Development

How can we innovate our way out of poverty?

Poverty hurts everyone. At this year’s World Economic Forum, “rising inequality and social polarisation” were cited as the biggest risks to the global economy in 2017.

To coincide with that gathering in Davos, Oxfam released a study showing that the combined wealth of half of the world’s population was matched by the eight richest billionaires; Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, Larry Ellison and Amancio Ortega.

The UN’s #1 Sustainable Development Goal is a commitment to “eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere” by 2030.

In the last five years, 200 million have been lifted from extreme poverty but, with around 800 million still living on less than $1.90 a day, the complete elimination of poverty requires redoubled efforts and new approaches.

The majority of young people surveyed by One Young World believe investment in education and facilitating entrepreneurship will play the most significant roles in alleviating global poverty. Only 16 per cent think foreign aid holds the key.

This session will highlight youth-led actions in the fight against poverty with a focus on innovations and ideas that create sustainable economic benefits for the world’s poorest.

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