October 17th, 2026

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed on October 17, honors people living in extreme poverty and calls for action to end it. Its roots go back to October 17, 1987, when more than 100,000 people gathered in Paris at the Trocadéro, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, to declare that poverty is a violation of human rights. The United Nations General Assembly formally designated the day in 1992. Today it is marked with discussions, community events, and campaigns that give a voice to people in poverty and promote decent work, social protection, and dignity for all.