Ending poverty is not only a matter of income, but it also involves dignity, justice, and human rights. In this episode, released in the framework of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17 Oct), NIHRC staff had the opportunity to talk with Professor Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. During this conversation, we discussed the different definitions of poverty and how it engages human rights. 

The wide-ranging discussion touches on what a human rights-based approach to tackling poverty looks like; examines the effectiveness of anti-poverty strategies; explores the criminalisation of homelessness and how poverty interacts with the criminal justice system; and highlights the need to include people with lived experience of poverty in designing anti-poverty policies and strategies. 

Join us for an interesting conversation that makes us rethink the way we understand poverty and learn more about effective strategies to tackle this global issue.

NIHRC’s work on anti-poverty strategy:

The NIHRC submitted its response to the Department for Communities’ consultation on the Anti-Poverty Strategy 2025–2035, highlighting the importance of embedding a human rights-based approach to tackling poverty in Northern Ireland. Find out more here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and/or their organisations and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.