International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

On 17 October, we marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a day that invites us to reflect on a reality that affects us all, yet often goes unnoticed.

In the context of university life and young people, this day takes on renewed urgency. Poverty goes far beyond traditional stereotypes or simply a lack of financial resources. It also means being deprived of opportunities, time, healthcare and, increasingly critically, access to decent housing. The cost of living and a lack of prospects now represent persistent barriers to the future of an entire generation, particularly young people.

In Portugal, more than 1.7 million people face this uncertainty every day. To better understand the impact of this issue, we challenged the Universidade Lusófona community to define poverty in just one word. We received responses such as "discrimination", "inequality" and "frustration", highlighting the urgent need to give a voice to what can no longer remain hidden.

Change begins with awareness and a commitment from each of us. On this day, we want to break through indifference and work together to build a fairer starting point, both on and off campus, for everyone.