International Report 2020 Reinventing Our World Starting from People Living in Poverty

International Report 2020 Reinventing Our World Starting from People Living in Poverty Leave no one behind • Reaching the furthest behind first The International Movement ATD Fourth World he International Movement ATD Fourth World (All It organises Fourth World People’s University ses- Together in Dignity) is a non-governmental orga- sions, where adults living in extreme poverty and people nisation with no political or religious affiliation. Its who choose to stand beside them engage in dialogue and primary aim is to eradicate extreme poverty and mutual learning. It also uses the Merging of Knowledge Texclusion around the world, by involving the people approach, a dynamic that creates the conditions for linking who are forced to live in those conditions. knowledge from the life experience of people in poverty ATD Fourth World was founded in 1957 by Father Joseph with the knowledge of academics and practitioners. These Wresinski and families who lived in a camp for homeless two methods help to build new knowledge and design new people in the Paris region. They launched a movement that actions, valuing and taking into consideration the unique gives priority to the poorest people and brings together knowledge inherent in each person’s experience. Fourth World activists with first-hand experience of ATD Fourth World also advocates with institutions and poverty, members of an international volunteer corps public authorities to encourage them, in all their political who work long-term in solidarity with them, and a wide decisions, to take into account the many dimensions of range of friends and supporters, who take action together poverty. It works to have people living in extreme poverty to foster lasting change in society. recognised as partners with the right to participate in Present in 33 countries on five continents, ATD Fourth World national and international institutions. For example, it runs projects that promote family life, social advocacy, and contributed to the United Nations’ adoption in 2012 of the career development. It has limited financial means, but a Guiding Principles on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty huge human commitment. and to its pledge in 2015 to “Leave no one behind” as part of Extreme poverty still condemns millions of human beings the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. ATD today to live in conditions that violate human dignity. ATD Fourth World established the 17 October International Fourth World knows that people living in extreme poverty Day for the Eradication of Poverty, recognised by the are the first to work to overcome it; they have unique United Nations in 1992. knowledge and experience that can break down the bar- In all its undertakings, ATD Fourth World aims to promote riers separating people. change leading to a society based on human dignity and ATD Fourth World has developed programs that fully access to human rights for all. involve and take into account people experiencing poverty. Authors of the report: Éléonore Bacquet, Élodie Petit, Geneviève Tardieu, Jussara Freire Translation: Éléonore Bacquet, Élodie Petit Front and back cover: © ATD Fourth World Layout: Philippe Larminie, Yves Petit Printing: Imprimerie du bocage, France ISSN: 1626-3839 • ISBN: 979-10-91178-92-1 © International Movement ATD Fourth World 2021 International Report 2020 Reinventing Our World Starting from People Living in Poverty “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty.” Joseph Wresinski International Movement ATD Fourth World Contents Message from Donald Lee, President of the International Movement ATD Fourth World 5 I. Promoting Social and Environmental Justice During a Global Pandemic 6 • Advocacy work related to the pandemic 7 • Advocacy on social and environmental justice 10 II. In the Heart of the International Centre 14 III. Projects Around the World: Responding to Today’s Crisis, Planning for Tomorrow 21 • Dealing with the crisis 21 • Reimagining links and creating networks of solidarity 30 IV. Perspectives 36 V. Board of Directors 39 3 Message from Donald Lee, President of the International Movement ATD Fourth World he global pandemic has highlighted the appalling health, economic, and social inequalities faced by the poorest people despite decades of international pledges to end extreme poverty. TIt quickly became clear that the strict health measures imposed around the world to fight the spread of the coronavirus often multiplied the risks faced by people living in poverty. For those families who received little or no assistance, the health crisis made it more difficult to access food, water, sanitation, health care, education, and other crucial services. As a result, people in poverty faced higher risks of infec- tion and serious illness because of their limited access to affordable health care and protective equipment. The risks of contagion are especially high among people who are Donald Lee homeless or living in precarious conditions such as slums, and those with large families living in cramped housing. from how people in poverty in different regions have When schools were closed, children in the poorest fami- coped through their solidarity and lived experience. lies were unable to join online classes because they lacked The global crisis has underscored the importance of our access to computers or the internet. Workers suffered badly advocacy work to reveal the nature and extent to which when restrictions on movement and public interaction people in poverty have been affected by the global health stopped them from working. crisis and how they overcame the shock. During the past year, dispossessed communities have also We have shared the concerns, experiences, and reflec- faced additional hardships unrelated to the pandemic, tions of the most vulnerable populations from different such as severe flooding, drought, acts of violence by armed continents using all means at our disposal, including our groups, evictions, and demolitions of shacks, from which international website and social media. We have conveyed they have not fully recovered. their anguish over inadequate preventive measures that Universal free vaccination is crucial in the fight against have not kept them safe and burdensome restrictions that the coronavirus, and people experiencing poverty and have destroyed their opportunities to work. Yet, despite the those most at risk should be given priority in vaccination many hardships, people struggling to overcome pov- programmes. The current global distribution of vaccines erty have come together for mutual aid through their is unjust and unacceptable, leaving many less developed resilience and ingenuity. countries without adequate access to life-saving vaccines. Moving forward, we must remain connected and accessible ATD Fourth World activists, supporters, and volunteers to families and individuals who are often forgotten or even have witnessed the lived experience of such deprivations, rejected. We shall work together with international organ- inequalities, and violence endured by people in poverty isations and governments to ensure that the people with and have reacted promptly. Emergency health meas- the hardest lives are not left behind and to build a better ures deeply impacted our activities and led us to rein- world without poverty and injustice. Although the current vent many of the ATD Fourth World projects. In several health crisis is urgent and needs our immediate response, regions, they were forced to suspend street libraries and it is equally important that governments and interna- Fourth World People’s University sessions, and Fourth tional organisations implement the policies and actions World houses were also closed temporarily. However, ATD needed to fulfill their commitments to end poverty in Fourth World teams have managed to overcome or min- all its forms. imise the impact of many of these restrictions through 6 May 2021 their creative and innovative actions, and by learning 5 I. Promoting Social and Environmental Justice During a Global Pandemic The International Movement ATD Fourth World has held general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1991, and consultative status with UNICEF and UNESCO since 1970. It has permanent delegations to the European Union and the Council of Europe. It is also recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and is represented at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its involvement with international institutions and people living in poverty has led to the recognition that extreme poverty is both the cause and the result of human rights violations. ATD Fourth World has also worked to influence the 2015–2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure that they explicitly include the requirement to “leave no one behind”. ince 2015, our advocacy work has revolved around and some have worked together to be represented at the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the international level, proving once again their determi- the Paris Agreement. However, the year 2020 was nation to resist against the violence done to them. unlike any other. Some of these initiatives were discussed on 17 and 21 April SThe Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to the increase 2020 at two virtual meetings involving ten ATD Fourth of poverty and extreme poverty around the world. World teams in nine African countries. These meetings

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