BRAC International, represented by Heidi McAnnally-Linz, participated in the 2024 Partnership Forum of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on January 30, 2024.
The theme of the forum was “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and Eradicating Poverty in times of Multiple Crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions.”
This forum was originally recorded and broadcast on January 30, 2024.
Transcript of remarks
Madam President, esteemed delegates, distinguished participants,
My name is Heidi McAnnally-Linz, and it is a privilege to represent BRAC International today.
As the largest Global South-led NGO, BRAC has been at the frontlines of poverty alleviation for decades. We have partnered with over 100 million participants in proven programs across 17 countries.
We are here today because we recognize the SDGs are significantly off track – especially SDG1.
But we don’t need a flashy new innovation to get us back on track – there are existing evidence-based innovations that we know work.
Today, I urge us all to live up to our shared vision for a poverty-free world and commit to rapidly scaling evidence-based, locally-grounded solutions that will actually move the needle on the SDGs.
What has become known as the Graduation approach is one such intervention. It combines three things: 1) a large productive asset, 2) basic needs support while the asset becomes productive, and 3) coaching that builds agency, know-how, and hope.
Rigorous evidence from dozens of contexts suggests that this kind of big push approach, over two years, could enable hundreds of millions to escape poverty and build resilience for the long-term, thereby empowering families with lasting benefits for future generations.
This is already happening at a global scale – but we must do more. The government’s graduation program in Bihar, India is enabling more than 185,000 households – nearly 1 million people – to leave a life of poverty behind. Many other Governments are following.
This proves ending extreme poverty is not insurmountable.
We know what to do, but we need a massive global effort to scale what works. It is my hope that this Forum will foster such a coalition, thereby reinvigorating progress on SDG1 and transforming the lives of the hundreds of millions in extreme poverty.
Thank you.
