Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brussels (Agenzia Fides) – Caritas Europe has just launched, in Brussels, at the European Parliament, the Campaign "Zero Poverty" for the 2010 European Year for Combatting Poverty and Social Exclusion. In the 21st century, poverty is unacceptable and that is why Caritas Europe is promoting a vision of a different world, where nobody is forced to live on the streets or dying from lack of access to medical care. In the document on poverty, Caritas calls this scourge a lack of well-being rather than a lack of economic resources. In supporting and strengthening the three traditional sources of social assistance, such as the work market, family, and state assistance, that the poor and socially marginalized can become truly self-sufficient and regain the dignity that has been removed from the stigma of poverty. The campaign "Zero Poverty" (www.zeropoverty.org) proposes concrete actions against poverty that can be completed in everyday life. In 2010, Caritas Europe and its European network offer governments four key aspects to eradicate poverty, starting with child poverty, basic social assistance for all, universal health care, and reinforcement of state assistance. The campaign hopes to collect one million signatures of citizens of different states. However, without the support of thousands of volunteers and supporters, they will be unable to do anything. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 10/2/2010)
