UNDP Calls for Stronger Global Action to Lift 400 Million People Out of Poverty for Good

English , Qatar - قطر , / Monday, November 3rd, 2025

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rki.news | Doha | November 4, 2025
More than 400 million people worldwide could move from poverty to lasting security by 2030 if governments adopt new, context-specific measures known as “prosperity floors,” according to a new policy brief released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) during the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) in Doha.
The report, titled “Poverty-to-Prosperity Transitions,” calls on policymakers to go beyond traditional poverty definitions that focus only on basic needs. Instead, UNDP urges the adoption of “prosperity floors” — benchmarks that enable people not just to escape poverty but to stay resilient against economic, health, and climate-related shocks.
“Crossing the US$3-a-day line is not enough if families remain one emergency away from losing access to housing, food, and essential services,” said Haoliang Xu, UN Under-Secretary-General and Acting Administrator of UNDP. “With decisive and coordinated action, 411 million people could move from poverty to basic security by 2030 — but only if governments act together and act now.”
UNDP’s analysis across 126 developing countries finds that one in three people currently live below their prosperity floor, leaving them vulnerable to crises that could push them back into poverty. The report highlights the need for job-intensive growth, adaptive social protection systems, and policies that raise wages and expand access to essential services.
The study cautions that relying solely on short-term poverty reduction measures such as cash transfers or temporary jobs will not sustain progress. Instead, it calls for system-wide, inclusive strategies that ensure fair income distribution and long-term resilience.
For more than six decades, UNDP has worked in over 170 countries and territories to promote inclusive growth, strengthen social protection, and expand access to essential services. As global challenges intensify, the organization emphasizes integrated and forward-looking action to transform temporary poverty reduction into sustainable prosperity.
“The past 30 years have shown that progress is possible,” Xu added. “The next 30 must make that progress permanent — transforming poverty reduction into sustainable prosperity.”
Media Contacts:
In Doha: Sangita Khadka – sangita.khadka@undp.org
In New York: Victor Garrido Delgado – victor.garrido.delgado@undp.org
Source: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Embargo: Until 12:30 PM (GMT+3), 4 November 2025