UN SECRETARY-GENERAL'S MESSAGES ON INT'L DAYS

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Ban Ki-moon has delivered message on occasion of the World Food Day which marked on October 16, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (on October 17) and the World Statistics Day (on October 20).
"For many people, today is not World Food Day. It is another No Food Day. Although the number of hungry people has fallen from last year's historic high of more than one billion, there are still 925 million hungry people in the world. We are continually reminded that the world's food systems are not working in ways that ensure food security for the most vulnerable members of our societies.
The hunger target set out in the first Millennium Development Goal -- to cut the proportion of hungry people by half by 2015 -- is a pillar for achieving all the goals. When people are hungry, they cannot break the crippling chains of poverty, and are vulnerable to infectious diseases. When children are hungry, they cannot grow, learn and develop.
This year alone, millions have been thrown into life-threatening hunger by the earthquake in Haiti, drought in the Sahel and floods in Pakistan. The food and financial crises continue to affect the world's most vulnerable. Food prices remain volatile and recently hit a two-year high.
This year's theme for World Food Day, “United Against Hunger,” reflects a welcome development: a growing number of governments, intergovernmental organizations, regional and sub-regional bodies, businesses and civil society groups are forming partnerships and implementing joint solutions. Increasingly, their approach is comprehensive -- focusing on more stable supplies of food, better access to food and optimizing nutrition at the household level. They cover the full spectrum of food security, from smallholder farming to feeding schoolchildren. They help save lives in emergencies through food assistance.
In recent months, there has been more attention to nutrition and getting the right food to the right people at the right time. This calls for agriculture, health and social security systems to be sensitive to nutritional needs, and for specific interventions to improve the nutrition of children from conception to the age of two years.
I urge everyone to work towards such a comprehensive approach, and to do so in partnership, so that we can build on the progress we have made in reducing the numbers of hungry people. Let us unite against hunger and ensure food and nutrition security for all."

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This year's observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on decent work, meaningful employment, income-generating livelihoods. In a word: jobs.
Decent and productive work is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and build self-sufficiency.
Yet today, more than half the world's working population is in vulnerable employment. They lack formal work arrangements and social security, and often earn too little to provide for their families, let alone climb the ladder of economic opportunity. The global economic crisis has further pushed an estimated 64 million into poverty and unemployment is up by more than 30 million since 2007.
How can we bridge the gap from poverty to decent work? By investing in economic and social policies that foster job creation; promoting decent labor conditions and deepening social protection systems. Access to education, public health and job training is also essential.
We must also put a special emphasis on youth employment. Young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Last year, more than 81 million young people were unemployed, the highest on record. One of the best ways for youth to see a future of hope is through the prism of a decent job.
Last month at the Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York, world leaders agreed on an action agenda to intensify the global poverty fight. Despite encouraging advances in many corners of the globe, hundreds of millions of people still live in appalling conditions, lacking even the most basic services. Addressing the global jobs crisis is central to changing this picture - to defeating poverty, strengthening economies and building peaceful and stable societies.
Widespread economic uncertainty and fiscal austerity should not be excuses to do less. Rather, they are reasons to do more.
On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, let us hear the voices of the poor and strive to expand job opportunities and safe working conditions everywhere.
Let us work for a world of decent work for all.

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Today marks the first observance of World Statistics Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the importance of statistics in shaping our societies.
Statistics permeate modern life. They are the basis for many governmental, business and community decisions. They provide information and insight about the trends and forces that affect our lives. Collected in surveys and censuses - three billion people will participate in population and housing censuses this year alone - statistics affect the planning of schools, hospitals, roads and much else.
Statistics are a vital tool for economic and social development, including our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. For development to succeed, we need data collection and statistical analysis of poverty levels, access to education and the incidence of disease. Statistics are a central consideration in justifying almost every aspect of budgets and programs that enable hungry children to be fed or that provide shelter and emergency health care for victims of natural disasters.
The United Nations Statistical Commission, established in 1947, has created international methodological standards and guidelines in virtually every area of statistics. It has played a key role in helping governments strengthen their statistical reporting, making data more available and comparable across countries and regions than ever before.
I commend the dedication that many statistical experts bring to their reports and publications. They carry out an essential public service -- one that promotes peace and democracy by giving citizens reliable and impartial public information about their communities. Their core values -- service, integrity and professionalism -- deserve full support in all nations.
However, as in so many other areas, developing countries often find themselves at a disadvantage, lacking funds to pay salaries, train staff and collect data. On this first World Statistics Day I encourage the international community to work with the United Nations to enable all countries to meet their statistical needs. Let us all acknowledge the crucial role of statistics in fulfilling our global mission of development and peace.