Poverty and human rights

Everyone, everywhere has the right to live with dignity. That means that no-one should be denied their rights to adequate housing, food, water and sanitation, and to education and health care.

Amnesty International is increasingly documenting how human rights violations drive and deepen poverty. People living in poverty have the least access to power to shape the policies of poverty and are frequently denied effective remedies for violations of their rights.

Amnesty International is working to hold governments, big business and other powerful actors to account for human rights violations which target people living in poverty, driving that poverty deeper still.


Homes set ablaze during forced eviction at Mittapheap 4 village, Cambodia, 20 April 2007

UN discusses crucial step on economic, social and cultural rights

(24 October 2008)
The UN General Assembly will this month discuss taking a crucial step to secure access to justice for everyone whose economic, social and cultural rights are violated and who is denied a remedy at the national level.
Video: How things could change

Kibera slum in Kenya

Poverty Day to address human rights and dignity

(17 October 2008)
This year's International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is a call to everyone, from policy makers to the public, to recognise the rights and dignity of people living in poverty.

Video: Working against poverty in Kenya

Shelters made from materials salvaged from ruins of Cambamba II neighbourhood, Luanda, Angola, February 2007

Angola bad choice to host World Habitat Day

(6 October 2008)
The choice of the Angolan capital Luanda to lead the global observance of this year's World Habitat Day provoked controversy among housing and human rights organizations.

Read more: Human rights violations in cities around the world