Anti poverty Week 17-23 October 2010

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
19 Oct 2010

CatholicCare CEO, Bernard Boerma, is Co Chair of the NSW organising committee for Anti Poverty Week. He welcomed the support for the week given by Cardinal Pell who has written "to encourage schools, parishes and the Catholic community to organise an activity to raise awareness and encourage discussion about the terrible impact of poverty." The Cardinal went on to say "I am pleased that CatholicCare and the Catholic Education Commission are involved in organising the 2010 Anti Poverty Week."

Mr Boerma said that "Anti-Poverty Week was established in Australia as an expansion of the United Nations annual International Anti-Poverty Day on October 17.

The main aims of Anti-Poverty Week are to:

• strengthen public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world and in Australia;
• encourage research, discussion and action to address these problems, including action by individuals, communities, organisations and governments."

Poverty and severe hardship affect up to 2 million Australians and around the world more than a billion people are desperately poor. The Australian Council of Social Service states "'Particular groups of people in Australian society are at high risk of poverty. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, groups at risk of poverty include: 58% of indigenous people, 28% of jobless people, 28% of people renting, 22% of single parents, 7% of older people."

The Week is concerned about poverty around the world, especially in the poorest countries but also in wealthier countries such as Australia. It aims to encourage as many people as possible to express publicly their interest and concern about poverty and hardship.

For more information about Anti-Poverty Week, contact coordinator@antipovertyweek.org.au or visit the website, www.antipovertyweek.org.au