Council for Non Governmental Organisations (CONGOMA) says the country needs to quicken its pace in implementing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number one, which relates to the eradication of poverty.
Speaking in Blantyre at a press briefing on International day for the eradication of poverty, Programmes Manager for CONGOMA, Simekinala Kaluzi, said with only six years left to achieve the SDGs and the Malawi Implementation Plan ( MIP-1) of the Malawi 2063, there is need for stakeholders to act with urgency and renewed commitment.
Director for Advocacy and Communications at World Vision Malawi, Charles Gwengwe, said over 50% of Malawians are still grappling with poverty, particularly children, whose percentage, he said, has risen from 60 last year to 70 this year.
Gwengwe added that though there are strides in some areas of development, the overall progress towards achieving the 17 SDGs has been slow.
International day for eradicating poverty falls on 17 October every year and the global theme this year is ‘Ending social and institutional maltreatment: Acting together for just, peaceful and inclusive societies’.
By Beatrice Juma
