Education for Eradication of Poverty for Peace

EDUCATION, 4 May 2026

Surya Nath Prasad, Ph.D. – TRANSCEND Media Service

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1996 as the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty (Resolution 49/110) to catalyze global action against poverty, particularly following the 1995 World Summit for Social Development. It aimed to raise awareness, promote national strategies, and emphasize the participation of people living in poverty.

The General Assembly of United Nations has decided to dedicate to reflection and action to eradicate poverty from our societies.

Ernest Jones, the great Chartist leader questions on behalf of the poor:

“The land it is the landlord’s,

The trader’s is the sea

The ore the usurer’s coffer fills-

But what remains for me?”

Certainly, our blood will boil with indignation at the thought of the injustice and suffering that have been and are still allowed to prevail in society.

Today, nations of the world live in two cultures – one of the rich (the developed elite) and other of the poor (the so-called undeveloped masses). In his book: REPUBLIC, PLATO says that with a sharp division between the poor and the rich “a state is not one but two states – the one of poor men, the other of the rich; and they are… always conspiring against one another”.

However, this year is not meant for promoting charity for the poor. Indian Yogi Aurobindo also advised us:

“Help the poor while the poor with thee; but

Study also and strive that there may be no poor

For thy assistance.”

This year, therefore, is meant for reflecting on the fundamental causes of poverty and for collectively taking steps especially education for all to eradicate them.

Facts about Existence of Poverty

A billion people are hungry and malnourished in the world due to poverty. According to the United Nations Statistics there are 1.1 billion poor people in the world and the number is increasing. A World Bank Source has revealed that the studies they are conducting for their next report on Poverty and Development indicate that the tendency, in almost all the Third World Counties, is towards increased poverty and social marginalization. The report entitled: Labour in the World – 1992 has also made known that in the past two years poverty has increased by 30 per cent in Cote D’ Ivoire, 6 percent in Argentina, 4 percent in Brazil and 3 percent in Mexico, while the percentage of Ghanians under the poverty-line has jumped from 37.3 to 59 in the same period. A study by U.S. Congressional Research Service pointed out that Government cuts in social programs during 1980s threw at least 557,000 Americans into poverty. But the number of poor Americans soared to 37.7 million in 1991, more than any year since 1964. Despite the development efforts spanning over three decades and widespread economic growth, poverty remains a hard reality in many countries of Asia and Pacific Region where nearly three-fourths or about 830 million of world’s 1.1 billion poor people live. The Economic and Social Survey for Asia and Pacific – 1993 prepared by UNESCAP provides the latest data that Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal and Thailand, Pakistan, The Philippines, Sri Lanka together contained some 465 million poor people. In India, half of 900 million population lives in grinding poverty. Nearly 25 percent are still below the poverty line. Besides this, the United Nations has enlisted the following as the “world’s poorest nations”. The word in brackets indicates the name the country had prior to its independence the year of which in also enlisted.

1. Benin (Dahomey), 1960
2. Botswana (Bechuanaland), 1966
3. Burkina Faso (Upper Volta), 1960
4. Burundi (Ruanda-Urundi), 1962
5. Central Aferican Republic (French Equatorial Aferica), 1960
6. Chad (French Equat. Aferica), 1960
7. Dijibouti (French Somaliland), 1977
8. Equat Guinea (Span. Guin.), 1968
9. Guinea (French W. Aferica), 1958
10. Guinea-Bassau (Portuguese Guinea) 1974
11. Lesotho (Basutoland), 1966
12. Malawi (British Protectorate of Nyasaland), 1964
13. Male (French Sudan), 1960
14. Rwanda (Ruanda-Urundi), 1962
15. Tanzania (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 1964
16. Bangladesh (East Pakistan), 1971
17. Myanmar (Burma), 1948
18. Kiribati (Gilbert Islands), 1975
19. Tuvalu (Ellice Islands), 1978
20. Vanautu (New Hebrides), 1980.

Poverty: Why?

There is a Sanskrit verse by an anonymous writer written in centaries ago which may be viewed in making effort to eradicate poverty:

“My Lord, since you have banished Poverty

From this fair Land, I feel it is my duty

To lay an information that the outlaw

Has taken refuse in my humble home.”

Once Mahatma Gandhi said, “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” The modern advancement and development in the field of agriculture, industry, science and technology have increased and made available of goods, food materials, services and other riches to satisfy the basic needs of all human beings. Some studies also assure that the Earth can accommodate upto 15 billion people, while the world population is 5.66 billion in mid-1994. Thus, three times more wealth and other resources are available to fulfil the needs of all people who are in existence at present. But there are people in all the national societies of the world who do not have the minimum means to satisfy even their basic needs. And its reason is that 20% of the inhabitants of this planet enjoy 80% of its resources. In fact, when we study the problem of distribution, we will find that civilization is based on injustice and robbery. And our heart will go out in sympathy and compassion to all the millions of the exploited and oppressed poor. Well may we cry with CRABBE:

“When plenty smiles – alas! she smiles for few-

And those, who taste not, yet behold her store,

Are as the slaves that dig the golden ore –

The wealth around then makes then doubly poor.”

Poverty: What?

Poverty is a state of being without enough food or money. It is a state or condition of having little or no money, goods or means of support. In other words, poverty is the denial of basic needs i.e. food, clothing, housing, health, education and social contact of any individual or individuals to be fulfilled in a society. It is a form of violence. It is present when there are people who cannot satisfy their needs because they are prevented from doing so by other people. For IVAN ILLICH, poverty is the human condition and should be accepted as such; hence, who needs development? According to GALBRAITH, two types of poverty can be identified : the first, which, in some societies, affects only a minority and the second, which, in other societies, affects everybody apart from a small minority. However, poverty is the evil of peace.

Conditions of the Poor:

Poverty is a terrible calamity everywhere. Saint Tulsidas, the author of great epic Ramcharitmanas told:

Nahin Daridr Sam Duhkh Jag Maaheen

“There is no misery like poverty in the world”

Theognis cried:

The Worst of miseries, worst than old age or

Wearisome disease is Poverty.”

Voltaire also said:

“The poor is never free, he

Serves in every country.”

Paulo Freire describes the life of poor as ‘Culture of Silence’ of dispossessed. In a Culture of Silence, the masses are ‘mute’, that is, they are prohibited from creating and taking part in the transformation of their society.

The poor suffer from hunger and cold. They are clad in rag and cast-off garments; they lodge in squalid hovels and dark cellars. They must live on a small pittance which does not suffice for the barest physical needs. They are always underfed, their dwellings are dismal and dirty. They die off like flies through malnutrition and exposure to the inclement weather. Lala Hardayal has observed that such destitution robs life of all joy and zest, and condemns its victims a very low level vitality and activity. Such poor people cannot be said to live. They merely breathe and moan. Really, life without food, shelter, clothing, better health, education and social contact is only a long-drawn-out agony.

Poverty Leads to Violence

Poverty is a fertile breeding – ground for violence. Poverty leads to peacelessness and peacelessness to violence. Poverty have created tensions and later has led to far-reaching violence in all sectors of society. Violence means exploitation, centralization of power and dominance of all that retards expression and development of persons and institutions especially of the weak, who live at the base of the society viz. the poor. Thus, poverty, both economic and psychological, leads to tensions and tensions to violence.

Prosperity for a Few Also Leading to Violence

Prosperity for a few also leads to violence. Poverty is also danger for prosperity for a few. In 1944, governments, employers and workers also declared that “poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere”. Excessive riches and extreme poverty promote conflict which leads to violence. In the past also, rich had never been more peaceful than the poor because they had never felt secure against the poor and their fear originated from fear. Pitirim A. Sorokin has cited in his book Dynamic that in the history of ancient Greece, Rome, European States, revolutions and war occurred somewhat more frequently when the respective countries showed an upward trend of prosperity. He further says that more prosperous classes are hardly better than the poorer ones that are above the subsistence level. Former Director – General of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, B.R. Sen told in his Inaugural Address of Freedom from Hunger Campaign, “One man’s freedom from hunger and want is neither a true nor a secure freedom until all men are free from hunger and want”. In fact, a society cannot be peaceful where millions lack what a few people take for granted as necessities of life. And such a society is always in danger of splitting to pieces and occurrence of violence, if the few who have the benefits of civilization do not share them with the many rest.

Prosperity for All: A Road to Peace

We have seen that extreme poverty for many and excessive prosperity for a few have led to violence. Therefore, prosperity of all is the only safe and secure road to peace. Prosperity not for a few, or for many, but for all only leads to peace. “… the situation would be quite different if everybody were rich”, says E.F. Schumacher, the author of popular book: Small Is Beautiful. He further tells us regarding the modern belief about the foundation of peace i.e. universal prosperity. It is also said in the sacred book of the Maya Popol Vuh:

“Que no sean ni uno ni dos ni tres.

Que todos se levanten.

Que nadie se quede atras.”

“Let it not be one nor two nor three.

Let all rise.

Let no one be left behind.”

For prosperity for all, in Veda, it is prayed:

“Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah.

Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu, Maa Kashchid Duhkh Bhagbhavet.”

“May all be happy,

May all be free from diseases.

May all perceive welfare,

May none be in grief.”

Present Education: Helping the Rich

The way, the means, and the contents of the present education are not in any way helpful for the poor. It helps the rich to maintain their status quo and enable them to exploit the poor. It is not available for children of the poor. Education has become limited only for children of the elite class and middle class.

In the past educational institutions were run by charity. In some time ago also these were maintained by charity. Not only Pathshala (school), but Goshala (Dairy) and Dharamshala, (Public inn) were also functioned with the contributions made by philanthropists and rich people of the society. Hence the students felt obliged towards society. But in the present times, schools and colleges are run by money-makers who charge heavily for conducting education to the students. Certainly some educational institutions and universities are controlled and managed by the government but these institutions also charge large amount as tuition fee for any course. Though these private and governmental institutions attract the children of only the rich and middle class people leaving aside the children of the poor; however, they are also exploited. The managers of the present educational institutions are the greatest exploiters in the society. They generate exploitation within and out-of-school campuses. They are poor trustees of educational trusts. They exploit teachers, students and their guardians. In return, to recover their loss, these people exploit others who come in their contact to seek their advice and help of their knowledge which they obtain or to be trained after heavy exploitation. The poor are the greatest victims of their exploitation. And governmental agencies are the party to all the exploitation in educational institutions. The present education, therefore, twice destructive. It destroys those whom it is denied; it destroys those whom it reaches.

Education: A Way to Eradicate Poverty for Peace

“Peace”, Bernard Shaw once said, “is not only better than war but infinitely more arduous.” Peace is also the eradication of poverty and ignorance. And education is the only way to eradicate poverty that leads to pence, Federico Mayor, then Director-General of UNESCO also said, “Education is central to the building of peace. It is central because it is key to unlocking the creative potential of individuals on which sustainable development depends. And without sustainable development – including the dimensions of health, fertility control, environmental protection and preservation of cultural identity, there can be no assurance of peace”.

So, Ivan Illich says that the basic purpose of public education should be to create a situation in which society obliges each individual to take stock himself and his poverty. Paulo Friere comprehends that the purpose of education is to make aware the man. Every human being no matter how ignorant, or submerged in the ‘Culture of Silence’ he may be, is capable of looking critically at his world in a dialogical encounter with others.

Education is related to man. Manifestation or unfoldment or development of all those potentialities or powers or perfection already present in man is education. Man is made of five sheaths : body, vitality, mind, intellect and spirit. Thus, education is unfoldment and integral development of all these powers in man. But all men are not equal in these capacities. Some are healthy, but some are handicapped, some mentally retarded; some are very high in intelligence, but some are very low in this ability. Equal opportunity is also not provided to all with regard to education. All have also not means to develop their capacities. This is why Ivan Illich observes that all of us are crippled – some physically, some mentally, some emotionally. We must, therefore, strive co-operatively to create a new world. Einstein expressed his sentiments in this regard saying that:

“… one exists for other people – first of all for those upon whose smiles and well – being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times everyday I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labours of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and I am still receiving. I am strongly drawn to a frugal life and I am often oppressively aware that I an engrossing an undue amount of the labour of my fellow-men. 1 regard class distinctions as unjustified and, in the last resort, based on force. I also believe that a simple and unassuming life is good everybody, physically and mentally.”

Hence, it is the duty of the possessors of knowledge, things and wealth to empower the dispossessed including the poor. Among other things, education is the base of empowerment. Swami Vivekanand rightly understands education as undoubtedly one of the most effective and far-reaching preventive measures. A healthy man-making education and distributed among all classes of people according to various needs and capacity, can go a long way towards ensuring them against poverty, disease, premature mortality, against the tyranny of landlords, castelords, money-lenders as well as against sectarian and communal troubles of all sorts.

Therefore, all should be educated up to the same standard. All should be trained to do both brain-work and manual labour, and two castes – the poor and the rich will be no more. Education must uplift the poor and abolish all monopolies and privileges. Mahatma Gandhi bad sought to achieve this end by ensuring that all curriculum of education provide for productive manual labour and other activities rather than merely scanning of books. Gandhi accordingly wanted that the elite should soil their hands and break the barriers that separate them from the masses.

Investment in education is highly beneficial for any society. It is highly good that the World Bank has announced that it would make available another Dollar 1 billion a year for education. There is a P.T.I. News of 8th June 1996 from Washington, U.S.A. that the World Bank has also announced a 425.2 million dollar IDA soft loan to India for second district primary education project targeting to improve the quality of education for about 10 million elementary students in the age group of six to ten years. Besides this, rich people of every nation should also be encouraged to donate generously for education of the masses. It is good decision of the government of India that it has announced that if any person donate the money for educational institutions, he will get 100% rebate in his Income Tax. But the most important is that the benefit of this amount must reach to the poor and rich students both; and education must be free so that both the learners may feel debt towards the society.

Peace education can have access and is beneficial to all-the poor and the rich – through the medium of school and out – of – campus educational agencies. Peace education promotes peoples peace which protects commons; guards the poor man’s access to food, cloth, shelter, education, health and social contact; and reserves to weak, sick, old, handicapped, mentally retarded, windows and in their beggars exceptional rights for utilizing environment and other resources for their development and improvement in their conditions. Thus peace education enables the poor and the rich both in learning and practicing the values of ALTRUISM, JUSTICE, EQUITY, TRUSTEESHIP and NON-VIOLENCE. Peace education, therefore, should be part and partial of all education and for all grades from school through university to out-of-campus education to eradicate poverty from this planet earth to build perpetual peace here.

Role of UN and UNESCO in Elimination of Poverty

 By two resolutions, (1) the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1996 the International Year for the Elimination of Poverty (1YEP). The Economic and Social Council is responsible for performing the functions of the co-ordinating body of the IYEP. Two objectives have been assigned to the IYEP:

–           to contribute to the sensitization of the states, of the political leaders, and of the international public opinion, in order to eliminate poverty, a multi-dimentional and complex problem, which is an essential factor in confirming peace and ensuring sustainable development,

–           to develop activities, at different levels, in order to eliminate absolute poverty and to significantly reduce poverty in general:

* Activities aimed to facilitate economic development,

* Programs aimed to fight against poverty,

* Providing social services,

* Productive jobs,

* Activities that attack the roots of poverty with a long term perspective.

UNESCO’s Executive Council (147 EX/14-of 8.8.95) volunteered to bring about a “Contribution of human resources towards the elimination of poverty, in the domains of UNESCO’s competence”, notably in facilitating the North/South co-operation and sharing of experiences acquired in fighting against poverty; ex :

–           fighting against illiteracy

–           programs of education for all

–           analysis and elaboration of policies (“Most” program, Co-operation with the Grameen Bank and various foundations, with the UNDP, the ILO).

The NGOs maintaining official relations with UNESCO will be asked for their co-operation with the various research networks that will be determined during the course of this IYEP

1)         Resolution 48/183 of 12.21.93

Resolution 49/110 of 12.19.94

N.G.Os’ Role in this Regard

President of the Standing Committee of NGOs and UNESCO, RAO CHELIKANI has pointed the remedy of poverty which lies both in the institutions as well as in the individuals. He says that H.G.Os, therefore, can undertake three lines of action :

–           first, make the social, economic, and political institutions at the national and international level more democratic and Justice oriented;

–           second, teach individuals to cultivate the correct attitudes towards development and teach them a code of personal ethics which will result in fair economic relations among fellow-citizens;

–           and third, to help activate civil society and construct the mechanisms that will favour closer inter-action between the social institutions and the individuals.

IAEWP Activities for Eradication of Poverty

International Association of Educators for world Peace (IAEWP) has been serving, inter alia, for the development of all the individuals and for the betterment of the poor through education throughout the world through its Chapters scattered in 100 countries of the world today. One of its major and foremost objectives is to “promote the kind of education which will stress the release of full potential of individual in terms of his or her development in the family, local community, his or her country and whole family of nations”. In 1978-79, IAEWP organised its Second World Congress in the campus of Banaras Hindu University in India on the most burning problem of the world on the theme: EDUCATION AND WORLD HUNGER. That international meet was held for five days from 29 December 1978 to 2 January 1979. Keeping in their minds the hunger is the prime concern to education to study it thoroughly and give proper solution, the organizers assembled educators of various disciplines of education from different nations of the world to find out educational ways and means for solution of the problem of hunger and poverty to build a peaceful society. The proceedings of the Congress have been already published in the book form edited by the author of these lines Dr. Surya Nath Prasad with the title: EDUCATION AND WORLD HUNGER (Educational Remedy of World Hunger for World Peace) by Mittal Publications, New Delhi in 1985; and it is helpful and guide for those who are searching out solution to eradicate the problem of hunger and poverty either from the nation or from the World. Though the time of about 17 years has passed, but the problem of poverty still exists in every society of the world, and it needs our immediate attention to be eradicated for peace to all. 1996 Indian National Convention of IAEWP has a great importance due to this year being the UN International Year for the Eradication of Poverty, and we have put the theme of the year for deliberation and discussion. I hope the highly enlightened educator participants may resolve fruitful recommendations for everybody, who has been educated at the expense of masses, to pay attention in their education, and also for different governments and non-governmental organizations which are also responsible for education of the masses.

Conclusions

A famous Church Father in the Middle Ages, Bernard of Clairvaux, in a Latin hymn, asks, “Who will achieve universal peace?” and answers, “The disciplined, the dedicated, the pure in heart and the gentle in spirit.” But question arises who will make them all? The only answer is education. The most popular ancient Indian book: Hitoupadesha defines education as:

“Vidya Dadati Vinayam, Vinayam Dadati Patratvam,

Patratvam Dhanam Apanoti, Dhana Dharmam Tatah Sukham”.

“Education gives rise to self-discipline,

Self-discipline brings abilities,

With abilities comes wealth (prosperity),

Wealth promotes social service

And social service brings happiness and peace”.

It means that real education makes man self-disciplined and through self-discipline abilities are developed which brings wealth or prosperity. And prosperity earned only through self-discipline and abilities motivate, impel and encourage for social service or altruism which gives happiness and peace.

Though the foundation of peace is universal prosperity but prosperity earned only through ability and self-discipline can be the basis for peace. Therefore, to develop these qualities in each man and woman should be the aim of education in every society of the world.

Thus we may conclude saying that poverty can be eradicated through education, but only if education is for everyone, by everyone and with everyone. And through education, society as a whole can be taught to eradicate poverty by creating a Culture of Peace for lasting peace.

_________________________________________________________

This paper is based on the Presidential Speech of the author these lines Dr. Surya Nath Prasad at 8^th  Indian National Convention of International Association of Educators for World Peace  (IAEWP) on the theme: Education for Eradication of Poverty for Peace held for 22 and 23 June 1996 on the eve of UN 1996 International Year of Eradication of Poverty at Government  College of Education, Ujjain, M.P., India, and jointly publshed in the Journal of IAEWP Madhya Pradesh Chapter and Asian Institute for Human Rights Education, June 1996, and also published in International Educator, IYEP Special, Vol. 11, No. 3, 1996.      

Dr. Surya Nath Prasad, Former President of the International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP), Retired Professor of Education (India), Former Visiting Professor at Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Peace Education: An International Journal. dr_suryanathprasad@yahoo.co.in

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 4 May 2026.

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