United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has marked Nelson Mandela International Day with a strong call to action, urging the global community to carry forward the late statesman’s fight against systemic poverty and social injustice.

Observed annually on July 18 to commemorate the anti-apartheid icon’s birth anniversary, this year’s global event is being held under the official theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.”

In his official address, Guterres highlighted that the fight against economic hardship is fundamentally a matter of human rights rather than humanitarian aid. “Madiba was a clear-eyed champion of poverty eradication and equality,” Guterres stated. “He knew that ending poverty is not an act of charity. It’s an act of justice, and a duty that belongs to us all.”

Guterres expressed concern over deepening global divisions, warning that global wealth is accumulating disproportionately among a small minority while millions more face severe barriers to basic food, shelter, water, and education. He noted that years of hard-won progress against global poverty have been severely disrupted by conflict, economic shocks, and climate disasters.

To reverse these trends, Guterres called for comprehensive structural changes, including expanding access to quality education, investing in decent employment opportunities, and broadening universal healthcare and social safety nets. He also pressed for an overhaul of the international financial architecture to deliver urgent funding and debt relief to developing countries, alongside a rapid transition toward sustainable, renewable energy.

The UN General Assembly is marking the day with an informal plenary session at its headquarters in New York, coupled with widespread public service campaigns encouraging individuals worldwide to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to community volunteering, symbolising the 67 years Mandela spent serving humanity.

–ChannelAfrica/UN–