RELIGIONS ORDERS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM:

POVERTY:  IMPASSE OF DOLLARS AND SENSE

Who?   What?  Why? and How? of Poverty. 

All -  rich and poor, busy and retired, illiterate and educated, North and South, employed and jobless -  All are entrapped by the effects of absolute poverty. And, each one can do something about opening an escape.  Often, what we do can take place within our current occupation, in our present situation.

An overview of the current global situation reveals the interconnectedness of major issues – conflict, disease, hunger, illiteracy, unemployment, trafficking, child abuse, powerlessness  – are all aspects of poverty.

This program will provide a basic understanding of national and global poverty and of simple actions which can engage already busy people in the work of eliminating absolute poverty.

Topics of the Workshop

WHO are the poor?
            Nationally
            Globally
WHAT is poverty?
            Absolute poverty
            Relative poverty
WHY does poverty persist?
            Global Financial Policies
            Debt
            Global Trade
            Privatization
            Multinational Corporations
            Militarization
HOW can we work together to eliminate economic poverty?
            Millennium Development Goals
            simple, time saving actions that all can do

“To eliminate extreme poverty we need to eliminate extreme wealth.”

The poverty trap confines us all – victims of poverty, victims of property, the  guilt-ridden, the busy,  the ignorant, the informed. 
This program provides a basic understanding of the roots of economic poverty and of the conditions which perpetuate poverty as it impacts every aspect of social development: health, education, human rights, employment, sustainable environments. As we labor in direct service, it is imperative that we understand and include in our viewpoint those underlying causes which create new victims daily.  The workshop will include simple actions that  will move our direct services of charity to include work for justice.
           
This basic (Poverty 101) program is designed for religious leaders, parish workers, youth leaders, educators, anyone interested in understanding the poverty trap. We will use exercises, video, discussion, instruction. 

Workshop will take place at your venue. The host community will be responsible for inviting participants and for providing adequate meeting space for the group.

Time Frame:  2 to 3 days – negotiable

Cost:   Transport and  accommodations for speaker.
 Honorarium negotiable.

Workshop Facilitator:
            Marie Elena Dio, SC
            Marie Elena has recently completed 8 years as NGO representative for the Elizabeth Seton Federation at the United Nations where she concentrated on issues of poverty: Social Development, Status of Women, Financing for Development, Sustainable Development.

She is presently representing the Dominican Leadership Conference at the UN in the area of Financing for Development. Marie Elena is on the Board of Partnership for Global Justice/Partnership for Global Justice.

For further information please contact

Partnership for Global Justice
Atten. Marie Elena Dio, SC
211 East 43rd Street, Suite 305
New York, NY 10017
(Tel) 212 682-6481
Email:  mariedio38@att.net
www.religiousorderspartnership.org