Anti-Poverty Week 2010 17-23 October

Homelessness and poverty are serious and ongoing problems here in Australia.

Every night there are around 105,000 Australian who don't have a home to sleep in.

12% are children under 12 and roughly half the people using homelessness assistance services are families.

Anti-Poverty Week was established in Australia as an expansion of the UN's 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.

Everyone who is interested in helping to reduce poverty and hardship here or overseas is encouraged to organise their own activities during the week or join in some being organised by other people.

The activities can be large or small, and events at a local level are especially welcome.

For more information about events being planned, or to find out how you can be involved, please click here.

Also check out Street Sleepers, a website which highlights the challenges facing homeless people using articles, videos and photos.

For up-to-date research, fact sheets and reports on poverty and related issues here in Australia and worldwide, please go to the resources page of the Anti-Poverty Week website.