Poverty persistent but can be overcome, speakers say

Published: 2008-02-26

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Poverty, both domestic and global, has shown itself to be persistent, but successes have been made in ridding the world of some of its worst scourges and there is much yet to be accomplished, said speakers at a Catholic conference in Washington. "The reality of global poverty is getting closer" to individuals' lives, said Lesley-Anne Knight, the first woman secretary-general of Caritas Internationalis, but "its sheer persistence means it can all too easily slip from our conscience." Still, Knight said, targeted efforts have made inroads: Ghana is implementing a school nutrition program with locally grown foods. Burundi has established free medical care for mothers and children. And in Mozambique, insecticide-treated mosquito netting has halved the rate of malaria. Knight made her comments Feb. 25 at the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, attended by 700 Catholics from across the nation and co-sponsored by 20 Catholic organizations.

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