1

Draft Resolution No. 260 /X

Considering that poverty is a harsh reality for a considerable part of the

Portuguese population, taking into account the levels of income, material progress,

technological and organizational already achieved in our Country;

Considering that the poverty situation is unflinchable and intolerable in the light of ethical criteria

enshrined in key documents, namely the Constitution of the Republic

Portuguese, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the European Social Charter;

Considering that freedom is a fundamental human right that only guarantees itself

when the actual conditions of their exercise are ensured, conditions that the

poverty negates, constituting thus a situation of deprivation of liberty, which offends the

human dignity;

Considering that in some countries and supranational instances, it has been developing

the awareness that poverty not only constitutes an injustice inflicted on the poor, that

are its first victims, as it also has negative consequences for the

democracy, the sustainability of development and social peace;

Considering that the recognition of the dignity inherent in all members of the

human family and of their equal and inalienable rights constitutes the foundation of the

freedom, justice and peace in a world in which human beings are free from

speak and believe, liberates from terror and misery, and how about is proclaimed as the highest

inspiration 1 human;

Considering that the eradication of poverty should raise a broad involvement

civic and a strong political commitment;

Considering that, despite a long history of concern for the poor, more

recently expressed in considerable number of policies, programmes, projects and

public and private initiatives, involving voluminous human resources and

financial, it is necessary to deepen the perspectives and solutions with a view to eradicating

of poverty;

Considering that the European Social Model, and its realization in the framework of the

Lisbon Strategy, commits the Member States of the European Union to be drawn up

National Plans of Action for Inclusion, with decisive impact on the eradication of

poverty, by defining concrete measures, appropriate targets and indicators of

follow up;

1 in preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2

Considering the III National Plan of National Action for Inclusion, in force, which

conforms national options on policies for the eradication of poverty

and social exclusion;

Considering that Portugal, once a pioneer in the abolition of slavery, today, in the

Fidelity to the matrix of its values, recognizes that poverty such as that, inhibits the

freedom and denies the dignity to the human person, and as such has to be abolished;

Considering that this is the year in which they are commemorating the 60 years of the approval of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

The Assembly of the Republica solemnly declares that the expressed poverty and leads to the

violation of Human Rights and, consequently, everyone holds responsibility for the creation

of the institutional and social mechanisms that lead to its eradication.

The Assembly of the Republica proposes:

1. Take over the specific mission of permanent observation and monitoring of the poverty situation in Portugal, in the parliamentary framework;

2. Request the Government to submit to the Assembly of the Republic of an annual report on the implementation of the National Plan of Action for the

Inclusion.

Lisbon, January 2008

THE DEPUTIES