An approach to poverty eradication that focuses only on economic growth is fragile and unsustainable. Governments must create the conditions that allow people living in poverty to claim their human rights.

An approach to poverty eradication that focuses only on economic growth is fragile and unsustainable. The current global economic crisis has demonstrated how fragile gains based solely on economic growth are. Economies worldwide are in or heading towards recession. Growth rates in China, India and Brazil are slowing. The most impoverished countries, especially throughout Africa, face the prospect of decreased investment, trade and aid with devastating affect on people living in these countries.

"Economic growth is an important component of a strategy to tackle poverty, but it cannot be the only piece."

Reduced demands for exports to developed countries and lower foreign investment will mean less growth for export-oriented economies. Countries that are heavily dependent on remittances from migrant workers are likely to be badly affected. At least an additional 100 million people were plunged in to poverty due to the food, fuel and financial shocks of 2008.

It makes no sense to hold the lives of the poor hostage to the booms and busts of the world economy. Economic growth is an important component of a strategy to tackle poverty, but it cannot be the only piece. Governments must create the conditions that allow people living in poverty to claim their human rights, to empower themselves, so that they can be masters, and not victims, of their destiny.

Amnesty International has always defended the space for individuals to act. When we campaign for prisoners of conscience to be released, our focus is on their right to express themselves freely. Now the world must acknowledge that this space to speak, to demand, to act is a prerequisite to ensure that people living in poverty can demand their rights.

If governments continue to lock up the poor – in their slums, their torture chambers, their death beds, their IDP camps, their poverty – we will not listen to you when you say the economy is growing. Even when the economy is not growing it is possible – essential – to do things that help those living in poverty to escape the traps that keep them poor.

We know that human rights abuses cause and perpetuate poverty. And that poverty leads straight back to such abuse.