Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I hope you will agree with me. It may come as a surprise that, in the proposed poverty reduction law—we will have to resign ourselves to the use of the word “reduction”—there is no definition of poverty. Most laws begin with a preamble, followed by a title and, often, definitions. In this law, we do not even define what poverty is.
I just want to add a definition to the three definitions already included in the bill, namely, the terms “council”, “minister”—the term “minister” is defined, but not “poverty”—and “official poverty line”. However, there is no definition of it.
The amendment proposes a recognized definition. I didn't make it up. It reads as follows:
Poverty means the condition of a human being who lacks the resources, means, options and power necessary to acquire and maintain economic self-sufficiency or to facilitate his or her integration into and participation in society.
It goes without saying that, in a strong law— according to the government—that wants to reduce poverty, it is unthinkable that we do not define what poverty is.
I would therefore like to clarify what we mean when we talk about poverty by means of an internationally recognized definition.