Accelerating Fight Against Poverty: The Story of PRAN

The Poverty Research and Advocacy Network (PRAN) was established in June 2023 with a vision of bringing together those who aspire to combat poverty and pave the way for a better future, both regionally and nationally.

It aims to build bridges and foster connections among a diverse range of people and organisations to accelerate the fight against poverty and social injustice.

Dr Natalija Atas, Co-founder of PRAN

It also serves as a knowledge-sharing platform that facilitates collaborations and raises awareness about poverty and inequality. PRAN is built on the belief that poverty is one of the key issues stagnating true growth and progress in our society. To explain the rationale behind the establishment of the network, we need to look at the extent and nature of poverty in the UK.

There is a clear consensus among the most prominent poverty researchers: poverty is a structural issue. In other words, poverty is not a consequence of personal choices or faults; it is an artificially created problem that reflects a chain of poor governmental policies, misguided political choices, and priorities. However, it does have a very real personal impact—it deprives individuals of opportunities and the ability to live better lives.

In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, such as the UK, poverty simply should not exist. Nevertheless, the rates of poverty in this country are truly shocking. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) reports that 14.4 million people (approximately 1 in 5) in the UK were living in poverty in 2021/22; 4.2 million of these were children, and 2.1 million were pensioners. 

This poverty statistic is even more alarming considering that ‘3.2 million people in the UK are only £40 a week from poverty’.  To make matters worse, over the past two decades, the UK has not seen a steady decline in poverty rates.

Such a context clearly shows that our society is in desperate and urgent need of collective action against poverty - something PRAN aims to contribute to. The fact that the network was established in Liverpool has symbolic meaning attached to it.

Despite the impressive growth and development the city has experienced in the last few decades, Liverpool still remains one of the most deprived local authorities in the UK. The North West has been historically and systematically underfunded, and therefore, people of this region have been disproportionately affected by recurrent forms of poverty and deprivation.

This has undoubtedly been escalated by the current cost of living crisis. Therefore, creating a platform that gives an opportunity for people of the region to network, make their voices heard, and contribute to the national policy debate on poverty is of utmost importance.

Currently, PRAN has over 170 national and regional members drawn from NGOs, other third-sector organisations, local councils, the NHS, academia, the media, and members of the general public.

Such broad and versatile membership puts the network in a unique position and allows it to build bridges between different people, institutions, and sectors. The network aims to highlight and celebrate work that is done by incredible people and organisations that are actively involved in the fight against poverty (and bring attention to best practices).

It welcomes people from all walks of life, as we believe that diverse experiences and expertise are the key to effective action and real change. Its advocacy work focuses on changing popular and stigmatising discourses on poverty that work to hinder social progress.

The network is both interactive and dynamic, incorporating elements such as event organising, newsletters, blogs, and a podcast series. During one year of its existence, members of PRAN had an opportunity to share their ideas and learn from the most prominent voices in the country. The network has also forged some unique relationships and collaborations. For example, it was given an opportunity to be a part of Liverpool's longest running annual literary festival WoWFEST and host ‘Poverty and Resistance’ event. 

To conclude, PRAN aims to bring together various stakeholders to amplify voices fighting against poverty and injustice and make poverty a political priority.

Poverty not only disadvantages and harms people experiencing it; it also deprives society of contributions that so many could make if their talents and potential were not suppressed by the day-to-day chronic stress and struggle of making ends meet. How many talented poets, artists, engineers, careers, and doctors could contribute towards the growth and prosperity of our society if those talents were not concealed by the burden of poverty?

If we want a better tomorrow for ourselves and our children, it is in our best interest to do all we can to address poverty. Ultimately, poverty is everyone’s business (as many people working in this sector keep repeating), and PRAN aims to help spread this message as widely as possible.

What gives hope, in these otherwise bleak times, is the dedication, resilience, and incredible efforts to build a better future among those experiencing and fighting against poverty.