Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) calls for the end of poverty in all its forms everywhere. It encompasses a spectrum of targets including the eradication of extreme poverty (Target 1.1), reducing poverty in all dimensions (1.2), implementing social protection systems (1.3), ensuring equal access to economic resources and services (1.4), building resilience against shocks (1.5), mobilizing financial resources (1.6), and establishing pro-poor and gender-sensitive policy frameworks (1.7). Countries across the world have responded with various national programs, some of which have delivered transformative results while others have faced challenges in design or execution. This article reviews case studies from Brazil, India, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Indonesia, China, and Romania to evaluate both successful and cautionary experiences in achieving SDG 1. 1. Brazil: Bolsa Família and Fome Zero Brazil’s flagship poverty reduction programs have addressed several SDG 1 targets through conditional cash transfers tied to education and healthcare outcomes. Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) and Bolsa Família (Family Grant), launched in the early 2000s, provided targeted support to poor families, conditional on school attendance and child vaccinations. Outcomes: Reduced extreme poverty from 11% to 3% by 2015. Narrowed income inequality significantly. Key Features: Unified social registry (CadÚnico) ensured better targeting. Decentralized implementation allowed local responsiveness within a national framework. Takeaway: Brazil’s success illustrates the power of combining targeted transfers with human capital development and decentralized execution. Long-term commitment and accurate beneficiary identification were essential to its impact. 2. Romania: Minimum Inclusion Income and EU-Funded Social Investment As a European Union […]