C Explanatory memorandum
by Mr Pierre-Alain Fridez, rapporteur
1 Introduction
1. If I had to answer the question
“How are children faring?” today, I would have to say, “not so well
in Europe, and the situation of those most vulnerable is becoming
critical”. The last hopes of achieving the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) 1.2 (“By 2030, reduce at least by half the
proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty
in all its dimensions according to national definitions”) will not survive
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Note
2. In her report “Ending child poverty in Europe”
Note, our colleague, Ms Sevinj Fataliyeva
(Azerbaijan, EC/DA), already warned us in 2014 that child poverty
was “creeping back in Europe”. This concern was strongly echoed by
the Committee of Ministers in its reply to
Recommendation 2044 (2014) and was reiterated in its declaration of 11 December
2019.
Note In
Resolution 1995 (2014), the Parliamentary Assembly already urged member States of
the Council of Europe to redouble their efforts in the fight against
poverty, but this warning was clearly not heeded.
3. At a joint meeting of the Sub-Committees on Children and on
the European Social Charter,
Note we had the opportunity to discuss
the question: “Across Europe, a quarter of children are at risk
of social exclusion in Europe – what should parliaments do to protect
them?”. If child poverty remains a major concern in Europe, it is
because levels of extreme poverty are alarming. Long before the
Covid-19 pandemic, these levels were growing steadily in our prosperous
societies. It was with the aim of taking stock of the measures taken
since 2014 and with a view to taking effective action against this
scourge, which destroys the best interests of children, that Mr Andrej
Hunko (Germany, UEL) initiated a motion for a resolution which was
referred to the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable
Development in May 2020. On 7 July 2020, I was appointed rapporteur.
4. The failure of the fight against extreme poverty is, to date,
a collective failure. We must get a grip and reverse that trend.
As the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021)
has come to an end and a new strategy has been prepared, would it
not be appropriate, in light of the established standards and the
Committee of Ministers’ declaration, to continue efforts to achieve
wider social protection; to promote integrated social policies;
and to better measure and combat child poverty?
5. The Covid-19 pandemic is not a temporary shock to our economies
and societies. Its effects will be felt for decades to come, as
Mr Hunko explained in his report entitled “Overcoming the socio-economic
crisis sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic”
Note. The pandemic is a catalyst that
has highlighted and amplified weaknesses in child protection across
the world, including Europe. According to the World Bank, for the
first time since 1998, poverty rates will rise again as the global
economy enters recession and per capita GDP falls sharply. According
to the same sources, the pandemic could drive an additional 150
million people into extreme poverty.
Note Even before the current crisis,
UNICEF estimated that 385 million children were living in extreme poverty
worldwide. Although statistics are not available for all member
States, the Committee of Ministers noted with concern in its declaration
of 11 December 2019 that more than one child in four was living
below the poverty line and called on member States to take action.
The current situation could be more alarming, I fear.
6. Precise definitions of poverty and extreme poverty are difficult
to make. They vary from one country to another and depend on the
ways and means of meeting people’s needs. Poverty is “a human condition characterised
by sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities,
choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate
standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political
and social rights”.
Note Whereas the World Bank has decided
to adopt a purely monetary approach to extreme poverty, namely US$1.90
per day, the United Nations and the Council of Europe have chosen
to look beyond a lack of income to better assess the complexity
of the phenomenon. The long-term effects of extreme poverty on children’s
development can be significant, even if the situation is temporary.
7. The fight against extreme poverty has multiple dimensions
that go beyond the financial aspect. It includes an educational
dimension, access to basic services and access to health and the
right to security. The Covid-19 pandemic adds a further difficulty:
not only may people living in poverty experience extreme poverty, but,
above all, those who have managed to lift themselves out of poverty
may sink back into it.
Note With
the future uncertain, there is also a need to harness creative solutions.
As UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed pointed out at the
launch of the Alliance for the Eradication of Poverty, formed by
39 countries in June 2020,
Note we must “not lose sight of the urgency
of climate action, which provides an unprecedented opportunity to
unlock massive economic and social benefits and accelerate structural
transformations for sustainable development”.
8. In the course of my work, I have been able to consult experts
and partners on the situation of children living in extreme poverty
and was able to discuss the instruments at our disposal to put an
end to this situation. On 17 June 2021, the Committee on Social
Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development welcomed Mr Jacques
Vandenschrik, President of the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA);
Mr Zachary Parolin, Researcher at the Columbia University Center
on Poverty and Social Policy (USA) and Assistant Professor at Bocconi
University (Italy); and Ms Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová, Chairperson
of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social
Affairs. The meeting was introduced by Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary
General of the Council of Europe.
2 Extreme
child poverty should be a cause for concern in Europe
9. Almost 385 million children
in the world, namely 19.5% of all children, are living in extreme
poverty (that is to say, on less than 1.90 US dollars per day),
compared to 9.2% of adults.
Note In 2018, UNICEF estimated that 22 million
children were living below the poverty line in Europe and Central
Asia.
Note The report is illustrated with images
of situations of extreme child poverty in Armenia, Romania, Serbia,
and Turkey. The situation is worrying in all member States, considering
the typical profile of children living in poverty or extreme poverty. While
countries in the region have experienced significant economic growth
over the past two decades, the overexposure of children demonstrates
that the sharing of wealth and progress is unevenly distributed,
leaving them in a vulnerable position. Regrettably, extreme poverty
has continued to rise during this period of almost uninterrupted
growth.
10. This situation would seem to show that family policies have
not provided the necessary protection for children and to suggest
that our countries are in breach of Article 2 of the International
Convention on the Rights of the Child which specifies that this
protection is afforded to “each child within their jurisdiction
without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child’s
or his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social
origin, property, disability, birth or other status”.
11. We lack precise figures on the number of children who are
poor or victims of extreme poverty. According to the World Bank,
most poor people can be found in rural areas, have little education
and are mainly from vulnerable groups. Children are particularly
at risk, especially girls and young women; children with disabilities; migrant,
refugee, and stateless children; children from minorities and those
in detention. As General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Campaign
to End Immigration Detention of Children, I have already had the opportunity
to speak out against the distress and misery caused to migrant children.
12. By 2030, two-thirds of the poorest people will live in fragile
or conflict-ridden economies. While our Organisation’s primary role
is to ensure peace, Europe is not free of conflict zones. The impact
of the fighting on civilians living in places such as Donbass, Nagorno-Karabakh
and the border areas between Armenia and Azerbaijan is extremely
worrying. As a reminder, the World Bank Group’s goal of ending extreme
poverty within a generation includes a quantified target: the rate
of extreme poverty should not exceed 3% of the world’s population
in 2030. The World Bank’s second objective is to foster shared prosperity
by accelerating income growth for the poorest 40% of the population
in each country. The Bank, which operates in 145 countries, including
Council of Europe member States, has recognised that it will not
be able to achieve this goal.
13. Child poverty poses challenges to public authorities. Solutions
are often tailor-made. In
Resolution 1995 (2014) “Ending child poverty in Europe” the Assembly has already
urged member States to meet these challenges, which are described
by UNICEF as follows: social protection programmes benefiting children
and families have not been prioritised in many European and Central
Asian countries; some governments do not provide social protection
to adolescents over 14 years of age; government budgets for social
protection are limited and there is a lack of human resources for
effective social protection programmes; social services are limited
or unavailable, especially in rural areas.
14. Families that do not receive enough support to keep disabled
children at home are more likely to place them in institutions.
Those who should benefit from social protection face obstacles such
as bureaucratic procedures and a lack of information about their
rights and the programmes available; social protection benefits and
services remain fragmented and segmented, which means that children
and families do not receive the integrated support required to overcome
the multiple challenges and vulnerabilities they face; those most vulnerable
to poverty – including people receiving social protection – are
discriminated against. For example, families from Roma communities
may be unable to access benefits to which they are entitled. Legal
support is required to help families claim their rights.
15. Equal opportunities for all children were central to the Council
of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021).
Note It has provided an opportunity for
a mid-term evaluation,
Note during which the Director General
of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe, Mr Christos
Giakoumopoulos, emphasised that children’s rights, and those who
advocate them, have been instrumental in furthering the dynamic interpretation
of human rights: from the development of social rights to the introduction
of transgenerational justice, for example, through demands for older
generations to ensure a healthy environment. In closing the conference,
the rapporteur, Ms Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, Chairperson of the
Ad hoc Committee for the Rights of the Child (CAHENF),
Note emphasised that “[a] lack of equal
opportunities, through a rise or persistence in poverty, exclusion
and discrimination, destroys children’s dreams and aspirations and
divides societies”. While the fourth Strategy (2022-2027) was launched
on 7-8 April 2022, the work here will remain one of the main areas
of development at the Council of Europe. At the hearing held by
the committee, the Deputy Secretary General stressed the need for
collective efforts.
3 Extreme
child poverty is multidimensional and undermines the best interests
of the child
16. When children are living in
extreme poverty, this is above all because their parents are too.
This is particularly the case in single-parent families.
Note When
the household income depends on jobs in the informal economy, this
not only creates a challenge for society but above all has consequences
that, as well as being almost unimaginable, are often dire.
Note
17. Quebec has regularly analysed the effects of poverty on children.
Note More than
a hundred indicators have been defined and used to illustrate the
differences in health, both physical and mental, development and
social adaptation, between poor children and those from better-off
families. Through these regular reports, the authorities have noted
that the health divide between Quebec’s most advantaged and disadvantaged
children is “disconcertingly wide”. This disparity does not lessen
over time. Hospital admissions and deaths are linked to child poverty.
Eradicating poverty would prevent all these adverse effects, which
contribute to a vicious circle.
18. Our States have made firm commitments to children’s rights
through the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Extreme poverty
is a violation of the best interests of the child. Such vulnerability
is harmful to children’s well-being, triggering a cascade of negative
effects. In its reference framework, the United Nations have identified
five areas where action for children can bring about change.
3.1 Nutrition
19. The link between obesity and
poverty is widely acknowledged. Our Assembly has dealt with this
subject on several occasions, notably in
Resolution 1804 (2011) and
Recommendation
1966 (2011) “Safeguarding children and young people from obesity
and type 2 diabetes”. One of today’s most worrying public health issues,
obesity is spreading throughout society like another pandemic, bringing
with it a host of chronic diseases that reduce life expectancy.
Resolution 2373 (2021) “Discrimination against persons dealing with chronic
and long-term illnesses” initiated by our colleague, Ms Martine
Wonner (France, ALDE), and recently adopted by the Assembly, is
also relevant here. After North America, obesity is most prevalent
in Europe, according to the World Health Organisation. It affects
children, especially those living in poverty, who need proper education,
greater access to a better-quality and more balanced diet, and physical
activity. It is worth noting that in many cases, it is through schools
that children have access to healthy, balanced meals, compounding
the difficulties faced when they were closed during the Covid-19
pandemic.
Note
20. Fortunately, hunger is no longer widespread in Europe - but
it does persist among some people living in extreme poverty. The
pandemic brought this sad reality home to us. Having some families
who rely on outside help for food is nothing new, but the situation
became much worse during the health crisis. Between April and June
2020, UK food banks recorded over 100 000 new users, with an estimated
61%-rise in activity for the whole year.
Note In
Belgium,
Note 500 000 people use food aid, and NGOs deplore
the fact that the country has not enshrined the right to food in
its Constitution. The French foundation Break Poverty estimates
that the crisis has plunged more than 100 000 newborns into food
insecurity in France.
Note According
to another French charity, Secours catholique, 40% of vulnerable
households could no longer afford the food they needed daily in
November 2020. There was a tremendous wave of solidarity during
the crisis, but the footage of people travelling far and wide to
get a bite to eat and queuing to be given groceries certainly make
for shocking viewing in our wealthy societies.
3.2 Education
21. Education remains the best
insurance against the threat of generational poverty, enabling people
to gain access to work and play a role in society. The pandemic
forced schools to close their doors and poverty not only prevented
pupils from pursuing their education, but also deprived them of
the physical activity required for their development and often of
a healthy and balanced meal. The health crisis has been particularly
challenging for the poorest families because they frequently lack
access to the technological equipment needed for distance learning.
22. Poverty passes from generation to generation. Children born
into extreme poverty have few opportunities to escape from it without
outside help, especially if they are vulnerable for other reasons. Providing
access to quality education supporting and promoting human rights,
democracy and the rule of law is vital. Children must be equipped
with the tools empowering them to choose their own path and taught
the cultural skills required for life in a democratic and inclusive
society.
23. All around the world, poverty is particularly hard on girls,
who, according to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are almost
always locked out of training forever once they have left school.
In such cases, they are not only deprived of enjoying their childhood,
but above all of control over their lives.
24. Children living in poverty, particularly when it is extreme,
are more likely to drop out of school and, unfortunately, the Covid-19
pandemic has only heightened this phenomenon. Lack of education
or training helps perpetuate the cycle of poverty passing from one
generation to another.
3.3 Health
25. In
Resolution 2284 (2019) “Addressing the health needs of adolescents in Europe”,
the Assembly reiterated that “health is a human right and health
services appropriate for every age group are an essential element
of cohesive and democratic societies”. As all children in extreme
poverty are affected by numerous vulnerabilities, their health is
particularly at risk.
26. The poorest children are unfortunately those who have the
least access to dental care, primarily because of cost and a lack
of trained professionals. Beyond the repercussions of poor dental
care for the body as a whole, teeth are an important social marker.
Too often, the poorest children are left without preventive and restorative
care. Beyond public action, access to care is hampered by a market
system that is unfavourable to the most vulnerable, as described
by the French researcher Olivier Cyran.
Note Access to free and adequate health
care is necessary to enable these children to escape extreme poverty.
27. Respecting certain ground rules for good health is just as
important. Good hygiene is not just about personal cleanliness,
it also means being able to take care of oneself in terms of eating,
sleeping and lifestyle choices. Poor hygiene not only affects people
themselves, but also those around them. Take alcohol consumption,
for example. While children affected by foetal alcohol syndrome
account for only 1% of births in the United States, these children
overwhelmingly face problems at school.
Note Tobacco also interferes with human
embryonic development and may impact behaviour in adult life.
28. Furthermore, poverty takes its toll on people’s mental health.
Note Adult stress levels – which were
already running high before the Covid-19 outbreak – were considerably
increased by the stress which the pandemic brought, and those of
children inevitably followed suit. In the United Kingdom, the number
of people experiencing some kind of depression doubled in early
2021, compared to pre-pandemic figures. 35% of adults who reported
being unable to afford unexpected expenses experienced depressive
symptoms in that period, compared to 21% before the pandemic. Depression
was more prevalent among black people and those from minority ethnic
groups, but also among young women and people with disabilities.
The crisis has also led to a considerable deterioration in the situation
of children with disabilities, as parents have had to bear additional costs.
Domestic violence, although it affects society as a whole, may have
worsened the plight of those children. The effects of the crisis
will certainly be felt for a long time to come.
3.4 Housing
and over-borrowing
29. Children’s well-being depends
largely on the quality of the parental home and whether they feel comfortable
and safe there. Housing has been high on this Assembly’s agenda
since 1949. In
Resolution
2285 (2019) “Sustainable urban development fostering social inclusion”,
it called on member States to promote human rights-based housing
“to ensure that no one is left behind, and to pay attention to the
specific needs of children, the elderly, women, migrants and refugees,
the poor and people with disabilities”. The resolution as a whole
is relevant here.
30. High parental debt also has a negative impact on children’s
futures.
Note Governments have a responsibility to
implement policies to tackle over-borrowing. Although efforts to
eradicate it entirely have failed, the number of households in excessive
debt has fallen. The most deprived continue to be the hardest hit,
Note however, raising
the issue of families being trapped in a cycle of poverty.
31. The health crisis has hit ethnic minority parents particularly
hard, as they are often over-represented in low-skilled jobs in
the sectors that were most severely affected by the pandemic. When
you are not sure when the next pay check is coming in, the fear
of losing your home becomes very real. Job and housing insecurity are
affecting families who had managed to escape poverty and spreading
to groups who are seeing their income levels fall and are worried
about paying the rent. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is concerned
about the implications for the mental health of the wider UK population.
It says every effort must be made to rebuild society on solid foundations,
including having a proper social welfare net to catch those falling
on hard times, good quality jobs and decent, affordable, and secure
housing. It calls on the national authorities to provide stable
homes where people can put down roots and build a better life for
themselves and their families.
Note The pandemic
is a historic opportunity to rethink our societies.
3.5 Access
to water and energy sources
32. While most EU citizens have
access to safe drinking water,
Note the question remains as to its quality
and cost across the continent. That question prompts broader questions
about all the other essential services. Like their parents, children
not only need access to water to keep clean but also to transportation
that meets their needs - which in their case means being able to
get to school, do sport or access culture. It is unfortunate that the
poorest people find themselves living side by side, in neighbourhoods
or areas with poor transport links, close to schools with no social
mix, and without access to a variety of cultural and sporting activities.
These circumstances affect children's lives and shape their future.
They reinforce inequalities, leaving children stuck in a trap that
is hard to escape.
33. In addition to access to drinking water, there is the issue
of connection to essential amenities in places where children live.
Malfunctions have a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable
households, and the children living in them are primarily affected
by the poverty of their parents. The Council of Europe Development
Bank estimated in 2019 that around 30 million people in Europe were
suffering from energy poverty.
Note In its report, the Bank notes that
“energy prices and income levels influence energy consumption to different
degrees of magnitude and in different directions”, adding that “in
the short run, changes in prices of energy (be it electricity or
gas) or in household income levels have a small impact on household
energy consumption. However, in the long run, household demand for
electricity tends to be price-inelastic”. The quality of housing
has deteriorated. It appears that people at risk of poverty live
mostly in countries with higher levels of energy poverty. The Bank
also noted that in 18 countries the income growth of the poorest
20% was slower than the increase in energy costs between 2007 and
2019. Energy is a factor that drives poverty.
34. Children who experience extreme poverty inherit it from their
parents and risk replicating it with their own offspring. They have
less access to basic hygiene, in the broadest sense of the term.
They often live in unhealthy environments, in substandard, poorly
heated housing where they feel unsafe and cannot do their homework
in proper conditions. They cannot engage in sports because of the
lack of proper facilities, they do not enjoy a balanced diet and
have to eat junk food, and they are far from the health, education
and cultural services available in city centres. It is here that
inequalities develop, mental health is damaged, and frustrations arise.
4 Covid-19
is driving more and more children into extreme poverty
35. The Covid-19 pandemic alone
is responsible for a 7% increase in extreme poverty worldwide, according to
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Progress in the fight against
poverty and extreme poverty belongs to the past. We must resign
ourselves to acknowledging the reality of an increase in extreme
poverty among children with the consequences that this can have
for the equilibrium of our societies. As the 2020 Goalkeepers Report
drily notes, “we’ve been set back about 25 years in about 25 weeks”.
Note
36. The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) annual wage
report
Note found that the pandemic resulted
in US$3.7 billion of lost wages in 2020, driving down average pay.
The situation in Europe differs from country to country. While in
some places, average wages appeared to rise because of strong job
retention measures to contain job losses mainly affecting those
at the lower end of the wage scale, they fell drastically in several countries
which reported statistics, like the United Kingdom. This decrease
has affected the lowest earners, but also women. As women are more
likely to have child custody, we have reason to fear a negative
impact on children. While the ILO acknowledges that minimum wage
schemes and adequate wage policies can effectively ensure a satisfactory
standard of living, it regrets the impact of the pandemic in reinforcing inequalities.
37. The Covid-19 pandemic has placed at greater risk families
who formerly lived in extreme poverty and recently emerged from
it. With the memory of that situation still fresh, they live in
fear of returning to it. This is particularly noticeable in vulnerable
families where at least one member has disabilities, comes from
a migrant background or belongs to a minority group such as Roma.
Even when having broken free from poverty once stands as proof of
these families’ resilience, the fear of slipping back into it could
come to haunt them, as is evident from the work of the US researcher
Homi Kharas.
Note
38. UNICEF has published the most chilling forecasts. It estimates
that the number of children living in poor families worldwide could
soar by 117 million to reach 691 million in 2020.
Note In this context, it is crucial to
make a precise assessment of the situation in Europe. This is confirmed
by the European Food Banks Federation, which has seen a 34.7% increase
in demand for food aid from its members. It has recorded 1 161 091
children among the beneficiaries
Note and noted a steady increase in poverty
in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic.
39. While extreme poverty had been in decline for more than 20
years, the pandemic not only stopped that trend – it reversed it.
At the same time, government funding was reallocated to address
the health crisis. Children who depended on school lunches for a
balanced diet were left wanting when their schools closed. Former
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has raised the alarm.
Note He has pledged his support to Save The Children’s
campaign to restore a commitment of at least 0.7% of GNP to social
policies to fight extreme child poverty. He has also called on the
international community to get behind a Marshall Plan to help Africa effectively
combat this scourge.
40. In order to help the poorest and most vulnerable in the context
of the health crisis, the United Nations launched a Framework for
the immediate socio-economic response to Covid-19 in April 2020
Note which established five streams of
work with a direct or indirect impact on children: ensuring permanent
access to health services; helping people cope with adversity through
access to social services; protecting jobs, supporting small and
medium-sized companies, as well as informal employment, through
economic response programmes; supporting measures to assist the
most vulnerable; and promoting social cohesion and investing in
resilience policies. The aim is to initiate a reconstruction and
recovery process (“To build back, better”). It is the Council of
Europe’s responsibility to co-ordinate its work with the United
Nations, the European Union and the World Bank in order to contribute
to this objective by avoiding gaps and duplication of effort, and
to ensure that no child is left by the wayside.
41. As the UN framework for the immediate socio-economic response
notes, there is an urgent need “to connect health needs to social,
economic and environmental well-being”. Without this response, poverty
and inequality could reach unprecedented levels and even go so far
as to threaten the world as we know it. Choices should be guided
by the objective of the society we want to see. Combating child
poverty, especially extreme poverty, must be a priority and must
be given the resources needed to have the required effect.
42. Although the effects of the virus on fertility are still unclear,
we do know that the pandemic has put adults and children under greater
stress. This is also reflected in the dramatic drop in birth rates
in most of our countries, which were already below the replacement
level. In the European Union, the birth rate was already worryingly
low in 2019 with an average of 1.53 births per woman.
NoteNote Anxiety about the future and the
economic crisis explain why people are choosing to postpone or stop
planning to have a child. This is common among those who are already
living in extreme poverty or have experienced it in their lifetime.
Paradoxically, in some cases, the pandemic is also responsible for
unintended pregnancies resulting from domestic violence or lack of
access to family planning. Overall, this “baby bust” could be set
to continue. The United States expects a further 7% decline in the
birth rate in 2021.
Note “This crisis could lead to a drop
that will irrevocably compound the demographic imbalances we are
facing, which are incompatible with a robust future for our country,”
said Italian researcher Alessandro Rosina.
Note Covid-19 once again raises the
question of the role of family and migration policies.
5 What
are the options for ending extreme child poverty?
43. In December 2020, the United
Nations launched a historic plan to tackle poverty. It says it will
require $US35.1 billion to assist the 160 million people most in
need across 56 countries. In total, 235 million people need help
worldwide, namely one in 33 people.
Note
44. In 2015, the European Parliament called for the establishment
of a children’s guarantee ensuring access for vulnerable children
to free healthcare, free education, early childhood education and
care, decent housing and adequate nutrition.
Note Despite strong commitment, undeniable
progress and long before the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union
acknowledged that it had been unable to meet its 2008 anti-poverty
targets
Note of reducing the number of people
affected by poverty and exclusion by at least 20 million by 2020.
In 2017, 24.9% of children were still at risk of poverty or exclusion.
Within member States, the situation is very mixed in terms of results,
and social protection systems do not all have the same impact. The
most effective system has reduced the risk of poverty by 57%, while
the least effective has lowered it by just 16%. The EU average is 34%.
The Gothenburg summit highlighted 20 principles that make up the
European Pillar of Social Rights
NoteNote and set precise, quantified objectives.
45. The European Commission presented its proposal for a European
Child Guarantee on 24 March 2021.
NoteNote It aims to ensure that every child
in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the
most basic rights. It estimated that 18 million children were at
risk in 2019. This is more than one child in five, namely 22.2 %
of all children. These children are more likely to face barriers
in accessing services, which are key for their well-being and the
development of social, cognitive and emotional skills. The widespread
support for this proposal will help combat social exclusion and
promote equal opportunities. Its key recommendations include effective
and free access to early childhood education and care, education,
and school-based activities, at least one healthy meal each school
day, and healthcare; and effective, convenient and affordable access
to healthy nutrition and adequate housing.
46. At the same time, the European Parliament adopted a widely
backed resolution tabled by its Committee on Employment and Social
Affairs
NoteNote urging the EU Council and member
States “to be ambitious in the full and rapid adoption of the recommendation
and in its implementation”. In its resolution, the Parliament focused
on the financial aspect and called on EU member States to: mainstream
the European Child Guarantee in all policy sectors; allocate at
least 5% of the resources of the new European Social Fund (ESF+)
under shared management to supporting activities under the European
Child Guarantee; ensure a co-ordinated approach in the programming
and implementation of EU funds, speed up their implementation and
dedicate all possible national resources, complemented by EU funds.
47. To control and curb poverty, the European Parliament calls
on EU member States to specifically task a public authority, such
as a commissioner for children or an ombudsman, with measuring the
effects on children of national and regional legislation and of
the national measures to implement the Child Guarantee, as well
as generally promoting children’s rights in public policy; and to
urgently address learning disruptions and educational inequalities
caused by the Covid-19 crisis, both to enable children to learn
remotely as swiftly as possible and to propose long-term solutions
to structural inequalities.
48. With regard to housing, it urges EU member States to: safeguard
children’s right to adequate housing, by providing related support
to parents having difficulties with maintaining or accessing housing
so that they can stay with their children, with a particular focus
on young adults exiting child welfare institutions; prioritise the
provision of permanent housing to homeless children and their families,
and to include housing solutions for children experiencing homelessness
or housing exclusion in their national Child Guarantee action plans.
49. It calls on EU member States to strengthen efforts to prevent
harm from coming to children and to protect them from all forms
of violence by developing strategies to identify and prioritise
children at risk for prevention and response interventions; to work
out specific strategies to protect children from online sexual abuse
and exploitation, since isolated children spend more time online,
which increases the risk of their exposure to online abuse, including
child pornography and online bullying.
50. Lastly, the European Parliament called on the Commission to
examine the possibility of establishing a European Authority for
Children to support and monitor EU member States’ implementation
of the recommendation, co-ordinate national work, ensure the exchange
of good practices and innovative solutions, and streamline reporting
and recommendations. The Parliament considered that the Child Guarantee
should become a permanent instrument to prevent and tackle child
poverty in a structural manner in the EU.
51. On taking office, US President Biden
Note launched a comprehensive plan to
combat extreme child poverty. Under America’s US$1 900 billion stimulus
package, he has made provision for permanent monthly family allowances
and the building of numerous affordable nurseries and childcare
facilities.
Note The
plan calls for more visits to parents and for specialists and officials
to monitor vulnerable children to ensure their protection and harmonious
development.
52. The new administration initially intended the American response
to be massive and unprecedented. The plan was to be flexible and
adapted to local circumstances since the perception of poverty differs
from one place to another and according to the opportunities available.
The poverty line is defined as US$28 000 a year for a family of
four living in a city where prices are around the national average
(such as in Phoenix, Arizona). The original plan was intended to
benefit a segment of the US population
Note that does not vote, write plaintive op-eds
or recruit lobbyists – namely children. The Columbia University
Center on Poverty and Social Policy estimated in June 2021 that
the American Rescue Plan could have led to a reduction of more than
50% in child poverty by the end of 2021.
Note Despite
the difficulties encountered when the reform was passed, the first
effects are already being felt.
Note The original plan provided for
direct assistance in order to increase access to food for the poorest,
NoteNote a one-time allowance of US$1 400
per adult and child and an annual tax credit of US$3 000 per child
extended to childcare and dependent care expenses.
53. As our colleague, Ms Françoise Hetto Gaasch (Luxembourg, EPP/CD),
noted in her report entitled “Best interests of the child and policies
to ensure a work-life balance”,
Note we
need to invest heavily in our children to ensure that their best
interests are preserved. She adroitly quotes an 19th-century
American saying that “it is easier to build strong children than
to repair broken men”. The First 1 000 Days policy is a tool for
tackling child poverty, including extreme poverty, and inequality
at birth as poverty is handed down from generation to generation.
The most spectacular development of the brain takes place during
this period beginning shortly before birth and ending around the
age of two. Researchers see this policy as an opportunity for multidisciplinary
interventions to come together to protect the best interests of
the child.
6 Conclusions
54. There is no magic formula for
helping children out of poverty. The increase in inequalities predates
the Covid-19 pandemic and is continuing today. As Mr Vandenschrik
said, “no child should go to bed or school hungry. No child should
ever suffer the consequences of not having enough to eat”. Given
this situation, Council of Europe member States must get back to
fighting poverty and reverse the rise in extreme child poverty in
Europe. We have collectively lacked the ambition and will to provide
the 22 million poor children in Europe with the necessary benefits.
55. The Covid-19 pandemic has served as a useful reminder that
life must take precedence over the economy. With inequality rising
sharply in recent decades, our countries have sought to reduce its
impact on us. It is plain to see that we have failed to protect
some children from extreme child poverty. We must get our act together
to ensure that the best interests of the child are always safeguarded.
Success will depend on the amount of investment that public authorities
are able to mobilise. Given the simultaneous health, social, democratic
and environmental crisis, the requirement to balance the public
accounts no longer holds in such circumstances. We must provide
a satisfactory response whatever the cost and make human beings
the focus of public policy once again.
56. We have an obligation to make fundamental changes to our societies
so that they are more just and resilient. Ending extreme poverty
requires a collective effort. We owe this duty not only to the children
who are suffering from this scourge, but also to future generations.
Everyone must have access to a healthy, decent and secure life,
no matter where they live. We need to redouble our efforts to ensure
that existing mechanisms for combating extreme child poverty are
more effective and address the challenges relating to nutrition, education,
housing and excessive debt. Both ad hoc and
sustained action are required. The issue of the value of minimum
social benefits and the lowest wages can no longer be sidestepped.
57. Even if the United States are already one step further down
the line from us in terms of family policy, we must follow in their
footsteps and invest heavily in our children and put an end to poverty,
including extreme poverty. We must redouble our efforts to ensure
that there is a safety net to catch the most vulnerable long before
their situation worsens. We need to provide wider, more integrated
social protection and to better measure and combat child poverty.
The focus is not on assistance, but on achieving results. We need
to lift people out of poverty and into their rightful place in society.
Our vision must follow the lead proposed by UN Deputy Secretary-General
Amina Mohammed. We must “not lose sight of the urgency of climate
action, which provides an unprecedented opportunity to unlock massive
economic and social benefits and accelerate structural transformations
for sustainable development”.
Note
58. The Council of Europe is helping to build this safety net
to not only lift children out of extreme poverty, but also to prevent
their parents from falling into it. The Revised European Social
Charter (ETS No. 163) provides us with an appropriate framework
for combating all the harmful effects of environmental factors on children
(their “exposome”), and we should once again call for its ratification
by more countries, as well as by the European Union. The fight against
poverty must become mandatory. Eradicating poverty would prevent many
of its adverse effects, which contribute to a vicious circle. Our
Assembly should call on all member States to ratify Articles 30
and 31 of the Charter and ensure that national constitutions enshrine
the basic rights set out in these articles.
