THE EUROPE AN PERSPECTIVE ON CHILD POVERTY Sofia, 3 July 2007

1. EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Walter WOLF THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE ON CHILD POVERTYSofia, 3 July 2007

2. OVERVIEW • Poverty risks in EU 27 and in CC • Fighting child poverty: A shared EU agenda • Multidimensionality of the challenges

3. At-risk-of poverty rate in the EU (%), total and children, income year 2004 Source: SILC(2005) - income year 2004 (income year 2005 for IE and the UK); except for BG, RO, HR and TR - estimates based on the national Household Budget Survey

4. Fighting poverty: A shared EU agenda The Open Method of Coordination • Common Objectives • Commonly agreed indicators • National Action Plans / Joint Inclusion Memoranda of Candidate Countries • Reporting, monitoring and evaluating • Mutual learning and exchange of good practice

5. A shared EU agenda Tackling child poverty as a means of breaking the intergenerational transmission The Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2007 calls for • Quality education and training for all • Particular attention for the situation of immigrants and ethnic minorities

6. Multidimensionality of the challenges Access to education: • Tackling disadvantage in education and vocational training • Improving access for marginal groups, in particular to ICT • Assisting early school leavers and low qualified youth • Fostering access to higher education

7. Multidimensionality of the challenges Acces to childcare: • High quality, affordable and universal • Pre-condition for bringing more women into work • Relevance for providing less unequal starting conditions in schools

8. Multidimensionality of the challenges Access to employment • Promoting quality employment • Fighting unemployment • Bringing people out from undeclared / precarious jobs • But fighting child labour

9. Multidimensionality of the challenges Cash benefits (at least) for those in need • “working poor“ • unemployed • those who are not able to work But countries with universal benefits tend to have lower poverty levels

10. Multidimensionality of the challenges Access to decent housing: • Safe neighbourhoods • Particular attention to disadvantaged groups (immigrants, Roma, IDP…) • Responding to the specific urban and rural challenges

11. Multidimensionality of the challenges Access to health care: • Reducing barriers for low-income and disadvantaged families • Prevention: regular screening and vaccinations • Universal coverage (territorial dimension, disadvantaged groups)

12. Multidimensionality of the challenges Access to quality social services: • Strengthening child protection and family cohesion • Ensuring coordination between local authorities and social service providers • Quality standards – certification and accreditation – monitoring and evaluation

13. Multidimensionality of the challenges Participation in culture, sports and recreation: • Preparing children and youth for involvement in society • Tackling territorial disadvantage

14. Relevant Policy Documents: • Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion • National Action Plans against poverty and social exclusion • Joint Inclusion Memoranda for preparing Candidate Countries (JIM)

15. ‘Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity PROGRESS 2007-2013‘ Social inclusion strand supports mutual learning through: • Comparable statistics and studies • Peer reviews • Transnational exchange programme • Network of non-governmental experts • Supporting European networks (www.eurochild.org)

16. Conclusions Promotion of the rights of children through • Integrated and holistic policies to fight poverty and social exclusion of children • Supporting the most vulnerable • Preventing the integenerational transmission of poverty

17. Further Information • DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities web site on social inclusion http://ec.europa.eu/comm/employment_social/social_inclusion/index_en.htm