Judita Reichenberg UNICEF Area Representative

1. "Children in the Risk of Poverty and Social Exclusion. Challenges & 0pportunities" Zagreb, 30. Nov 2010. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORDCHILD POVERTY? Judita Reichenberg UNICEF Area Representative

2. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORD CHILD POVERTY? What is child poverty? Income deprivation Income deprivation + Constrained access to services (severe deprivation in two or more basic needs of food, water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information) State of child Well-Being –based on CRC Material and non-material dimensions of child well-being

3. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORD CHILD POVERTY? The measuring and monitoring of child well-being includes both material and non-material aspects. MATERIAL dimension NON-MATERIAL dimension • Income • Material deprivation • Housing • Labor market attachment of the members of the child’s household • Education • Health • Exposure to risk and risk behavior • Social participation and relationships, family environment • Local environment CHILDWELL-BEING “Child Poverty and child well-being in the European Union”, Report for EC, Tarki Social Research Institute, Applica, January 2010.

4. Poverty in the region At risk of poverty rate: children compared to total populations Source: SILC, EU (2008), FBH Federal Office of Statistics, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia

5. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORD CHILD POVERTY? Child Poverty and Infant Mortality in the Region Gross National Income (2008)per capita (constant 2008 PPP US$)

6. Impact of child poverty • Health – physical and mental health problems, risk of severe, long term and life-limiting illness • Education– low educational attainment and skill levels • Employment – low status and unsecure employment, worklessness and low levels of employability • Behavior- inhibiting and anti-social behavior, crime, substance misuse • Relationships- family difficulties, child abuse, friendships and social isolation, future family formation • Subjectivewell-being- shame, stigma, lack of autonomy and low self esteem

7. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORD CHILD POVERTY? The economic costs of child poverty – case of UK (Hirsch, D. 2008) Children in Families with low incomes 1. Worse outcomesin education,health, etc. 2. Persistence of worse outcomes later in life, despite interventions £25BILLION TOTAL A. Social spendingaiming to ameliorate theseeffects B. Future impact onsocial spending, andeconomic costs ofpoor labor market outcomes £12 billion £13 billion £8 billion £5 billion Current cash transfersnot included! Lost earnings to individuals Benefit bill, lost tax and NI

8. WHY WE CAN NOT AFFORD CHILD POVERTY? Ending child poverty seems straightforward… • Agreement on what societies should do to prevent and eradicate child poverty and social exclusion: • a. Start early - ECD • b. Ensure quality inclusive education • c. Ensure access to continuum of quality health • services • d. Provide social security- cash transfers and • services for children and their families

9. …. however, many challenges remain • How to avoid additional constrains created by the short term economic crisis and longer term economic restructuring? • Resources are not limitless. How to make choices? • Every policy has a social impact. But are we aware of it? • What about potential synergy in inter-sectoral co-ordination? • And what about the voice of the “voiceless”?

10. THANK YOU!