DREAM / The Prime Minister resigns and wakes up under the Parisian bridge!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

UNICEF: The richest countries in Europe have the highest rate of child poverty

2023-12-07 11:59:57Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

UNICEF: The richest countries in Europe have the highest rate of child poverty

Some of the world's richest countries experienced sharp increases in child poverty between 2014 and 2021, according to new data released by UNICEF. The report card of child poverty in the middle of wealth showed shocking results, with some of the world's richest countries such as the UK, Spain and Luxembourg falling to the bottom of the tables.

On the other hand, poorer countries such as Poland and Slovenia are faring best in efforts to tackle child poverty, followed by Latvia and the Republic of Korea. The study presents the most up-to-date and comparable picture of child poverty in OECD and EU countries, and analyzes government policies on income support for families with children.

It found that, despite an overall reduction in poverty of nearly 8% in 40 countries between 2014 and 2021, there were still more than 69 million children living in households earning less than 60% of the national median income by the end of 2021. "The effects of poverty on children are persistent and damaging," said UNICEF Director Innocenti Bo Viktor Nylund.

The consequences of poverty can last a lifetime. Children who experience poverty are less likely to complete school and earn lower wages as adults. In some countries, a person born in a deprived area is likely to live eight to nine years less than a person born in an affluent area, according to the report.

The report also highlights large inequalities in the risks of poverty. In 38 countries with available data, children living in a single-parent household are more than three times more likely to live in poverty than other children. Children with disabilities and from ethnic/racial minority backgrounds are also at higher than average risk.

According to the findings, from 2012 to 2019 there was sustained economic growth among this group of countries, presenting an opportunity to recover from the impacts of the 2008-10 recession. However, while a number of countries reduced child poverty during this time, some of the wealthiest countries saw the biggest slips back. The report also shows that countries with similar levels of national income, such as Slovenia and Spain, have large differences in child poverty rates of 10% and 28% respectively.

Children's living conditions can be improved regardless of a country's wealth, the report points out. For example, Poland, Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania, not among the wealthiest OECD and EU countries, have achieved significant reductions in child poverty, falling by 38% in Poland and 31% in other countries.

Meanwhile, the five highest-income countries, the United Kingdom (+20%) and France, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland (around +10%) saw the largest increase in the number of children living in families experiencing financial hardship since 2014.

To eradicate child poverty, the Report Card calls on governments and stakeholders to urgently:

Expand social protection for children, including child and family benefits to supplement household incomes.

Ensure that all children have access to quality basic services, such as free childcare and education, that are essential to their well-being.

Create employment opportunities with decent wages and family-friendly policies, such as paid parental leave, to support parents and caregivers in balancing work and care responsibilities.

Ensure that there are measures tailored to the specific needs of minority groups and single-headed households, to facilitate access to social protection, key services and decent work, and to reduce inequalities.

The report states that much can be learned from the success of different countries. "How we use this lesson will determine how effectively we can ensure the well-being of children today and in the future," Nylund concluded.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×