Child Poverty - Eurochild’s achievements in 2021
A milestone in the fight against child poverty
- 2021 marked a turning point for the fight against child poverty. We launched our audiovisual campaign #CanWeBelieveinYou to draw attention to children living in poverty. The campaign also drew attention to the increase in the number of children living in poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to invest in children. Our Twitter base reached the milestone of 10,000 followers, and we left an imprint among new audiences through our multi-country video campaign.
- For over three years Eurochild had advocated with its members and other civil society networks to ensure that the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) prioritises investing in children. As a result, in January the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament agreed that Member States with a level of child poverty above the EU average must allocate at least 5% of their ESF+ resources to address this issue.
- In March, the European Child Guarantee Recommendation was launched. This Recommendation took into account many of the demands brought forward by Eurochild and its members. As co-chair of the Alliance for Investing in Children, we welcomed the unanimous adoption of the Recommendation by the EPSCO Council in June.
- A dedicated Eurochild Child Guarantee Taskforce was launched in September and this initiated member-led activities aimed at raising awareness of and influencing the Child Guarantee at national level. This led to the publication of 6 country reports and a set of recommendations for the design and implementation of all Child Guarantee National Action Plans.
Upholding our standards
In 2021, Eurochild kept its standards high.
- Tirelessly advocating for children’s rights and their best interest, Eurochild didn’t hesitate to speak up when the EU lacked ambition in tackling child poverty through its Action Plan on the Pillar of Social Rights. Nor did we shy away when we identified the gaps in President von der Leyen’s second State of the Union address. As our President, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, stated, “The level of child poverty across Europe today is unacceptable and unnecessary”.
- Thanks to its Members, Eurochild was able to play a key role in informing United Nations Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter on extreme poverty and human rights during his visit to Europe in January to assess the EU’s progress in combatting poverty and social exclusion.
Our biggest challenge lies ahead of us
In 2022, Eurochild continues to advocate for a successful implementation of the European Child Guarantee. By monitoring and reviewing the publication of National Action Plans, we aim to ensure Member States will set concrete actions to eradicate child poverty.
