Children shouldn’t be worried about paying the lunch debt of their classmates.
Amariyanna Copeny, child activist, about the water crisis in her hometown, Flint, USA
What is poverty?
Poverty is historically defined according to the income or expenditure of a household based on absolute or relative standards. Absolute poverty is a situation when a family is living below the poverty line, while relative poverty indicates that a household is considered poor in relation to others in the same society. Measuring poverty in monetary terms has several limitations, and children are often invisible because the focus is on the household in which resources are not necessarily shared equally. On the contrary, a multidimensional approach to poverty takes into account material deprivations that might affect children, such access to school, water, and sanitation. It is therefore conceptualised as denial of choice and opportunities due to the lack of resources that leads to social exclusion.1
It is important to understand how children perceive poverty and social exclusion. In 2014, a joint project of the Council of Europe and the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children gave voice to children to share how austerity measures affected their lives and the realisation of their rights.2 Children across Europe explained deprivation as a force to make choices and sacrifices, reconsider values and decide what is important. Children testified to being deprived of schoolbooks, access to sport clubs, swimming pools and playgrounds, family and school support services, family holidays and recreational activities with friends. Nevertheless, children proved to be resilient: they visited food banks and second-hand shops, they looked for alternative solutions for public transportation, and wanted to play a role in shaping a better future for all.
Children are overrepresented amongst the poor but poverty does not affect children equally. According to UNICEF, half the people living in poverty are children, 75 million children are living in relative poverty in the world richest countries3, and one European child in three is deprived in two or more ways with regard to education, healthcare, social security, housing, basic services and food.4 The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights estimates that there are 25 million children living in low-income or low-employment rate households and/or experiencing material deprivation in the 28 member states.5 The percentage of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion differs widely within the EU (13.8% in Denmark while 49.2% in Romania) and is more likely to affect certain groups of children such as Roma children or children with a migratory background.
The urgency to combat child poverty has been acknowledged at the international level. Within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, states agreed to reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty by 2030. The Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe stated that the implementation of comprehensive strategies and targets aimed at eradicating child poverty “is currently lagging far behind expectations and the actual needs of children” in Europe, and therefore urged member states to prioritise ending child poverty in terms of political commitment and budgetary resources.6
Child poverty as deprivation of rights
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recognises children’s right to a standard of living adequate to meet their physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development, and exhorts governments to assist families who cannot provide these basic needs for their children, especially with regard to nutrition, clothing and housing. The CRC also highlights the right to receive social security benefits necessary for the child to develop and live in good conditions. Evidence from many countries continually shows that children who grow up in poverty are generally more vulnerable: they are more likely to be in poor health, to have learning and behavioural difficulties, to underachieve at school, to have lower skills and aspirations and eventually to be low-paid and unemployed. Poverty thus impacts negatively on various children’s human rights.
The European Social Charter (ESCR)7 goes further than any other international convention by declaring, in addition, the right to protection against poverty and social inclusion that applies to children. The ESCR incorporates several other provisions with relevance to combating child poverty: the right of children and young people to social, legal and economic protection (Article 17) and social rights such as access to health care, the right to social security, the right to social and medical assistance, the right to benefit from social services, the right to housing and the right to social, legal and economic protection of the family (Article 16).
Deprivation of children of their social rights constitutes a violation of human rights, whereas poverty might affect the enjoyment of many other children’s rights. Poor children are more vulnerable to maltreatment and neglect because poverty is a key underlying factor contributing to the abuse and exploitation of children. Children should not be removed from their family due only to poverty-related issues; however, it is still a practice in many countries in Europe. Children growing up in poverty are deprived of equal opportunities to participate in play, recreation and cultural activities, ultimately leading to social exclusion. Poverty frequently undermines children’s rights to be heard and to have their views taken into account in all matters affecting them.
In Europe, children with disabilities, children in care, children from minority groups, children on the move or otherwise affected by migration, children deprived of liberty, children in a street situation and children of imprisoned parents are particularly vulnerable. Children belonging to these vulnerable
or marginalised groups are at higher risk of poverty, while poverty can reinforce discrimination with regard to those children. Children in general are more likely to be hit by fiscal austerity measures during economic crises such as cuts in social benefits and an increase in taxes.
What are the most significant, long-term effects of poverty on children?
State measures to combat child poverty
Governments need to address child poverty by ensuring access to social services (education, health, welfare) and providing public services (water, electricity, transportation) for families. Community organisations also play a role in poverty alleviation by providing immediate assistance such as food, clothing, healthcare and education services. Both governments and organisations within civil society can offer income-generating projects, support small business ventures and provide employment opportunities, remedial education and skill-building training courses to poor communities.
Providing people living in poverty with food and shelter is an essential but short-term response. However, alleviating poverty in the long run requires strengthening the participation of poor people in decision-making processes, ensuring community-based development and removing discrimination
based on gender, ethnicity and social status. A key tactic to reducing poverty is stimulating economic growth, making markets work better for poor people, and building up their skills. All these are roles that both individuals and institutions, both governmental and civil society must unite to play.
Because child poverty and growing social exclusion are such endangering processes, in recent years several European countries have formulated government strategies to combat them. These integrated strategies aim not only to improve support measures, such as welfare services, healthcare and early childcare for all, but also to support empowerment and capacity building for families and children as well, such as access to quality education for all children, parent education and the promotion of children’s participation in various decision-making activities concerning the design of local policies. Combating racism and different forms of discrimination is a key part of such poverty-reduction policies.
What are the most significant, long-term effects of poverty on children?