http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/society-science/child-poverty-catalonia-increased-185-238-between-2008-2010


On Mon May 28, 2012 08:34 PM


Some 25-percent of Italian children risk living in poverty and one in
two minors lives in what's considered absolute poverty. ......
Child poverty in Catalonia has increased with the economic crisis,
according to a study presented on Thursday in Barcelona by Unicef. From
2008 to 2010, child poverty has passed from affecting 18.5% of Catalan
children to 23.8%. In a three years period, child poverty increased by
more than 5 percentage points in Catalonia. In the rest of Spain,
although the child poverty rate is higher, it only increased by 2
percentage points, passing from 24% to 26.2%.

Italy has highest percentage of children poverty in Europe





Sat May 26, 2012 4:16AM GMT



Some 25-percent of Italian children risk living in poverty and one in two minors lives in what's considered absolute poverty.



“Save the Children” organization has urged the government to come up with a plan before the situation gets even worse.







On Friday, Save the Children, warned the Monti-led government that one out of four kids is at risk of poverty in Italy.





The international group that promotes children's rights organized an
outdoor event in the center of Rome called 'Let's remember our
childhood'.



Hundreds of people, mostly children and teenagers, joined the event.

They had been asked to bring their childhood photos with them to send a message to the Prime Minister Mario Monti.



According to a recent UNICEF report, in Italy, Europe's third-largest
economy, about 2 million kids live in poverty. The country has the
highest percentage of child poverty in all 25 European nations.



Italy allocates only 4.5 percent of its total social expenditures on
social services for children. While in Europe an average 2.2 per cent of
GDP goes to investing in services for kids like public child care, in
Italy that percentage drops by almost one point, to 1.3 per cent.



Save the Children also warned that in southern Italy the situation is
even more worrying with two out five children at risk of poverty. In
this area, an increasing number of families are able to provide their
kids only one adequate meal every two days and they often cannot provide
necessary medical treatment.



Italy's children are bearing the brunt of the country's unprecedented economic crisis.









24.05.2012 - 08.25 pm - Society & Science

Child poverty in Catalonia increased from 18.5% to 23.8% between 2008 to 2010







CNA / Maria Belmez





Barcelona (ACN).- Child poverty in Catalonia has increased with the
economic crisis, according to a study presented on Thursday in Barcelona
by Unicef. From 2008 to 2010, child poverty has passed from affecting
18.5% of Catalan children to 23.8%. In a three years period, child
poverty increased by more than 5 percentage points in Catalonia. In the
rest of Spain, although the child poverty rate is higher, it only
increased by 2 percentage points, passing from 24% to 26.2%.“Poverty has
the face of a child”, emphasised Unicef’s report, as around 1 in 4
children in Catalonia and in the rest of Spain is poor. In addition, as a
consequence of the crisis, 1 out of every 6 children live in poverty
despite two members of their family being in employment, due to their
salary not reaching the minimum income levels. Unicef has stressed that
the crisis is especially hitting children and youngsters, who are the
future of our society. For this reason, Unicef has asked for specific
policies to fight child poverty, as was done several years ago with
poverty affecting the elderly. The study ends with data from 2010, but
the economic crisis has continued, the number of unemployed people has
increased and the budget for social policies has not increased, warned
Unicef.









In Catalonia 325,000 people are classed as poor, which means that they
live in a family with a common revenue inferior to €16.476 per year.
This means that almost 1 in 4 Catalan kids are poor. Marta Arias, Unicef
Spain’s Director for Awareness and Child Policies, ensured that the
causes for the increase in child poverty in Catalonia has not been
studied properly. She also emphasised that the current situation is
probably worse, since the economic situation has not recovered and
governments have implemented budget cuts.



In the last number of years, child poverty has increased and
intensified. The person who is poor, is now poorer. The poverty risk
rate of people under 18 in homes were nobody works is 62%; in those
homes with 1 person working is 29% and in those with 2 people working is
16%. This means that 1 in 6 children in Catalonia live in poverty
despite having two family members working. Labour fragility is the main
cause for the risk.



Immigrants are particularly affected by work fragility and unemployment,
and consequently so are their children. The poverty risk rate among
children in Catalonia whose parents are non-EU citizens is 45%, one of
the highest in Europe. However, the same rate for children with parents
born in Spain drops to 18%.



Poverty risk is higher among mono-parental and large families, around
48%. However, 70% of poor children live in families with two adults, 20%
in large families, and 10% in mono-parental homes.



The report also indicates that in 2005 the average public investment in
children and families in the EU-25 countries (all the European Union
member states except Romania and Bulgaria) represented 2.1% of the GDP.
In Spain it represented 1.1% and in Catalonia 0.8%.



Arias explained that one of the main consequences of the child poverty
increase is the worsening of the quality and quantity of food consumed,
and thus the worsening of children’s health. In addition, problems
accessing health services not covered by the Social Security system have
also been detected, such as optometrists and dentists.



In addition, problems also arise in education. Often children are forced
to change to a smaller house, and thus many lose their study space. In
addition, some families cannot pay for school books or the child’s
school lunch, as well as for excursions or activities outside the
school. Arias emphasised that if some children do not undertake specific
activities at school, they will not do it at home either. All these
elements combined might lead to increasing school failure.



Poverty also affects children and youngsters on an emotional level.
Unicef warned that minors go through tense situations at home. Many
times they witness fights and see the consumption of alcohol and other
drugs increase among their parents. In addition, they cannot participate
in some of their friends’ activities that involve spending money, such
as celebrating birthdays. Arias explained that many children and
youngsters in these situations suffer and “feel guilty”.