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Seminar Child Poverty in Europe - 19 June 2012 - Caritas Europa

 

About the Seminar | Programme | Register | Venue | Contact information | Materials

 Why this Seminar? Why now?

In crisis Europe, poverty and child poverty is rising. In Europe alone, there are 27 million of children at risk of poverty. The consequences of austerity measures on vulnerable families and their children are very negative and, in certain cases, of extreme gravity.

To Caritas Europa, the mere existence of child poverty in the EU in 2012 is a badge of shame for Europe and cannot be tolerated any longer.

The official figures talk about 27% of all children in the EU affected by child poverty and social exclusion. In some member states the child poverty level reaches 33%

Many decision-makers are very much aware of the figures, the statistics and graphs. We are familiar with them too. And we also know many of the children and their families behind these statistics. Thanks to the thousands of Caritas staff and volunteers who work with them via our social services, we are provided with first hand information about their living conditions and how austerity measures have aggravated them.

Caritas organisations in Europe have put child poverty in the centre of their anti-poverty actions. Since the start of its European campaign Zero Poverty (1) Caritas Europa has been periodically producing materials on child poverty. In 2011 we presented the "Child Poverty: State of Play in Europe 2011" (2). A second report, named "Child Poverty: Good Practices from Caritas Projects in Europe" (3) will be launched during the seminar on 19 June.

Thus, Caritas Europa warmly welcome the decision of the European Commission to issue a Recommendation on Child Poverty by the end of this year.

In order to provide the Commission and other stakeholders with high qualitative information about understanding and effectively tackling child poverty, Caritas Europa is organising the seminar "Tackling Child Poverty - Good Practice Shaping Policy" on 19 June. It will gather child poverty experts from across Europe whose valuable inputs could contribute to achieving a child poverty-free Europe.

Footnotes:
(1) In the framework of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010
(2) and (3) Both reports have been renamed to better mark their belonging to the same series of work production. The former names are "Navigating a Safe Passage Through the Labyrinth of Poverty"(1) and "Changing the Life Path of Children in Poverty across Europe" (2)

 

Programme

  • 09:30-10:00 Registration
  • 10:00 Introduction and Welcome by Chair Maureen O’Neill, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee

Keynote Speakers

  • 10:05 “The urgent need to tackle Child Poverty in Europe” by Dr Rosemary Keenan, Westminster Catholic Children’s Society

  • 10:20 ”The European Commission’s perspective on Child Poverty by Elodie Fazi, European Commission (DG Employment & Social Affairs)

  • 10:35 "Child Poverty - a Priority for the forthcoming Cyprus EU Presidency" by Niki Odysseos (Social Affairs Attachée, Cyprus Permanent Represenation to the EU)

  • 10:40 ”What role can the European Parliament play in tackling Child Poverty? by Jean Lambert, MEP UK (Employment and Social Affairs Committee)

  • 10:50 "The Greek Experience and the Impact on Child Poverty - Eyewitness account" by Begoña Kalliga Castiella, Journalist at ABC correspondent in Athens and volunteer at the Caritas Athens Refugee Center

Good Practices in Tackling Child Poverty

  • 11:00 Working with Children in Poverty & their Families - Good practices from Caritas Germany

  • 11:08 Working with Children in Poverty & their Families – Good practices from Caritas Bulgaria

  • 11:16 Working with Children in Poverty & their Families – Good practices from Caritas Armenia

  • 11:24 Working with Children in Poverty & their Families – Good practices from Caritas France

  • 11:32 Questions from the audience
Panel Discussion:
"What does civil society believe the EU must do to effectively tackle child poverty?"
Panel composed by:Dr Rosemary Keenan , Robert Urbé (Caritas Luxembourg), Sian Jones (EAPN), Catherine Mallet (Eurodiaconia), Jana Hainsworth (Eurochild), Verena Knaus (UNICEF).
  • 11:45 Introduction of panelists

  • 12:05 Questions from audience to the panel

Final session

  • 12:50 Caritas Europa Secretary General, Jorge Nuño Mayer, launches the new Caritas Europa’s report on Child Poverty and outlines key recommendation for tackling child poverty in Europe

  • 13:00 Finish

 

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Venue

The event will take place on Tuesday 19 June 2012 from 9:30 to 13:00 at Trèves Building, 74, rue de Trèves, 1040 Brussels

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Further Information

Contact Déirdre de Búrca (ddeburca@caritas-europa.org), Caritas Europa Social Policy Officer for any further information.

Please be aware that you need to present your Identity Card / Passport to be allowed to enter the venue.

This event is kindly hosted by

European Economic and Social Committee



European Union - PROGRESS Programme  This event is financed by the INCLUSION II Project under the PROGRESS Programme.

PROGRESS (2007-2013) is the EU programme for Employment and Social Solidarity, set up to provide financial support for contributing to the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy. For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/progress
 
      

 

 
 

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