Eradicating poverty from the political agenda
What are we really doing when it comes to poverty? When I say “we” I mean a lot more than Social Platform because it is more than a social NGOs’ mandate. It is a society’s duty that requires it being at the top of our leaders’ political agenda.
I was reminded of that at the Dynamo international conference last Friday. While today is the opening of the 3rd Annual Convention of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, our President Heather Roy will speak in the opening plenary session.
Despite an increase of poverty in the last years, from 116 to 124 million people, or one in four Europeans, the necessary social protection to ensure their inclusion in society has been slipping off the political agenda.
Let’s have some historical perspective on the issue. After World War II, most European countries adopted a universal approach to social protection. The objective was to guarantee a certain level of income for those falling under the poverty line. Then policies were oriented towards “making work pay” which in fact meant ensuring that income guaranteed under social protection was significantly below minimum wage level. Nowadays, in the Europe 2020 strategy, the fight against poverty is dependent on growth and jobs and has to serve economic objectives. Finally, social protection has been reduced to supporting “vulnerable groups”….
Just tell me something: is one fourth of the European population a vulnerable group? Isn’t it big enough to require a universal approach as before?
Within 50 years, we have slipped from universal social protection to supporting vulnerable groups while at the same time we have reached the highest level of poverty ever witnessed in the European Union. And this is happening in the second wealthiest economic region of the world.
It’s time for change – we cannot allow poverty to be eradicated from the political agenda. Instead, it must be a priority. As a strict minimum, the Europe 2020 poverty target should be the priority of the European Council and economic objectives should not prevent its realisation but enable it.
Let’s engage!
Pierre Baussand, Director
