Cyprus recorded the second-best child poverty rates in the EU for 2023, slightly lower than first-place Slovenia, Deputy Welfare Minister Marilena Evangelou said on Thursday.
Addressing a conference in Nicosia on child poverty, organised by the National Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN-Cyprus), Evangelou said Cyprus’ progress is also presented in the first biannual report on its national action plan for the European child guarantee.
The report, she explained, showed a steady decrease in the poverty or social exclusion indices for children up to the age of 18.
She added that Cyprus has met its targets earlier than stipulated.
Evangelou said the national strategy till 2030 provided for the number of children in danger of poverty or social exclusion to drop from 39,500 in 2019 to 32,000 by 2030. However, the number in 2022 was 31,000 and in 2023 was 29,000, or 16.7 per cent, much lower than the 24.8 per cent European average.
Referring to Eurostat’s figures, Evangelou said that in 2023, Cyprus recorded 2.4 per cent in the index for serious material and social deprivation and was the second in Europe, after Slovenia with 2 per cent.
On the international scene, things are different, with poor and socially excluded children running a higher risk of becoming marginalised adults, trapped in a vicious circle of poverty transferred from generation to generation.
Cyprus’ policies and actions, Evangelou said, were guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the EU acquis communautaire.
She added that Cyprus aspires to better results and that her deputy ministry was coordinating the national action plan, comprising 93 actions in six pylons to prevent and address the poverty and social exclusion of children.
Evangelou said her deputy ministry in particular had increased child benefits and fee and food subsidies for those eligible.
Furthermore, she said other benefits and subsidies were being re-evaluated in cooperation with the finance ministry to meet today’s needs.
Evangelou said better living conditions and equal opportunities in education were an inalienable right for all children and referred to funding of projects, including €28 million for the labour market, social welfare and integration, €15 million for childcare and €13 million for hospices.
The state aimed at a comprehensive social policy to support all individuals and families in need, safeguarding social cohesion.
