The European Child Guarantee is a European Recommendation that aims to create more equal opportunities for children at risk of poverty and vulnerability. EU Member States nominated their coordinators and published national action plans to achieve the following goals:
Obtaining effective and free access to quality education, including increasing early childhood care, educational and school activities and the guarantee of a healthy meal each school day; Obtaining effective and free access to quality healthcare; Guaranteeing access to sufficient and healthy nutrition; Guaranteeing effective access to adequate housing.
The Conference aimed to review the state of play of the European Child Guarantee through discussions between the National Coordinators, the European Commission, and key stakeholders. Her Majesty the Queen of Belgium joined the first session of the conference.
The latest reports show alarming data on child poverty in Europe: 20 million children, 1 in 4 children, are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Speakers’ presentations clarified that child poverty is a political choice, therefore preventable and non-negotiable. Evidence shows that investing in children is not a cost but a concrete social long-term investment that pays off.
Speaking at the forefront of the High-Level Conference, the EU Alliance for Investing in Children emphasizes the urgency of ending child poverty through a joint statement signed by 19 civil society organisations, including DBI.
