More than two million children in Germany live in poverty. Their educational opportunities are poor and their health suffers. Every fifth child and every fifth young person grows up in a household where deprivation is part of everyday life: a lack of money as well as social, cultural and health opportunities. This situation is a scandal – especially in a rich country like Germany. We must be ashamed of it. Our society must no longer accept this.
Council on Child Poverty and around 60 supporting organizations are calling for political intervention.
In the joint declaration of the Child Poverty Council, the following principles are of central importance to the signatory social and family associations, trade unions, foundations, children’s rights organizations and individuals:
- Poverty is not a failure of the individual!
- All children and young people have the right to equal living conditions!
- Every child is worth the same!
- Support must go where it is needed!
Gerwin Stöcken, spokesperson for the National Poverty Conference (nak), which is leading the alliance, says: “Poverty marginalizes and makes people ill. Poverty restricts children and young people in their development and therefore does not give them the chance to grow up in well-being. The signatory associations, organizations and trade unions agree that everything must be done to ensure that all children can participate in society and grow up well. This includes expanding social security systems, currently also through crisis-related top-ups and simplified access to benefits, ensuring social infrastructure and providing intensive support for children and young people back into their daycare and school routine!”
Erwin Kress, spokesperson for the board of the German Humanist Association (Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands – Bundesverband), explains: “It is a disgrace that millions of children and young people in Germany are growing up in poverty. The coronavirus pandemic is hitting them particularly hard and is further exacerbating systemic and structural injustices. On Children’s Day, politicians must therefore focus their attention on the most disadvantaged, as they are the least able to defend themselves against their situation. Our association strongly supports the Child Poverty Council’s appeal and calls for it to be heeded by politicians – because it is up to the political decision-makers to act now!”
