The contribution of employment to the fight against poverty - This magazine brings together EAPN members experts on employment issues. The struggle to ensure that those who can access work have quality employment has always been an essential component for EAPN’s work. Currently, 22% of people living in poverty are in employment. With fiscal consolidation and boosting competitiveness at all costs remaining the EU's priorities, employment is seen only as a means for securing growth, rather than for providing people with dignified lives.

In 2011, the spotlight shifts from Poverty and Social Exclusion to Volunteering, with the baton passed from the EU Year for combating poverty and social exclusion to the EU Year of volunteering. what is the link? How can we build on the strengths of volunteering yet guard against the risks of abuse in the context of current attacks on Europe’s welfare State and social model?

EAPN campaigned to have 2010 as the European Year against Poverty with the knowledge that it would be when the EU would renew its key strategies and we wanted to ensure a strong focus on poverty and social exclusion during this time of renewal.

In the context of globalization, the phenomenon of migration has been increasing over the last decades. Unfortunately, the common feature throughout the EU Member States has been to see migration through a utilitarian angle based on economic needs,

What does the 2010 European Year combating poverty and social exclusion mean concretely? Who is involved? Will it mark a turning point in European social policies and for the 16,6% of Europeans facing poverty?