On 16 June, EAPN Portugal hosted the Transnational Seminar "35 Years of Commitment, 40 Years of Europe: Pathways to a Poverty-Free Society".
A Moment of Double Reflection
The seminar took place at a significant crossroads. EAPN Portugal turns 35 this year, founded in 1991 by Father Jardim Moreira, whose vision, as Maria Joaquina Madeira put it, "reminds us that a fairer society is built with courage, proximity, and above all, by ensuring that people living in poverty are the true protagonists of the solutions." And a new momentum, with the recent launch of the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, which aims to eradicate poverty by 2025 in Europe.
Four decades after Portugal joined the European Union, Carlos Coelho offered a stark reminder that progress has limits and there’s a lot of work yet to be done: "Poverty persists as a social sore that should be a cause for shame."
Working in Networks to Transform Policies
The morning roundtable "The Role of Networks in Combating Poverty: Working Together to Transform Policies" brought together Europe President Carlos Susias, EAPN Europe Director Juliana Wahlgren, EAPN Portugal National Coordinator Maria José Vicente, and researcher Carlos Farinha Rodrigues from the University of Lisbon.
The session explored a question that sits at the core of EAPN's identity: what does it actually mean to work in network, across borders and levels of governance in the fight against poverty?
Carlos Susias, who also brought the perspective of EAPN Spain, reinforced that the strength of the network lies precisely in its diversity and in its ability to translate local realities into European-level advocacy.
“A European network exists only through the strength of its national members and the meaningful participation of people with lived experience of poverty and social exclusion. Networks are not merely hubs connecting civil society organisations, institutions, and policymakers. They also play a crucial role in ensuring accountability, challenging decision-makers and holding stakeholders responsible for delivering on their commitments to transformative social justice.”
Networks are not just a coordination mechanism but a political tool, a way of amplifying voices that would otherwise go unheard. Maria José Vicente, host of the event, captured this clearly: "No single organisation can respond in isolation to a problem as deeply rooted as poverty. The solution lies in support networks, otherwise there will be fragmentation. Only in this way can the voice of experience on the ground reach those who make decisions."
The EU Anti-Poverty Strategy: Ambition Meets Reality
The afternoon session sharpened the focus on the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, with the participation of Katarina Ivanković Knežević, Director for Social Rights and Inclusion at the DG EMPL, alongside MEP João Oliveira and representatives from the Portuguese Social Security Institute.
The mood in the room was one of cautious welcome and clear-eyed challenge. Researcher Carlos Farinha Rodrigues, one of the architects of Portugal's National Anti-Poverty Strategy between 2019 and 2021, did not mince his words: the national strategy had been "a missed opportunity, relegated to some sub-delegation of a ministry." His call was for policies that are genuinely cross-cutting, adequately resourced and embedded at local level, with municipalities playing a "central role, provided with adequate resources from the central government."
The seminar closed with a strong sense of shared purpose and urgency. As EAPN Portugal marks 35 years of work, participants reflected on a period of both uncertainty and opportunity. The development of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy represents a unique chance to place the fight against poverty higher on the European agenda. At the same time, social and human rights are facing increasing challenges at both national and EU levels, making this work more important than ever.
Throughout the seminar, participants reaffirmed that placing people experiencing poverty at the centre of decision-making is both EAPN Portugal’s greatest strength and a vital foundation for shaping policies to come.