EAPN Review of New Publication: Between the Social and the Spatial: Exploring the Multiple Dimensions of Poverty and Social Exclusion

02 Jan 2013 – EAPN was approached to review a new publication published on the 2nd January 2013, by Housing, Theory and Society series published by Routledge (Jan 2013) titled Between the Social and the Spatial: exploring the multiple dimensions of poverty and social exclusion, edited by Katrien de Boyser, Caroline Dewilde, Danielle Dierkx and Jurgen Friedrichs. The book is a useful summary of recent developments on poverty research and attempts to bring together the ‘social and the spatial’ aspects, which until now have been developed as parallel research areas.

EAPN contributes to the report for the Human Rights Council

EAPN contributes to the report for the Human Rights Council for June 2013 on the human rights approach to participation of persons living in poverty in decisions that affect their lives

14 dec 2012 – This contribution to the UN Report on the Participation of People Experiencing Poverty provides a brief picture of the European Anti-Poverty Network’s (EAPN) work over the past 22 years on strengthening direct participation of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion in 3 areas:

Welfare reform for active inclusion of young people with health problems or disabilities – EAPN participates in final panel

16-17/01, The Hague, Netherlands – This conference was jointly organised by Eurofound and the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. The conference is aimed at highlighting the implementation of active inclusion policies in relation to vulnerable youth and the related reforms to welfare systems currently taking place in European countries.

Landless Indian Movement leader Rajagopal in Brussels

03/12 – About 200 people attended the meeting with Rajagopal, a leader of the Ekta Parishad Landless People’s Movement, who had an exchange with the audience to tell about the “March of the Landless” for a land reform in India which ended in early October, as a 10-point agreement was signed with the representatives of the Indian Government. A representative of FIAN, an NGO fighting hunger with Human Rights , also spoke. This meeting was supported by EAPN, amongst other organisations.

EAPN speaks in EPHA event: Child Poverty, Health and Well-being

04/12 – EAPN spoke in a civil society panel in this key event organized by the European Public Health Alliance in the European Parliament. The event aimed to help the implementation of the up-coming Recommendation on Child Poverty – moving from rhetoric to action. A key message was that the relationship between child poverty, health and well-being needs to be reinforced, particularly the need to invest in prevention of child poverty through universal services, and social protection, as well as targeted action to ensure access to health services.  EAPN provide specific input on the challenges/solutions to implementation through Europe 2020, based on its engagement in the NRPs and NSRs.

EAPN Participates in DG Employment’s Conference on Social Innovation and Social Policy Experimentation

26/11, Brussels – This conference aimed to provide an exchange between policy makers and practitioners on how to best shape EU support to social innovation in the context of the Social Investment Package for Growth and Cohesion. It raised a debate on what is social innovation, how far it is an agenda for promoting better social policy and practice, particularly drawing on grass-roots practice and actors, or merely an instrument to privatize social services, at a time of austerity.

EAPN takes part in EU Equality Summit

22-23/11 – Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN, spoke in the workshop on employment and inclusion at the EU Equality Summit, organised by the Cypriot Presidency. He emphasized the link between discrimination and poverty and stressed that unless we address the growing levels on income inequalities (and the resulting levels of poverty) that the impact of this reality will undermine all the good work done in relation to anti-discrimination. This message was very strongly picked up in the conclusions of the Summit.