On 20 June, Child Guarantee National Coordinators met in Brussels to discuss the implementation of the European Child Guarantee. In a joint statement by EU Alliance for Investing in Children, we analyse the latest development of this timely instrument and provide recommendations to ensure its success.
The Child Guarantee is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fight child poverty and social exclusion and build a more robust Social Europe.
The Child Guarantee comes at a crucial time. In 2022, one in four children (24.7%) in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living and the climate crises are exacerbating existing hardship and inequalities. As a result, these numbers are expected to increase further. By ensuring that children in vulnerable situations and their families have an adequate standard of living and access to quality services, the Child Guarantee is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fight child poverty and social exclusion and build a more robust Social Europe. Proper implementation of this instrument is thus needed more than ever.
"Poverty affects every aspect of a child’s life, negatively impacting their material living conditions, education, relations with their families, and their personal and professional development. Even temporary deprivation experiences can have devastating consequences for a child, lasting a lifetime, if not generations."
