Brussels: The need to strengthen policies to prevent and combat poverty and ensure the well-being of children will be at the heart of the Council of Ministers for Employment and Social Policy of the European Union (EPSCO), taking place on Monday in Brussels. This event is happening within the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, with Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Clea Papaellina set to participate.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare highlighted in a press release on Sunday that one in four children in the European Union, approximately 20 million children across the 27 Member States, is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This statistic underscores the urgent need for more targeted and coordinated actions at the European level.
The press release also emphasized that combating poverty and promoting the well-being of children are key priorities of the social agenda of the Cyprus Presidency. The aim is to strengthen social cohesion and ensure equal opportunities for all children across the EU.
In the coming period, under the Cyprus Presidency, the first European Strategy for Combating Poverty is expected to be unveiled. This strategy aspires to contribute to forming a more comprehensive European policy framework to address social inequalities.
Discussions at the Council are set to promote a more decisive European approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. The focus will be on strengthening preventive policies and developing more effective support mechanisms for children and their families, as communicated by the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare in the press release.