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Favourable tax regimes for the family, government programmes to reduce long-term unemployment and help the young to find their first job, national policies in support of families in the health and educational fields, with particular attention to the phenomenon of “single mothers”: these are the main recommendations made by Caritas Europe, a network that brings together 48 Caritas agencies in 44 European countries, in its second Report on poverty in Europe. This year the Report is dedicated to the family (cf. Sir 11/2004). It was presented in the seat of the European Parliament in Brussels on 16 February, in the presence of representatives of numerous European countries and church organizations. Concurrently, a photographic exhibition was mounted in the foyer of the European Parliament: it documents “the face of poverty in Europe” through scenes of life in 8 different European countries. It has been installed “in a symbolic place”, explains Denis Viénot , president of Caritas Europe, “in its wish to signify the access of the poorest to democracy”. They are photos that describe the life of various families, such as the Slovak family that lives in a house without water, gas or electricity, or that of the 43-year-old Russian Svetlana, who is crippled by multiple sclerosis, and who cannot live without the help of her mother. Other stories tell of large families, families of refugees and single mothers who live alone in situations of particular difficulty. On behalf of the latter Caritas Europe proposes to call a European Year for Single Parents, so as to heighten the awareness of public opinion in this problem. Meanwhile COMECE, the Commission of the episcopates of the European Union, is busily formulating a strategy on the family that will be presented to the European institutions in March, with specific proposals on such issues as poverty, social cohesion, times for work and times for the family, and the elderly. Below some of the findings that emerged from the press conference held to present the Report. 12.5% of European children are poor. “Poverty exists in our developed countries too”: the point was repeated several times during the press conference, citing little-known figures contained in the Report. For example, the rate of children who live in situations of poverty in the EU is 12.5%, while in Great Britain it is as high as 32%. “An alarming situation”, comments the president of Caritas Europe, and characterised also by the growing phenomenon of street children in the countries of Eastern Europe. There is in fact a great heterogeneity between European countries, ranging from Norway which is in first place in Europe in terms of human development (followed by Iceland and Sweden) to Albania which is in 95th place, together with Turkey (96th) and Moldavia (108th). Family poverty, however, is widespread everywhere, both in rich and poor countries. Moreover, “with the exception of France and Germany – explains Hubert Cornudet, delegate for social policies of Caritas Europe -, there is a general lack of family policies and a total absence of studies centred on the family and on family policies”. The Report also underlines the close link between poverty and unemployment: “the primary cause of poverty in Europe”. In the mid-1990s, in fact, 51.5% of the unemployed in France, 64.7% in the UK, 72.4% in Italy and 51.5% in Poland were living below the poverty threshold. Less tax for families. One way of helping poor families is that of intervening on the tax system, suggests Caritas Europe, also by promoting fairer housing policies, given that the costs for the rental or mortgage of a home have a severe impact on family budgets. In the field of healthcare, moreover, Viénot denounces the excessive “privatization” of treatment. The Report also notes “a growing imbalance between the mortality rates of working men of the poor classes, three times higher than that of the well-to-do”. The elderly too points out the Report often live alone, supported by informal family networks and with “insufficient public assistance”. In the educational field Caritas Europe urges policies to support the school costs of poor families and investments aimed at high-quality education. With regard to immigrants and refugees, Viénot congratulated the European Parliament for having had “the courage to adopt legal measures against the recent European directive on family reunification”, which is particularly restrictive in its provisions. He also recommended the EU to renew its commitment to the objectives of the Lisbon strategy and “support national action plans”. “In difficult times concludes the Report the family may be a place to exclude or protect the more vulnerable persons in our society. That’s why policies must be aimed at the situation of families; they must be assisted with adequate resources and efficient means of support”.
