We are used to seeing how misery, diseases, lack of resources and wars are borne in the weakest, children. We see how all this happens in distant countries, those that one day we call "the third world" and the saturation of images is such that we almost see it as something chronic, something that cannot be changed, something that is like that and that's it. We see it as a distant problem, a problem of others, it is not our society, our environment, that does not happen here. Insurance?
In its latest report, Save the children states that Because of the crisis and the cuts, 33.8% of Spanish children live at risk of poverty or social exclusion, which is a serious obstacle to enjoying the rights recognized in the Convention on the Rights of the Child of United Nations.
The report called "2,826,549 Reasons. The protection of children from poverty: a right, an obligation and an investment"is part of the campaign "Who will rescue me?", specially designed to call our attention to the serious problem that our country is going through and that although they only show us figures, behind them what there are are human beings, they are children and that this is not happening outside our borders, this It is happening in our own house, in that of our neighbor, in our city.
Despite the commitment expressed by public authorities to the fight against child poverty, the initiatives approved so far are insufficient and requires the State to comply with its obligation to take all necessary measures to ensure guarantee the rights of children in Spain and thus protect children from poverty and social exclusion.
"More than in declarations, expressions of political will, public policies and legislative reforms, it is in public budgets that the political commitment of governments to address the situation of children in a country is most clearly reflected. of public investment in child protection policies has a devastating effect on children. We remain at the EU's tail in childhood investment, "explains Alberto Soteres, General Director of Save the Children in Spain.
While the newly approved National action plan for social inclusion (PENAIN) incorporates child poverty as a transversal objective, there is no specific policy. The extraordinary fund of 17 million announced by the Government for the fight against child poverty, although welcome, is insufficient and in addition, there are other reforms and policies under way that are directly or indirectly reducing resources allocated to children or that are weakening family economies.
When the family is in financial difficulties, there are several rights that can be compromised:
Right to an adequate standard of living: The elimination and reduction of social benefits or the inability of the model is of concern.
"The response that the social worker gave me was that there were many people like me and that you can't help everyone." Dove, mother of three children.
Right to the highest level of health: The inadequacy of housing and food for children or the exclusion of irregular immigrants from the health system is of concern.
"The basic diet of the children is the school menu of the little ones and the one of the center of social services the older girl. At home ... all possible combinations of bread, mortadella, eggs and potatoes." Dove, mother of three children.
Education rights: The cuts, the inadequacy of dining scholarships or the hidden price of education are of concern.
"Two weeks ago they asked me for a book to read and I told my mother and she told me that today I couldn't, but tomorrow or the day after. And she still hasn't been able and I don't know what to say to the teacher anymore, I'm ashamed to class without the book, I don't want to go, "Nacho, 10 years.
Right to be protected against violence: The overflow of social services or the lack of resources for prevention and detection are of concern.
"I do not like the fights and shouts of Mom and Cosme when they discuss why the money does not arrive for the whole month, neither I nor my brothers like us," Cristina, 12 years.
Right to rest and play: The rise in public prices of sports and cultural activities or the exclusion of children caused by those not participating in certain activities is of concern.
"Of course it affects me ... I haven't bought clothes for a thousand years and I don't go out with my friends because I can't pay some things." Ana, 16 years old.
In Spain, investment in social policy in general and in childhood in particular is far from being considered as an investment. The percentage of GDP allocated to social protection policies is 25, 19%, 3.7 points below the average of the countries of the European Union, which demonstrates its low capacity to reduce child poverty.
"We must not forget that human rights are red lines that no policy should cross. Guaranteeing the protection of children against poverty is a legal obligation of the States, but also an economic decision that allows the transmission cycle to be broken. of poverty and has an economic return that will be the basis of a more prosperous and cohesive society, "adds Soteres.
To fight against child poverty in Spain, Save the Children asks the public authorities:
- Make a rigorous diagnosis of the situation of child poverty in Spain.
- Define one common strategy in all areas that affect children.
- Assign the means materials, human and training that are necessary to effectively address the implementation of the most convenient measures.
- Increase the transparency of information related to public resources for children by each administration
- Prepare and approve a Family Support Plan Take as a reference the recommendation of the European Commission "Investing in childhood: breaking the cycle of disadvantages".
Some data
- The aforementioned rights are included in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is part of the Spanish legal system and must be the key to interpreting the constitutional and legislative norms on children, as recognized in article 39.4 of the Spanish Constitution.
- The proportion between the level of income of 20% of the population with high incomes and 20% of the population with less resources has gone from being 5.1 times higher in 2004 to being 7.5 times higher in 2012.
- Spain is the 8 country in the European Union with the highest child poverty rate, only below Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Greece, Italy and Ireland.
- 45.6% of children in single-parent families are at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Spain.
- 57.6% of children whose parents did not reach secondary education are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain.
- 49.2% of children in whose families at least one of the parents is of foreign origin are at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain.
Who will rescue me?
Under the concept "Who will rescue me?" the creative Jorge Martínez has developed a campaign of social denunciation and fundraising for programs of Save the Children in Spain through its Child Rescue Fund. The campaign consists of three spots in which three economic journalists who have selflessly collaborated with the campaign are interviewed: John muller, deputy director of El Mundo, Michelangelo Noceda, correspondent of economy of El País and Javier Ruiz, economic journalist. The interview is interrupted when a child from the public stands up with a sign that says "And to me, who rescues me?"
The campaign is completed with the website www.yamiquienmerescata.es which has 2,826,549 microsites with drawings that represent children living in risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain. By sending an SMS one of the drawings disappears and € 1.20 goes to the Save the Children Child Rescue Fund to provide family and educational care, psychological care and speech therapy and direct assistance to families.
Save the Children He has a long history working with children at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Spain. Through your program The Children First, Save the Children It works so that the economic or social exclusion situation in which children live does not prevent them from fully enjoying their rights.
The report is a true blow that warns about the consequences of directing resources towards a single direction, showing attention only in economic numbers and indices without taking into account the human scene that exists behind them and for which it does not seem that there is a future different from the reality in which they live.
