Zminijietna – Voice of the Left has said today that it is concerned with the figures and statistics published by Eurostat that show that poverty and social exclusion among children in Malta is higher than EU average. In fact in Malta [1] the number of children that are at risk of poverty has reached 31%.
Zminijietna said, “there are different factors contributing to this situation, but the most common are linked to the socio-economic situation of the parents, the employment they hold, health issues and the level of education.”
Zminijietna insists that “the investment proposed by the European Commission to address the problem of disadvantage children lacks progressive vision. The packet lacks progressive reforms such as the raising of minimum wage, the abolition of temporary employment, which is the main contributor for precariousness and work poverty, reform of the post worker’s directive, which is leading to social dumping, support to the financial transaction tax to increase EU budget and the dismantling of EU Austerity policies as they are the main source for the spread of poverty in the European Union.”
“On the other hand we support recommendations that include giving incentives to families at risk of poverty to enable them to participate in the labour market; to enable children to have a decent living; and the expansion of social services in the prevention sector,” Zminijietna added.
In the local scene, Zminijietna welcomes various progressive and inclusive reforms being made in the education sector. This also includes announced reforms such as Breakfast Clubs; Universal Childcare Centres; Klabb 3-16; Skola Sajf, Klabb Sajf and increased investment in training and retraining.
“The universalistic extension of such services is most welcome, particularly since the previous administration gave too little importance to the role of the State for such essential educational facilities,” Zminijietna concluded.