MEPs discuss the wellbeing and the protection of children in Europe, marking the International Day on the Rights of the Child. The Parliament also debate how to strengthen the Child Guarantee, two years after its adoption in 2021. MEPs discuss a report to reduce inequalities and increase social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families. In the text, Parliament calls for better integrated social, educational and employment services to help break the vicious circle of poverty and to protect children and their families at risk of poverty, in particular in times of crisis. Opening statement by Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography and Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

rights of the child (T)

children's rights (T)

ŠUICA, Dubravka (EPP, HR, EC)

KOPACZ, Ewa (EPP, PL)

PEREIRA, Sandra (The Left, PT)

Delivery EE2024 (T)

Joint debate International Day on the Rights of the Child: opening statement by Sandra PEREIRA, Rapporteur and Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography and by Ewa KOPACZ, on behalf of the FEMM Committee

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, Thank you very much. I don't have a great deal of time, but I'll do what I can. Child poverty has a number of dimensions to it. It's derived from poverty of the family. So we need a multidimensional response, which, of course, will go through increased job security and an increase in wages as well as better public services.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, For children to enjoy their rights, their parents must too. We can't talk about rights of the child without talking about wage stability for parents, particularly putting an end to precariousness and deregulation of hours, as well as low wages and wage discrimination, as well as other transports linked to accommodation and transport, as well as an increase in expenditure on health and education. This, of course, is affected by parents income as well.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, Colleagues, we need to have structural state policies, which adopts a holistic approach to childhood, ensuring that they have the tools and resources that they need so that families can see the responses that they need. The resolution that we're voting on tomorrow will put forward a series of measures that should be implemented in Member States because that's the way that we will actually have an impact on fighting poverty.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, 'So we need more investment in public services, in education, and healthcare. Public universal, high quality services to meet families needs and the needs of children in all of their diversity. Also, to ensure that we have high quality afterschool and pre-school services. Rights for children and their parents have to be implemented through an evaluation of the practical instruments that will fight discrimination and violence against children.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, We have to have targeted, structured measures. The early years of life have a key impact on integrated development for children. In their first years, children develop their key capacities. We need to have proper childcare, nurseries and support for families to ensure a holistic approach from the very earliest age.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, We should ensure a free access to nursery care and high quality education to ensure the best type of instruction for all children, regardless of the family that they come from. To ensure that they enjoy their full rights to education as set out in constitutions of countries such as my own. We also need free access to care before school for all children up to the age of 13 to ensure an approach that is focussed on the needs of the individual.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, Today is the International Day on the Rights of the Child, and I would like to take this opportunity to talk about those who are in war. Thousands of Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces in recent weeks. More than the entire number of children killed since 2019 in other conflicts.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Sandra PEREIRA (The Left, PT), Rapporteur, 'One child would be too many. So we have to see an end to this. Children have the right to live in peace. We have to put an end to this and to establish peace-based relations between all peoples.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, Thank you, Chair. Honourable members. Exactly 34 years ago, on November 1989, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is in commemoration of that milestone event that we celebrate the World Children's Day today. It is a reminder that children's rights are human rights under any circumstances and everywhere.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, 'The Four Guiding Principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to survival and development, and the right to be heard. They are also reflected in the European Union Charter for Fundamental Rights. It is important to recall them every day like today.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, 'The theme for World Children's Day 2023 is for every child, every right, for every child's, peace, for every child, a liveable planet, for every child, a voice. Yet, on this World's Children's Day, the European Union is particularly concerned for the well-being of children living in situations of armed conflict, forced displacement and protracted humanitarian crises.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, Unfortunately, our television screens and social media feeds are full of the daily horrors inflicted upon children around the world. Be it in from Gaza to illegal child deportations from Ukraine, terrorist attacks in Israel, and armed conflicts from the Sahel region to Yemen and Myanmar. Children do not start conflicts. They deserve and need peace. We as adults, as caretakers, as policymakers, we have an obligation to protect and promote all rights of all children and to ensure that they can live in dignity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, This is also the Commission's understanding and our approach to the rights of the child as laid down in European strategy on the rights of the child and the European Child Guarantee. While the European Union is one of the most equal and prosperous regions in the world, we have not yet fully eradicated poverty. Child poverty in Europe is not acceptable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, Currently, every fourth child lives at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This requires decisive actions at all levels. This is what the report on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families call free. And we can all agree. Children growing in poverty are less likely to do well in school. They are less likely to enjoy good health. They are less likely to realise their full potential later in life. This Parliament has been at the forefront of the European Union policy actions to support the most vulnerable children.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, We highly appreciate that the proposed Children First resolution pays attention to the quality of the National Action Plans, adequate financing, stakeholders involvement and proper governance and monitoring. All these aspects are key, also from our point of view. I want to thank my dear colleague, Commissioner Nicolas Schmidt, for all this work.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, Eight years ago, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on reducing inequalities with a special focus on child poverty, calling for a child guarantee. Today, the child guarantee is a reality. We welcome the fact that 20 European Union member states have set national targets on child poverty reduction. We see that in 2022, the number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion decreased in 19 Member States.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, We see fewer children affected by poverty in Italy, 86,000 fewer children affected by poverty in Greece. While we welcome these figures, we remain concerned that this significant progress is offset by increases in eight other member states. But we must not be complacent. The Commission is tirelessly working with Member States to ensure that is being made, and we are happy with the constructive approach by the national coordinators.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, A number of concrete actions have been taken. For example, school meals have been introduced in Croatia and in Luxembourg. In Bulgaria, a future for children health prevention programme will support approximately 14,000 families. Honourable members, you have called for better monitoring. We are now working jointly with the Social Protection Committee to establish a common monitoring framework.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, The results should be available in a matter of a few weeks. Results from the programming show that combating child poverty has been defined as a specific objective in programmes of 23 Member States totalling 6.1 billion of European financing, or 8.9 billion if national contributions are added. Next March will be another opportunity to take stock. European Member States should report on their progress in implementing child guarantee.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, VP of the European Commission in charge of Democracy and Demography, Here, we must draw attention to the fact that primary responsibility for implementation of the Child Guarantee lies with Member States. We recall that an investment in children is a tangible investment in their societies and their economies. We must preserve this stability as we all know how fragile it is. Sustainable investment in children will be key. I thank you and I look forward for this debate.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee, 'Thank you very much, Madam Commissioner. Now, on behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Madam Kopacz, please.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee, President, ladies and gentlemen. The Parliament deals with many topics related to children's rights on a daily basis, like the European Child Guarantee we are discussing today. But looking at today's world, we have to say clearly that this is still not enough. We have armed conflicts, poverty, climate change, violence against children both in the real world and online.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee, We have lack of access to education, health care, to psychological and social support, so much needed in the crises of recent years. This all shapes and influences the next generations, meaning that it also determines our future.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee, I want to stress with the utmost importance children in Ukraine, children in Gaza and in Israel, in Sudan, and everywhere where adults wage their wars, they have the same rights to live in order to grow up and develop with a sense of security, love and respect. This right is universal, inalienable, and does not depend on in which country and which side of the world the child was born.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), on behalf of the FEMM Committee, At the end, I should say something obvious. All children are our children and deserve the best. And we here, in the Parliament should treat this obvious and should be a good example to others. Thank you very much.