Alarming Number of Poor Children in Germany

Child protection officials are urging politicians to take action following a report indicating that the number of poor children in Germany will likely double next year. "Our society has reached a ... point that you can describe as extremely unfriendly towards children," said Thomas Krüger, head of the children's organization Kinderhilfswerk. The comment came following the publication of the organization's 2004 report on Monday. According to the data, around 37 percent of all welfare recipients are children under the age of 18. In addition, the one million children currently living below the poverty line will climb by more than 1.5 million in 2005, said Krüger. He urged politicians on all levels to do something about the situation.