Childhood Poverty Doubles in Germany
July 28, 2006
The number of children living in poverty in Germany has more than doubled in the past two years, according to the Kinderschutzbund, a German non-profit organization dedicated to child welfare issues.
Presently, about 2.5 million children under the age of 18 live under the poverty line, said Heinz Hilgers, president of the organization. In 2004, that number was 1.1 million.
"This is an alarming number and trend," Hilgers told the Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung. "And it is far worse than we initially thought."
He says the main reasons are the Hartz IV labor market reforms and the country's weak economy.
Gap growing
In June, the German federal labor agency began tallying the number of children in families of the long-term unemployed. That has allowed a more accurate count than before.
Before the new numbers came out, the Kinderschutzbund had estimated that the number of children living in poverty was around 2.2. million.
The group has always been concerned about the high number of poor children in the country, but Hilgers now the situation is getting worse. Benefits levels for the unemployed were cut under the Hartz IV reforms and that has clearly negatively affected children's lives, he added.
"The gap between the haves and the have-nots is growing," he told the Associated Press.
Ursula von der Leyen, minister for families, reacted with alarm to the statistics.
"We have to do something about that number," she told DPA. "Parents need a network including a family-friendly structure at work and targeted financial help from the government.
Important prerequisites
Childhood proverty brings with it greater health risks due to poor nutrition and fewer opportunities for educational advancement.
"Health and education are the most important prerequisites for the successful development of children," Hilgers said.
About 2.5 million children out of a total of 15 million in the country are possibly headed for a future of public handouts instead of financial independence, he added.
Hilgers said that in order to improve the situation and stop the trend, the social safety net for children needs to be strengthened.
"Children should not have to sacrifice their future because their parents are poor," he said. "Our country needs each of these kids."