News
Europe-wide Child Guarantee to Combat Child Poverty
In the current issue of our newsletter, we present the child guarantee as a European instrument for reducing child poverty. Child poverty is widespread in Europe, even in economically strong countries. Almost 22.5 percent of children in the European Union are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic child poverty in Europe can be expected to increase.The child guarantee was requested by the European Parliament in 2015. It aims to combat child poverty and social exclusion in Europe by ensuring access to affordable, inclusive, and high-quality services, especially for children who are affected by poverty and socially disadvantaged. Since 2018, within the framework of a broad preparatory action at EU level, possibilities for design and implementation have been discussed. The Child Guarantee is expected to be introduced in this year, according to Commission announcements. A Council recommendation is considered likely to be adopted.
International Conference: Intersectionality and LGBTI Policies in Europe, 18 and 19 November 2020
Within the framework of the German Presidencies of the Council of the European Union and the Council of Europe in 2020, the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth together with the Observatory organised an international conference on the subject of "Intersectionality and LGBTI Policies in Europe – Lived Realities of Lesbian* Women and the Recognition of Rainbow Families" on 18 and 19 November 2020.
Helena Dalli, EU Commissioner for Equality, used the occasion to present the new EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy (Factsheet). During the ensuing high-level panel, she discussed the new strategy with Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Franziska Giffey, and Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić. Background information on the strategy can be found in the current edition of the Observatory's newsletter (May 2020).
The conference drew attention to the intersectional – overlapping and mutually reinforcing –aspects of discrimination lesbian* women experience in their daily lives as well as the specific needs of rainbow families. A number of discussion formats raised awareness for different aspects of lesbian* visibility in respect to intersectionality, research, the asylum process, civil society participation and capacity building.
Latest Info (Minstry, in German), 18 November 2020
Press Release (Minstry, in German), 19 November 2020
International conference: Families in Europe during and after the COVID-19 pandemic on 24 November 2020
Within the framework of the German Presidencies of the Council of the European Union and the Council of Europe in 2020, the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth together with the Observatory was organising an international conference on the subject of "Overcoming COVID-19 — jointly developing prospects for strong families" on November 24, 2020.The COVID-19 pandemic has shown from the very beginning that families are the central pillar of our society. For a large number of families, however, this time had and still has a strong economic and psychological impact. The different political measures to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with children in Europe show that EU member states are responding with different approaches to the same challenges.
The focus of the conference was the question of how families can be empowered during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Together with representatives of the European Commission and the EU Member States as well as with experts from politics, science and civil society, society, measures of the European member states to strengthen families were discussed in various panels. The focus was on the financial stability of families, equal educational opportunities for all children, better work-life balance and the fight against domestic violence - during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest Info (Ministry, in German), 24 November 2020
Documentation will be published in the first quarter of 2021.
