There are 2,826,000 children living below the poverty line in Spain

MADRID (EFE) -- Strange though it may seem, a lot of expats don't know that Save the Children has a branch in Andalucía. The NGO works in 120 countries, so it isn't very surprising that there's a need for them in one of the poorest areas of this country, Andalucía. With recent news about Malala Yousafzai winning this year's Nobel Peace Prize, which she shares with Kaylash Satyarthi, also a defender of the poorest children, the facts for Spain and Andalucía are as follows, according to various sources, but especially a recent report by UNICEF:

• There are some 2,826,000 children living below the poverty line in Spain, in danger of falling into social exclusion – that is, 1 in 3 girls and boys, or 27% of its infant population.
• Spain is the second EU country incapable (or unwilling) to reduce infant poverty. A European Commission report says that ‘the situation in Romania, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy is especially worrying.’ These countries combine the highest levels of infant poverty (between 26 and 35%) and the lowest impact from any kind of social help.
• Social transfer, as the battle against poverty is termed, there are large differences between EU countries. For instance, while Spain only obtained 6.9 points in its effort to reduce poverty among children, Ireland got 32.  
• Childhood poverty in Spain existed long before the present financial crisis.
• Compared to other groups, children are significantly poorer than the rest, even ten points below the figures for over-65s
• There is very little reliable data on the subject, certainly very little follow-up of children outside the mainstream of society, many of whom live in shanty towns outside the larger cities, or in marginal enclaves.

The head of UNICEF in Spain, Carmelo Angulo, attended a meeting of the Spanish Society of Paediatricians from whom he is now awaiting a report of how poverty impacts health in its widest sense, given that the UN agency has no data on the subject from the Spanish government, though these are available from most countries.

One of the things he pointed out was the number of children who hardly ever had breakfast, a fact that did come up at the meeting. There were a number of other things that needed immediate attention, particularly in a supposedly 'advanced' country such as this.

These include the areas of education and demographics, which respond to the difference in investment policy regarding the protection of children and families, which averages a mere 1.4%, compared to the European median of 2.2%.

Lack of institutional concern

UNICEF sees the problem not so much in terms of finance, however, but also of efficiency -- of the EU countries only Greece has a lower level of efficiency when it comes to combating childhood poverty.

In its report, UNICEF accuses the Spanish government of 'crossing its arms' about the appalling situation, and offering practically no help to marginal children and families in trouble.

Certain improvements were obtained up to 2010, but the maelstrom of the crisis has done away with €6,370,000, part of the budget originally intended for children. 

While the financial crisis has brought out the best in solidarity among families, which help each other as best they can, the recession has hit those with children a great deal harder than those without them. In fact, there are over one million families in which no adult is employed, a number that has tripled since 2007. Many subsist only on the grandparents' pension money, but not all.

However, according to UNICEF, this solidarity has at no time been recognised by the government.

Not only is there very little help but "the Spanish system of taxation and benefits has traditionally been one of the least effective in the redistribution of family income in the entire EU," according to sociologists

Olga Cantó y Luis Ayala, authors of another report commissioned by UNICEF.

The sociologists' investigations lead to stating that one of the most effective tools is direct financial help for families with children. "Only six of the EU's 27 countries do not have a universal system of benefits per child per family, among which is Spain, and all of them are among the ten countries with the greatest levels of childhood poverty," the say.

In its larger report, UNICEF, says that a change in attitude is absolutely necessary, suggesting that €1,200 per child annually would go a long way towards ameliorating the problem. It also demands quality in education that will fight against absenteeism and drop-out rates, among the highest in Europe, and leading directly towards marginalisation in childhood and a dark future after that.

Spanish tradition has it that children are the exclusive responsibility of their parents, a concept the organization wants to combat. UNICEF believes that children are a 'matter of State'.

(It being uncomfortably close to the Christmas season, we will soon be putting up a link to several local, national and international charities to which you will be able to donate, including Save the Children Spain)