Pandemic-related inequalities remain present for children and young people affected by poverty
Vienna (OTS) – Better protecting the population from the consequences of any crises is one of the points that the government has set out to achieve today when presenting its Corona assessment. A particularly important project if you look at the results of a survey by Volkshilfe, which shows that the negative consequences of the pandemic for children affected by poverty are far from over.
If the government declares the Corona crisis to be over and dealt with today, the inequalities that have arisen for children and young people affected by poverty must not be forgotten,” warns Ewald Sacher, President of Volkshilfe Austria. In view of the results of the Covid processing process presented today, he points out that it is important not only to analyze the polarization of society in questions of health policy, but also to look at the unequal starting conditions, for example in housing, and the scope for action of different income groups gain weight. “Social cohesion also arises through social security. If we want our society to be more resilient to crises, then we need poverty-proof social safety nets and a policy that focuses on the future of children and young people,” said Sacher.
In an online survey in early summer 2023, Volkshilfe asked a total of 143 children and young people between the ages of ten and 19 affected by poverty, as well as 284 parents affected by poverty, what traces Corona had left in their lives. “The results were dramatic. Every second parent surveyed said they had suffered from tiredness and exhaustion, but also from fears and worries, much more frequently since the pandemic. A majority of the children and young people surveyed have also felt less fit since then. The pandemic has an equally strong impact on school success. Almost sixty percent of the students surveyed from families affected by poverty said that they were now missing the teaching material from the Corona period when learning.
“If it was said in today’s press conference that everyone was equally affected, everyone had the same amount of fear, then that’s not true, especially for those on lower incomes. These people had significantly more loss of income, higher short-time work rates or unemployment due to Corona. This aspect is clear to me “Today’s statements from the government fell short,” says Sacher. “If 56 percent of our respondents said this summer that they needed “better financial security for their children” in order to get through the pandemic better, then that speaks a very clear language .
“If the government really wants to address the social and political divisions in the wake of the corona pandemic, the perspectives and experiences of children and those affected by poverty must not be overlooked. Anyone who really listens to families must campaign for basic child security, including for better protection in times of crisis,” concluded Sacher.
Questions & Contact:
Volkshilfe Austria
Erwin Berger, MAS
Head of Communications Volkshilfe Austria
+43 676 83 402 215
[email protected]
2023-12-21 20:34:11
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