15/02/200: The meeting of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood which focused on the topic of "families and poverty" took place in Strasbourg, on Wednesday the 15th of February under the chairmanship of Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP-ED) and Mr Mendez de Vigo (EPP-ED). The meeting fostered interventions by Mr Johannes Berchtold from the Austrian Ministry of Social Security, Generations and Consumer Protection, Mrs Maryse Huet from DG Employment and Social Affairs (European Commission) and Mrs Maria Teresa Lopez of the Foundation "Accion Familiar".
Mrs Lopez presented the major changes which have occurred in the social and demographical behaviours of families, which are characterized by more instable family compositions, reduced birth rates and a high number of children born outside marriage. In her intervention, she insisted on the policies that the Member States should develop to prevent poverty and stressed that by supporting families, one supports employment, social solidarity, the redistribution of wealth among generations, a sustainable economic development and greater social cohesion.
In his contribution, Mr Berchtold insisted on the necessity to preserve intergenerational solidarity and to reduce the poverty of families through the adoption of specific measures including, among others, the creation of synergies between the political, economic and social sectors, and a greater security and flexibility in employment and working hours. Mr Berchtold also reminded the essential role of families in terms of socialization and solidarity and insisted on the necessity to give a greater importance to fathers in the family environment. Finally, he informed the assembly of the activities of the new partnership " Alliance Family and Employment" which gathers the participation of Austria, France, Germany, Hungary and Italy and enables the exchange of good practices and the development of collaborations with NGOs.
Mrs Huet indicated that the action of the European Commission which supports the action of the Member States, aims in particular, at improving the situation of families and children with economic difficulties by increasing the participation in the labour market, specially for women, a better conciliation of family and professional life, the modernization of social security schemes, the improvement of education and access to decent housing and to quality social and health services. Mrs Huet also stressed that the European Commission is currently preparing a "Charter on the Rights of the Child" as well as a Communication based on the results of the consultations on the Green Book on Demography.
Mrs Zaborska, Chairwoman of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, mentioned some elements of her report on the topic of "women and poverty", adopted by the EP. She referred to the importance of families as "teachers" of social values, to the role of women in the preservation of the economic and social cohesion of families as well as to the need to create partnerships with the least disadvantaged citizens. Finally, Mrs Bauer presented the situation of families in the new Member States with a particular focus on children whose level of poverty is higher that the EU average and who often live in disastrous conditions.
The meeting ended with interventions of NGO representatives who insisted on the importance to increase the participation of parents in the labour market, on the necessity to provide for a minimum income to help guarantee the standard of living of children and to improve the assistance for families by appropriate services.
Mrs Lopez presented the major changes which have occurred in the social and demographical behaviours of families, which are characterized by more instable family compositions, reduced birth rates and a high number of children born outside marriage. In her intervention, she insisted on the policies that the Member States should develop to prevent poverty and stressed that by supporting families, one supports employment, social solidarity, the redistribution of wealth among generations, a sustainable economic development and greater social cohesion.
In his contribution, Mr Berchtold insisted on the necessity to preserve intergenerational solidarity and to reduce the poverty of families through the adoption of specific measures including, among others, the creation of synergies between the political, economic and social sectors, and a greater security and flexibility in employment and working hours. Mr Berchtold also reminded the essential role of families in terms of socialization and solidarity and insisted on the necessity to give a greater importance to fathers in the family environment. Finally, he informed the assembly of the activities of the new partnership " Alliance Family and Employment" which gathers the participation of Austria, France, Germany, Hungary and Italy and enables the exchange of good practices and the development of collaborations with NGOs.
Mrs Huet indicated that the action of the European Commission which supports the action of the Member States, aims in particular, at improving the situation of families and children with economic difficulties by increasing the participation in the labour market, specially for women, a better conciliation of family and professional life, the modernization of social security schemes, the improvement of education and access to decent housing and to quality social and health services. Mrs Huet also stressed that the European Commission is currently preparing a "Charter on the Rights of the Child" as well as a Communication based on the results of the consultations on the Green Book on Demography.
Mrs Zaborska, Chairwoman of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, mentioned some elements of her report on the topic of "women and poverty", adopted by the EP. She referred to the importance of families as "teachers" of social values, to the role of women in the preservation of the economic and social cohesion of families as well as to the need to create partnerships with the least disadvantaged citizens. Finally, Mrs Bauer presented the situation of families in the new Member States with a particular focus on children whose level of poverty is higher that the EU average and who often live in disastrous conditions.
The meeting ended with interventions of NGO representatives who insisted on the importance to increase the participation of parents in the labour market, on the necessity to provide for a minimum income to help guarantee the standard of living of children and to improve the assistance for families by appropriate services.
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