CYP Now - NCB Now:Keeping an eye on child poverty

Following concerns over the implications of child poverty on future social cohesion and economic growth, the consensus has emerged that breaking the cycle of poverty from one generation to the next should feature high on the European Union's political agenda.

Last year, child poverty was selected as a thematic priority of the openmethod of co-ordination on social inclusion and social protection - astructure for member states to exchange best practice and agreepolicies. Eurochild, a European network of organisations, has beenactively monitoring its implementation.

Catriona Williams, president of Eurochild, said: "Child poverty and theunequal access to resources and opportunities is a denial of children'srights. A recurring theme of Eurochild's advocacy work is to linkefforts aimed at tackling child poverty and social exclusion to theUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child."

Eurochild's efforts to strengthen the children's rights approach tochild poverty were boosted on 13 December when heads of state signed TheLisbon Treaty. For the first time, this makes specific reference to theneed for protection of children's rights. It also makes the EU Charterof Fundamental Rights legally binding.

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