European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion is the European Year 2010 decided on October 22, 2008 by the European Parliament and the European Council on a proposal from the European Commission .

background

The fight against poverty and social exclusion is one of the goals of the European Union. Despite the efforts made so far, 79 million people (16 percent of the population) in the EU still live below the poverty line. Although the general standard of living has improved significantly over the past few decades, the latest figures from the Eurobarometer survey show that part of the population in all member states of the European Union is affected by exclusion and disadvantage due to poverty. A large majority of Europeans (73 percent) see poverty as a common problem in their country. Although 89 percent of respondents see their government as having a duty to fight poverty, 74 percent of Europeans expect the European Union to play a decisive role in reducing poverty and social exclusion.

Objectives

With the European Year 2010, the European Commission wants to provide information on poverty and social exclusion in Europe under the motto "Stop Poverty - Act Together". Four central areas of activity are pursued:

1. The recognition of the fundamental rights of people living in poverty and social exclusion.
2. The shared responsibility and participation of all social actors in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.
3. Promoting greater social cohesion.
4. A renewal of the commitment of the EU and its member states to take decisive action in the fight against poverty .

In addition, the aim of the year of action is to raise public awareness of the risks of poverty, to raise awareness of the various causes and effects of poverty and to identify ways of overcoming them. In addition, those affected by poverty and social exclusion should be able to live in dignity and participate fully in society. Finally, the social and political groups are to be made aware of poverty reduction and social integration in the European Union is to be promoted.

implementation

The activities in the context of the European Year are largely implemented on a decentralized basis. Each of the 29 participating countries (the 27 EU Member States plus Norway and Iceland) has drawn up a national program for this purpose. In addition, a total of 17 million euros is available to support awareness-raising campaigns at European and national level as well as several hundred national projects that are aligned with the respective priorities of the participating countries. The information campaign for the European Year includes a journalists' competition, an art project and two focus weeks in May and October, in which numerous national events are held across the EU. At the end of the year , a final conference will take place in Brussels on December 17th as part of the Belgian EU Presidency .

The European year 2010 in Germany

The Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs was commissioned to hold the European Year 2010 in Germany . The central goal of the year of action, which in Germany has the motto "With new courage", is to strengthen public awareness of the risks of poverty and social exclusion and to sharpen awareness of its various causes and effects. The European Year is implemented together with representatives of those affected, associations as well as federal states and municipalities at national level.

Three major topics should become visible in EY 2010:

1. "Every child is important - improve development opportunities!"
2. "Where is the entry? - Overcome the need for help with work! "
3. "Integration instead of exclusion - self-determined participation for all people!"

With the European Year 2010, the public and politics in Germany should be won over to more engagement at various levels. The work of the charities, the independent associations affected and the initiatives of independent organizations should be recognized and sustainably strengthened. In addition, companies are encouraged to take on social responsibility and volunteer to get involved in society. The aim is to make it clear what each individual and society as a whole will gain if social exclusion and the risk of poverty are reduced. In the implementation of the campaign, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is supported by ten volunteer ambassadors from the fields of media, art, culture, sport and churches. With their public appearance and actions, they promote the goals of the European Year 2010. In addition, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is funding a total of 40 topic-related projects with a total of around 1.4 million euros with national funds and funding from the EU Commission.

Web links

• European year against poverty and social exclusion
• National campaign website With renewed courage
• Calendar of events for the European Year 2010
• Ambassador of the European Year 2010 ( http://www.mit-neuem-mut.de/portal/generator/11176/botschafter.html )
• Questions and answers for journalists on the European Year 2010 (PDF; 255 kB)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Decision 1098/2008 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 22, 2008 on the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion (2010) (PDF) .
2. ↑ Eurobarometer opinion poll on poverty and social exclusion (detailed report, summary and country fact sheets) .
3. ↑ BMAS press releases on the 2010 EY .
4. ↑ 40 projects against poverty and social exclusion ( memento of the original from March 24, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .