In one year, more than 100 social measures, which are part of the National Plan for Children’s Guarantee, have been implemented in four main areas, of which 29 measures are related to social protection, 34 measures regarding of education, 38 measures related to health care and 7 measures related to adequate housing.
This Action Plan, which was published in 2022, is one of the Government’s tools to improve the quality of life of children, particularly vulnerable children, and is essential to break the – the cycle of poverty and ensuring a more inclusive society.
These details were announced by the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon during a news conference, during which an account was given of the progress made during the last months to ensure that children are given the best opportunities to reach their full potential.
“We are investing €145 million over five years to implement and support the measures described in the plan. We are doing this because we believe that we are constantly supporting the most vulnerable, in order to maximize their potential”, stated Minister Michael Falzon.
Permanent Secretary Mark Musu spoke about the importance of the childhood stage, which is characterized by relative vulnerability and various challenges, especially for those children who are experiencing poverty and social exclusion.
“In recent years, we have made several efforts to address poverty and social exclusion, as well as to promote and enforce children’s rights. This led to the fact that from 2013 until today, children at risk of poverty or social exclusion dropped to 19,000 from 25,000; those children in material deprivation decreased to 7,000 from 16,000; while children in severe material deprivation dropped from 9,000 to 3,700,” concluded Permanent Secretary Mark Musu.
