Spain Faces Persistent Child Poverty Amid Low Investment in Protection Measures
Spain struggles with chronic child poverty amidst low public investment and rising costs, prompting calls for urgent policy reforms.
- • Approximately 2.3 million children in Spain are at risk of poverty, affecting about 30% of children.
- • Spain invests only 1.5% of its GDP in child protection, less than other EU countries like Germany.
- • The cost of meeting children’s basic needs in Spain has increased by 30% since 2018.
- • Proposals to combat child poverty include refundable child tax credits, increased aid, and universal child benefits.
Key details
In Spain, child poverty remains a critical issue with approximately 2.3 million children and adolescents at risk despite overall economic growth since the pandemic. A recent report by Plataforma de Infancia España and Save the Children reveals that around 30% of Spanish children live in poverty, highlighting the structural and chronic nature of the problem.
The report emphasizes Spain’s notably low investment in child protection, which accounts for only 1.5% of its GDP—a figure significantly lower than other European Union nations such as Germany and Poland. Meanwhile, the cost of meeting children’s basic needs has surged by 30% since 2018, intensifying financial pressures on families.
Economic inequality is widening between households with children and those without, exacerbating the risks faced by vulnerable young populations. Without urgent and comprehensive policies, child poverty is expected to persist and perpetuate cycles of inherited inequality.
Proposed solutions to tackle this systemic challenge include redesigning financial aid to make the minimum child tax credit refundable for low-income families, doubling the Complemento de Ayuda a la Infancia (CAPI), and establishing a universal child benefit. The report also calls for a holistic transformation of Spain’s economic system and labor market, along with integrated social policies guided by expert insights.
These recommendations aim not only at immediate relief but also at structural reforms to break the cycle of poverty affecting Spain’s youth. The urgency of action is underscored by the potential long-term social and economic consequences if child poverty remains unaddressed.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
