# data[].attributes.headline
LEPL Tbilisi Vakhtang Gzirishvili Public School N173

# data[].attributes.subject
LEPL Tbilisi Vakhtang Gzirishvili Public School N173

# data[].attributes.headline
Ramona Popescu-Secondary School ”Lady Elena” Ploiești City, Prahova County, Romania

# data[].attributes.subject
Ramona Popescu-Secondary School ”Lady Elena” Ploiești City, Prahova County, Romania

# data[].attributes.headline
KORINA PAPPA/GYMNASIUM OF KANITHOS CHALKIDA GREECE

# data[].attributes.subject
KORINA PAPPA/GYMNASIUM OF KANITHOS CHALKIDA GREECE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
14.11.2023 - ( 2023/2066(INI))

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Rapporteur: Sandra Pereira

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

ANNEX: LIST OF ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families

The European Parliament ,

Investing in reducing inequalities

Strong public policies to reduce inequalities

Tackling discrimination and social exclusion

The right of every child to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, participation and play

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The full development of children, ensuring that they grow healthy, curious, proactive and respectful of the world they live in, is essential to ensuring a fairer, more equal and advanced future. The Member States are responsible for devising universal and structural policies that guarantee this, and the European Union can contribute, namely by redistributing funds that promote territorial and social cohesion, as well as by defining specific programmes that can contribute to comprehensive social responses.

Policies that strengthen investment in universal, public and quality education, as well as in health and social security services. Policies that encourage participation in sport and physical education, enjoyment of the great outdoors and access to culture. Policies that promote the participation of children and child and youth citizenship schemes. Policies that guarantee adequate responses to violence. Policies that ensure comfortable housing. Policies that contribute to a sustainable environment. Policies that focus on the inalienable right of children to play.

The first years of life have a decisive impact on the integral development of children, as they develop essential skills in these early years.

It is essential to ensure free day care, based on a public network, for all children under the age of three, putting an end to the discrimination engendered by the difficulties faced by many families in finding child care, which forces them to opt for precarious solutions. It is equally essential to provide free pre-school access for all children from the age of three. Education systems, at all levels, should promote a universal culture focused on the integral development of individuals.

Even in Member States where the right to health is enshrined in law, many children do not have access to adequate healthcare due to a lack of available public services. Investment is needed in universal and free public health services that guarantee children public health care in all specialties and in all circumstances.

In recent years, vaccination rates have been in decline, thereby jeopardising the main defence against serious diseases, which has contributed to the resurgence of diseases considered to have been eradicated in the EU. Campaigns should be promoted to counteract the negativity and misinformation surrounding vaccines.

Breastfeeding has enormous benefits for the healthy growth of children and for mothers. Policies are needed to promote and make breastfeeding possible from birth and for the first six months, as recommended by the WHO, including by providing for maternity leave and associated rights when women return to work.

It is necessary to strengthen public social security systems in order to guarantee the universality of family allowances and other allowances (whether or not increased by the Child Guarantee) that supplement family incomes, such as minimum wage benefits, especially in the case of families with children.

In Europe, one in five children is a victim of some form of sexual violence, and most abuse occurs within a hypothetical framework of trust, such as within families or related institutions. Children represent around a quarter of victims of trafficking in the EU, the majority of whom are girls, who are victims of sexual exploitation.

All children have the right to be protected from abuse, violence, child labour and neglect. Research shows that financial pressures within families and a lack of investment in public services put children at greater risk.

Policies are needed to address the structural problem of poverty and social exclusion. In the EU, almost 25 % of children are at risk. Children who grow up in poverty or as victims of social exclusion find it harder to succeed at school, to remain healthy and reach their full potential later in life, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

Various organisations point to so-called austerity measures (significant reduction of social support for children and families, increase in unemployment and mass use of precarious contracts, increase in taxes) as the main cause of the increase in poverty, stating that budget cuts in response to the financial crisis of 2008-2013 increased inequalities and contributed to worsening the living conditions of children, and that these factors have been exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing inflation and the escalation of the war in Eastern Europe.

Child poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that stems from family poverty and therefore requires a multidimensional response, which necessarily includes increasing employment and job security, increasing wages and investing in public services.
For children to have rights, parents must also have rights. It is not only parents who have the right to accompany their children as they grow, children have a right to this too. There can be no talk of children's rights without there being talk of their parents' salaries, working hours and job stability. This could include, in particular, working towards putting an end to precarious employment contracts, deregulated working hours, poorly paid work, low wages, wage discrimination, as well as the high costs of housing, transport, childcare, education and health expenses, which account for a considerable proportion of the income of working families.

Families with disabled children and disabled parents are more likely to enter into poverty and face difficulties in entering the labour market.

Having children cannot be a choice imposed on anyone, but it does fulfil a social function that society must get behind. Any talk about the rights of parents and children must involve tackling the failure to respect maternity and paternity rights. These rights must be guaranteed during pregnancy and postpartum, when breastfeeding, when ill or in any other justifiable situation. The existing legislation in the Member States is a far from being implemented in practice, starting with companies and the workplace. There is an urgent need to respect and extend these rights, specifically by guaranteeing maternity and paternity leave with full pay for at least the first six months of a baby's life.

Children, their parents, foster families and carers must be protected from discrimination, be it on grounds of gender, colour, sexual orientation, language, religion or belief, political or other opinions, national, ethnic or social origin, membership of a national minority, wealth, birth, disability, age or any other status.

Children need time: to sleep, to socialise with family and friends, to be outdoors, to integrate into a wide range of cultural, sporting and play-related activities. Playing is essential for growth and is a right.

Children have the right to be children, to grow up healthy and happy. Their families have the right to accompany their growth.

ANNEX: LIST OF ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The following list is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur. The rapporteur has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, until the adoption thereof in committee:

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY (28.9.2023)
for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (2023/2066(INI)) Rapporteur for opinion: Ewa Kopacz

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

6. Notes that efforts to bring about a truly equal society, including gender equality policies, often fall short in times of crisis; calls on the Member States to prioritise policies and investments that counteract the negative effects of such crises on children, women and their families, including those that ensure access to high-quality care, education, health or housing services and protect victims of gender-based violence; stresses the importance of a systematic gender perspective for analysing these problems and their differing impacts and for finding holistic and fair solutions; notes the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing increase in all forms of violence towards women, as documented in various reports from several Member States during and after the COVID-19 lockdown that revealed a worrying increase in domestic and gender-based violence, including physical, psychological and cyber-violence; points out that children are also affected and at risk; points out the risks of being victims of violence for some vulnerable categories, such as women asylum seekers and the LGBTQIA+ community; stresses the need to step up all resources, both public and private, in order to tackle situations posing a risk to children, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities and support groups at risk of poverty; calls for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to be strengthened to prioritise the fight against poverty and social exclusion; stresses the need for increased funding for actions aimed at preventing and combating gender-based violence under the Daphne strand within the citizens, equality, rights and values programme;

9. Recalls that, in the EU 27 in 2021, 27.9 % of women aged 25-49 outside the labour force indicated that looking after children or adults in need of care was their main reason for not seeking employment ; points out that a rise in women's employment will also contribute to addressing the challenges stemming from the EU's ageing population and to improving the Member States' economic stability; recalls that gender imbalances in care and employment can result in a gender gap in pensions and high differences in poverty rates in older age; notes that families with children are more impacted by a lack of access to the labour market and by income inequalities; notes that, while the percentage difference in the employment rate of men and women without children stands at 1 %, for those who have a child younger than six, the rate stands at 21 % and climbs to 37 % for those with three children ; takes the view that single-parent families, especially families headed by single mothers, are at greater risk of poverty or social exclusion (42.1 % compared to 29.6 % in family units with two adults and three or more children), which is related to the feminisation of poverty, women's over-representation in precarious and part-time work, the disproportionate time women spend in low-paid work, interruptions in women's careers to care for children or other family members, and the pay gap between men and women ; stresses, as outlined in the work-life balance legislation under the European Pillar of Social Rights, the importance of the proposal for additional measures for protection against discrimination and dismissal for parents and care-givers; encourages gender-balanced use of family-related leaves and flexible working arrangements;

23. Recalls that nine million adolescents in Europe (aged 10 to 19) are living with mental disorders, with anxiety and depression accounting for more than half of all cases; stresses that mental distress is more pronounced for women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, due to discrimination and marginalisation ; stresses additionally that there is also a high prevalence of mental health disorders among unaccompanied children and adolescent migrants, as the circumstances that these children face have a significant impact on mental health; observes that COVID-19 restrictions severely limited children's social opportunities and interactions, causing widespread disruption and an increase in depression symptoms, especially for adolescent girls ; notes that schools facilitate access to mental health and psychosocial support; recalls that UNICEF has highlighted proven strategies, such as implementing programmes to build awareness and strengthen emotional coping skills for adolescents, integrating mental health counselling services into education, training teachers and staff in how to strengthen the well-being of students, and creating safe spaces for children to discuss and share their concerns ; stresses that the Member States need to allocate adequate funding to treat mental health and psychosocial problems and improve regional infrastructure through the ESF+ programme and the European Regional Development Fund, including targeted programmes for vulnerable groups;

25. Recalls that many Ukrainian women refugees fleeing the war of aggression live in different EU and non-EU countries in Europe and have specific needs related to childcare that must be addressed in order to not only facilitate their access to the job market, but also to facilitate language learning and the social inclusion of their children; highlights that the war in Ukraine weakened access to healthcare, including SRHR services, and led to a critical situation in meeting the SRHR needs of those displaced ;

28. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to combat structural discrimination and make it possible for everyone to have unrestricted and non-discriminatory access to the labour market, which also improves children's development, strengthens social inclusion and fairness and reduces poverty; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put forward specific measures to promote access to jobs and security for refugees and migrants; highlights, in this regard, the European Pay Transparency and Minimum Wage Directives , which are further measures that aim to eliminate the gender pay gap; points out that fair remuneration helps tackle women's poverty in a sustainable way; stresses that EU financing enables support and investment at national level to combat child poverty and promote social inclusion;

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Key to symbols:

[2] OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, p. 79.

[3] OJ L 59, 2.3.2013, p. 5.

[4] OJ C 189, 5.6.2019, p. 4.

[5] OJ C 484, 20.12.2022, p. 1.

[6] OJ C 476, 15.12.2022, p. 1.

[7] OJ C 366, 27.10.2017, p. 19.

[8] OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 145.

[9] OJ C 506, 15.12.2021, p. 94.

[10] OJ C 434, 15.11.2022, p. 50.

[11] OJ C 47, 7.2.2023, p. 30.

[12] OJ C 132, 14.4.2023, p. 65.

[13] OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14.

[14] OJ C 41, 3.2.2023, p. 1.

[15] Eurodiaconia and Caritas Europa, Survey on energy poverty/cost-of-living crisis, 2022.

[16] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[17] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[18] Eurofound, 'Living and Working Conditions in Europe 2021', p. 73.

[19] In accordance with the EU Roma strategic framework 2020-2030, the reference to 'Roma', as an umbrella term, encompasses a wide range of different people of Romani origin such as: Roma, Sinti, Kale, Romanichels and Boyash/Rudari. It also encompasses groups such as Ashkali, Egyptians, Yenish, Dom, Lom, Rom and Abdal, as well as traveller populations, including ethnic Travellers or those designated under the administrative term gens du voyage and people who identify as Gypsies, Tsiganes or Tziganes, without denying their specificities. This definition should be taken into account throughout the whole report.

[20] The use of the expression 'children in vulnerable situations' or 'children from disadvantaged backgrounds/households' in this report refers to the definition enshrined in the Child Guarantee, which includes the following groups: homeless children or children experiencing severe housing deprivation; children with disabilities; children with mental health issues; children with a migrant background or minority ethnic origin, particularly Roma; children in alternative, especially institutional, care; children in precarious family situations.
In this report, this definition also includes LGBTIQ+ children.

[21] Eurostat, 'Children in formal childcare or education by age group and duration - % over the population of each age group - EU-SILC survey', 29.9.2023; data corresponds to the sum of the percentage of children under three who are in formal childcare for 1-29 hours per week and of those who are in formal childcare over 30 hours per week.

[22] European Commission, Eurydice Brief, 'Key Data on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe', 2019.

[23] Eurostat, 'Early leavers from education and training', 2023.

[24] Eurostat, 2023, 'Health statistics - children'.

[25] Eurostat, 2022, 'Urban-rural Europe - quality of life in rural areas';
OECD iLibrary, 'Delivering Quality Education and Health Care to All: Preparing Regions for Demographic Change - Chapter 4. Delivering quality health services in rural communities', 5.3.2021.

[26] UNICEF, 2020, 'Innocenti Report Card 16. Worlds of Influence - Understanding What Shapes Child Well-being in Rich Countries', p. 4.

[27] Save the Children Europe, 2023, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do'.

[28] UNICEF, 2020, 'Breastfeeding practices worldwide'.

[29] Lerch, V and Severinsson, A.N., 2019, 'Feasibility Study for a Child Guarantee: Target Group Discussion Paper on Children in Alternative Care'.

[30] UNICEF and Eurochild, November 2021, 'Children in alternative care: Comparable statistics to monitor progress on deinstitutionalisation across the European Union'.

[31] European Commission, EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, 24 March 2021.

[32] OECD, 'PISA 2018 Results: What School Life Means for Students' Lives'; on average across the OECD countries.

[33] European Commission, 2021: EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, p.18.

[34] European Commission, 2021: EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, p.4.

[35] This represents the sum of northern, southern, western and eastern European figures: International Labour Organization, 2021, 'Child labour statistical profile: Europe and Central Asia'.

[36] Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 21).

[37] European Commission, May 2022, 'Check progress on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities'.

[38] Save the Children Europe, 2023, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do'.

[39] ILO-UNICEF, 2021, 'Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward'.

[40] European Parliament resolution of 5 July 2022 towards a common European action on care (OJ C 47, 7.2.2023, p. 30).

[41] Public Opinion Monitoring Unit of the European Parliament, ' Flash Eurobarometer 2022 - Women in times of Covid-19', March 2022.

[42] European Parliament resolution of 17 February 2022 on the EU priorities for the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (OJ C 342, 6.9.2022, p. 276).

[43] European Commission, 'Women's situation in the labour market', accessed 2 October 2023.

[44] Eurostat, database table LFSA_IGAR, 'Inactive population not seeking employment by sex, age and main reason - Care of adults with disabilities or children and other family or personal reasons - from 15 to 64 years old', last updated 14 September 2023.

[45] Eurofound, 'Living and working in Europe 2021', Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 9 May 2022, p. 73.

[46] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[47] In 2021 in the EU-27, 27.9 % of women aged 25-49 outside the labour force indicated that looking after children or adults in need of care was their main reason for not seeking employment (Eurostat 2021 Labour Force Survey).

[48] Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (OJ L 132, 17.5.2023, p. 21).

[49] Eurofound, 'Economic and social inequalities in Europe in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic', Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 24 January 2023.

[50] Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee (OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14).

[51] Commission communication of 24 March 2021 on the EU strategy on the rights of the child (COM(2021)0142).

[52] Save the Children, 'Over 200,000 more children are at risk of poverty in the European Union: Save the Children report', 7 March 2023.

[53] UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, 'Situation of Children in Europe and Central Asia', January 2023.

[54] UNICEF, 'The Mental Health Burden Affecting Europe's Children', 4 October 2021.

[55] Save the Children, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do', March 2023.

[56] UNICEF, 'The Mental Health Burden Affecting Europe's Children', 4 October 2021.

[57] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 'What are the integration challenges of Ukrainian refugee women?', 30 May 2023.

[58] Save the Children, 'Stop the War on Children: Protecting children in 21st century conflict', 2019.

[59] Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2022, p. 33).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
REPORT on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families | A9-0360/2023 | European Parliament

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REPORT on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (2023/2066(INI)) Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Rapporteur: Sandra Pereira

# data[].attributes.headline
KORINA PAPPA/ GYMNASIUM OF KANITHOS  - CHALKIDA - GREECE

# data[].attributes.subject
KORINA PAPPA/ GYMNASIUM OF KANITHOS  - CHALKIDA - GREECE

# data[].attributes.headline
Korina Pappa/Gymnasium of Kanithos Chalkida, Greece

# data[].attributes.subject
Korina Pappa/Gymnasium of Kanithos Chalkida, Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
14.11.2023 - ( 2023/2066(INI))

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Rapporteur: Sandra Pereira

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

ANNEX: LIST OF ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families

The European Parliament ,

Investing in reducing inequalities

Strong public policies to reduce inequalities

Tackling discrimination and social exclusion

The right of every child to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, participation and play

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The full development of children, ensuring that they grow healthy, curious, proactive and respectful of the world they live in, is essential to ensuring a fairer, more equal and advanced future. The Member States are responsible for devising universal and structural policies that guarantee this, and the European Union can contribute, namely by redistributing funds that promote territorial and social cohesion, as well as by defining specific programmes that can contribute to comprehensive social responses.

Policies that strengthen investment in universal, public and quality education, as well as in health and social security services. Policies that encourage participation in sport and physical education, enjoyment of the great outdoors and access to culture. Policies that promote the participation of children and child and youth citizenship schemes. Policies that guarantee adequate responses to violence. Policies that ensure comfortable housing. Policies that contribute to a sustainable environment. Policies that focus on the inalienable right of children to play.

The first years of life have a decisive impact on the integral development of children, as they develop essential skills in these early years.

It is essential to ensure free day care, based on a public network, for all children under the age of three, putting an end to the discrimination engendered by the difficulties faced by many families in finding child care, which forces them to opt for precarious solutions. It is equally essential to provide free pre-school access for all children from the age of three. Education systems, at all levels, should promote a universal culture focused on the integral development of individuals.

Even in Member States where the right to health is enshrined in law, many children do not have access to adequate healthcare due to a lack of available public services. Investment is needed in universal and free public health services that guarantee children public health care in all specialties and in all circumstances.

In recent years, vaccination rates have been in decline, thereby jeopardising the main defence against serious diseases, which has contributed to the resurgence of diseases considered to have been eradicated in the EU. Campaigns should be promoted to counteract the negativity and misinformation surrounding vaccines.

Breastfeeding has enormous benefits for the healthy growth of children and for mothers. Policies are needed to promote and make breastfeeding possible from birth and for the first six months, as recommended by the WHO, including by providing for maternity leave and associated rights when women return to work.

It is necessary to strengthen public social security systems in order to guarantee the universality of family allowances and other allowances (whether or not increased by the Child Guarantee) that supplement family incomes, such as minimum wage benefits, especially in the case of families with children.

In Europe, one in five children is a victim of some form of sexual violence, and most abuse occurs within a hypothetical framework of trust, such as within families or related institutions. Children represent around a quarter of victims of trafficking in the EU, the majority of whom are girls, who are victims of sexual exploitation.

All children have the right to be protected from abuse, violence, child labour and neglect. Research shows that financial pressures within families and a lack of investment in public services put children at greater risk.

Policies are needed to address the structural problem of poverty and social exclusion. In the EU, almost 25 % of children are at risk. Children who grow up in poverty or as victims of social exclusion find it harder to succeed at school, to remain healthy and reach their full potential later in life, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty and social exclusion.

Various organisations point to so-called austerity measures (significant reduction of social support for children and families, increase in unemployment and mass use of precarious contracts, increase in taxes) as the main cause of the increase in poverty, stating that budget cuts in response to the financial crisis of 2008-2013 increased inequalities and contributed to worsening the living conditions of children, and that these factors have been exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing inflation and the escalation of the war in Eastern Europe.

Child poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that stems from family poverty and therefore requires a multidimensional response, which necessarily includes increasing employment and job security, increasing wages and investing in public services.
For children to have rights, parents must also have rights. It is not only parents who have the right to accompany their children as they grow, children have a right to this too. There can be no talk of children's rights without there being talk of their parents' salaries, working hours and job stability. This could include, in particular, working towards putting an end to precarious employment contracts, deregulated working hours, poorly paid work, low wages, wage discrimination, as well as the high costs of housing, transport, childcare, education and health expenses, which account for a considerable proportion of the income of working families.

Families with disabled children and disabled parents are more likely to enter into poverty and face difficulties in entering the labour market.

Having children cannot be a choice imposed on anyone, but it does fulfil a social function that society must get behind. Any talk about the rights of parents and children must involve tackling the failure to respect maternity and paternity rights. These rights must be guaranteed during pregnancy and postpartum, when breastfeeding, when ill or in any other justifiable situation. The existing legislation in the Member States is a far from being implemented in practice, starting with companies and the workplace. There is an urgent need to respect and extend these rights, specifically by guaranteeing maternity and paternity leave with full pay for at least the first six months of a baby's life.

Children, their parents, foster families and carers must be protected from discrimination, be it on grounds of gender, colour, sexual orientation, language, religion or belief, political or other opinions, national, ethnic or social origin, membership of a national minority, wealth, birth, disability, age or any other status.

Children need time: to sleep, to socialise with family and friends, to be outdoors, to integrate into a wide range of cultural, sporting and play-related activities. Playing is essential for growth and is a right.

Children have the right to be children, to grow up healthy and happy. Their families have the right to accompany their growth.

ANNEX: LIST OF ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The following list is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur. The rapporteur has received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, until the adoption thereof in committee:

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY (28.9.2023)
for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (2023/2066(INI)) Rapporteur for opinion: Ewa Kopacz

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:

6. Notes that efforts to bring about a truly equal society, including gender equality policies, often fall short in times of crisis; calls on the Member States to prioritise policies and investments that counteract the negative effects of such crises on children, women and their families, including those that ensure access to high-quality care, education, health or housing services and protect victims of gender-based violence; stresses the importance of a systematic gender perspective for analysing these problems and their differing impacts and for finding holistic and fair solutions; notes the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing increase in all forms of violence towards women, as documented in various reports from several Member States during and after the COVID-19 lockdown that revealed a worrying increase in domestic and gender-based violence, including physical, psychological and cyber-violence; points out that children are also affected and at risk; points out the risks of being victims of violence for some vulnerable categories, such as women asylum seekers and the LGBTQIA+ community; stresses the need to step up all resources, both public and private, in order to tackle situations posing a risk to children, young people, the elderly, people with disabilities and support groups at risk of poverty; calls for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to be strengthened to prioritise the fight against poverty and social exclusion; stresses the need for increased funding for actions aimed at preventing and combating gender-based violence under the Daphne strand within the citizens, equality, rights and values programme;

9. Recalls that, in the EU 27 in 2021, 27.9 % of women aged 25-49 outside the labour force indicated that looking after children or adults in need of care was their main reason for not seeking employment ; points out that a rise in women's employment will also contribute to addressing the challenges stemming from the EU's ageing population and to improving the Member States' economic stability; recalls that gender imbalances in care and employment can result in a gender gap in pensions and high differences in poverty rates in older age; notes that families with children are more impacted by a lack of access to the labour market and by income inequalities; notes that, while the percentage difference in the employment rate of men and women without children stands at 1 %, for those who have a child younger than six, the rate stands at 21 % and climbs to 37 % for those with three children ; takes the view that single-parent families, especially families headed by single mothers, are at greater risk of poverty or social exclusion (42.1 % compared to 29.6 % in family units with two adults and three or more children), which is related to the feminisation of poverty, women's over-representation in precarious and part-time work, the disproportionate time women spend in low-paid work, interruptions in women's careers to care for children or other family members, and the pay gap between men and women ; stresses, as outlined in the work-life balance legislation under the European Pillar of Social Rights, the importance of the proposal for additional measures for protection against discrimination and dismissal for parents and care-givers; encourages gender-balanced use of family-related leaves and flexible working arrangements;

23. Recalls that nine million adolescents in Europe (aged 10 to 19) are living with mental disorders, with anxiety and depression accounting for more than half of all cases; stresses that mental distress is more pronounced for women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, due to discrimination and marginalisation ; stresses additionally that there is also a high prevalence of mental health disorders among unaccompanied children and adolescent migrants, as the circumstances that these children face have a significant impact on mental health; observes that COVID-19 restrictions severely limited children's social opportunities and interactions, causing widespread disruption and an increase in depression symptoms, especially for adolescent girls ; notes that schools facilitate access to mental health and psychosocial support; recalls that UNICEF has highlighted proven strategies, such as implementing programmes to build awareness and strengthen emotional coping skills for adolescents, integrating mental health counselling services into education, training teachers and staff in how to strengthen the well-being of students, and creating safe spaces for children to discuss and share their concerns ; stresses that the Member States need to allocate adequate funding to treat mental health and psychosocial problems and improve regional infrastructure through the ESF+ programme and the European Regional Development Fund, including targeted programmes for vulnerable groups;

25. Recalls that many Ukrainian women refugees fleeing the war of aggression live in different EU and non-EU countries in Europe and have specific needs related to childcare that must be addressed in order to not only facilitate their access to the job market, but also to facilitate language learning and the social inclusion of their children; highlights that the war in Ukraine weakened access to healthcare, including SRHR services, and led to a critical situation in meeting the SRHR needs of those displaced ;

28. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to combat structural discrimination and make it possible for everyone to have unrestricted and non-discriminatory access to the labour market, which also improves children's development, strengthens social inclusion and fairness and reduces poverty; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put forward specific measures to promote access to jobs and security for refugees and migrants; highlights, in this regard, the European Pay Transparency and Minimum Wage Directives , which are further measures that aim to eliminate the gender pay gap; points out that fair remuneration helps tackle women's poverty in a sustainable way; stresses that EU financing enables support and investment at national level to combat child poverty and promote social inclusion;

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Key to symbols:

[2] OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, p. 79.

[3] OJ L 59, 2.3.2013, p. 5.

[4] OJ C 189, 5.6.2019, p. 4.

[5] OJ C 484, 20.12.2022, p. 1.

[6] OJ C 476, 15.12.2022, p. 1.

[7] OJ C 366, 27.10.2017, p. 19.

[8] OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 145.

[9] OJ C 506, 15.12.2021, p. 94.

[10] OJ C 434, 15.11.2022, p. 50.

[11] OJ C 47, 7.2.2023, p. 30.

[12] OJ C 132, 14.4.2023, p. 65.

[13] OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14.

[14] OJ C 41, 3.2.2023, p. 1.

[15] Eurodiaconia and Caritas Europa, Survey on energy poverty/cost-of-living crisis, 2022.

[16] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[17] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[18] Eurofound, 'Living and Working Conditions in Europe 2021', p. 73.

[19] In accordance with the EU Roma strategic framework 2020-2030, the reference to 'Roma', as an umbrella term, encompasses a wide range of different people of Romani origin such as: Roma, Sinti, Kale, Romanichels and Boyash/Rudari. It also encompasses groups such as Ashkali, Egyptians, Yenish, Dom, Lom, Rom and Abdal, as well as traveller populations, including ethnic Travellers or those designated under the administrative term gens du voyage and people who identify as Gypsies, Tsiganes or Tziganes, without denying their specificities. This definition should be taken into account throughout the whole report.

[20] The use of the expression 'children in vulnerable situations' or 'children from disadvantaged backgrounds/households' in this report refers to the definition enshrined in the Child Guarantee, which includes the following groups: homeless children or children experiencing severe housing deprivation; children with disabilities; children with mental health issues; children with a migrant background or minority ethnic origin, particularly Roma; children in alternative, especially institutional, care; children in precarious family situations.
In this report, this definition also includes LGBTIQ+ children.

[21] Eurostat, 'Children in formal childcare or education by age group and duration - % over the population of each age group - EU-SILC survey', 29.9.2023; data corresponds to the sum of the percentage of children under three who are in formal childcare for 1-29 hours per week and of those who are in formal childcare over 30 hours per week.

[22] European Commission, Eurydice Brief, 'Key Data on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe', 2019.

[23] Eurostat, 'Early leavers from education and training', 2023.

[24] Eurostat, 2023, 'Health statistics - children'.

[25] Eurostat, 2022, 'Urban-rural Europe - quality of life in rural areas';
OECD iLibrary, 'Delivering Quality Education and Health Care to All: Preparing Regions for Demographic Change - Chapter 4. Delivering quality health services in rural communities', 5.3.2021.

[26] UNICEF, 2020, 'Innocenti Report Card 16. Worlds of Influence - Understanding What Shapes Child Well-being in Rich Countries', p. 4.

[27] Save the Children Europe, 2023, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do'.

[28] UNICEF, 2020, 'Breastfeeding practices worldwide'.

[29] Lerch, V and Severinsson, A.N., 2019, 'Feasibility Study for a Child Guarantee: Target Group Discussion Paper on Children in Alternative Care'.

[30] UNICEF and Eurochild, November 2021, 'Children in alternative care: Comparable statistics to monitor progress on deinstitutionalisation across the European Union'.

[31] European Commission, EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, 24 March 2021.

[32] OECD, 'PISA 2018 Results: What School Life Means for Students' Lives'; on average across the OECD countries.

[33] European Commission, 2021: EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, p.18.

[34] European Commission, 2021: EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, p.4.

[35] This represents the sum of northern, southern, western and eastern European figures: International Labour Organization, 2021, 'Child labour statistical profile: Europe and Central Asia'.

[36] Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 21).

[37] European Commission, May 2022, 'Check progress on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities'.

[38] Save the Children Europe, 2023, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do'.

[39] ILO-UNICEF, 2021, 'Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward'.

[40] European Parliament resolution of 5 July 2022 towards a common European action on care (OJ C 47, 7.2.2023, p. 30).

[41] Public Opinion Monitoring Unit of the European Parliament, ' Flash Eurobarometer 2022 - Women in times of Covid-19', March 2022.

[42] European Parliament resolution of 17 February 2022 on the EU priorities for the 66th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (OJ C 342, 6.9.2022, p. 276).

[43] European Commission, 'Women's situation in the labour market', accessed 2 October 2023.

[44] Eurostat, database table LFSA_IGAR, 'Inactive population not seeking employment by sex, age and main reason - Care of adults with disabilities or children and other family or personal reasons - from 15 to 64 years old', last updated 14 September 2023.

[45] Eurofound, 'Living and working in Europe 2021', Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 9 May 2022, p. 73.

[46] Eurostat, '1 in 4 children in the EU at risk of poverty or social exclusion', 28 October 2021.

[47] In 2021 in the EU-27, 27.9 % of women aged 25-49 outside the labour force indicated that looking after children or adults in need of care was their main reason for not seeking employment (Eurostat 2021 Labour Force Survey).

[48] Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (OJ L 132, 17.5.2023, p. 21).

[49] Eurofound, 'Economic and social inequalities in Europe in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic', Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 24 January 2023.

[50] Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee (OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14).

[51] Commission communication of 24 March 2021 on the EU strategy on the rights of the child (COM(2021)0142).

[52] Save the Children, 'Over 200,000 more children are at risk of poverty in the European Union: Save the Children report', 7 March 2023.

[53] UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, 'Situation of Children in Europe and Central Asia', January 2023.

[54] UNICEF, 'The Mental Health Burden Affecting Europe's Children', 4 October 2021.

[55] Save the Children, 'Guaranteeing Children's Future: How COVID-19, cost-of-living and climate crises affect children in poverty and what governments in Europe need to do', March 2023.

[56] UNICEF, 'The Mental Health Burden Affecting Europe's Children', 4 October 2021.

[57] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 'What are the integration challenges of Ukrainian refugee women?', 30 May 2023.

[58] Save the Children, 'Stop the War on Children: Protecting children in 21st century conflict', 2019.

[59] Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2022, p. 33).

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REPORT on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families | A9-0360/2023 | European Parliament

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REPORT on reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (2023/2066(INI)) Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Rapporteur: Sandra Pereira

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Nilgün Göktaş, Mehmet Miraboğlu Primary School, Kayseri/ Türkiye 

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Nilgün Göktaş, Mehmet Miraboğlu Primary School, Kayseri/ Türkiye 

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Poster for the right to food,housing and health care

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Poster for the right to food,housing and health care

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Türkiye, Konya Karatay Merkez Anadolu İHL/Ayşegül KANTAR

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Türkiye, Konya Karatay Merkez Anadolu İHL/Ayşegül KANTAR

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CHILDREN RIGHTS(24. Health, water, food, environment)

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Somiah Basic mixed school-Jordan/Ahlam Alqazaq 

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Somiah Basic mixed school-Jordan/Ahlam Alqazaq 

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24.Health, water, food, environmentChildren have the right to the best health care possible, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in. All adults and children should have information about how to stay safe and healthy.

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24.Health, water, food, environmentChildren have the right to the best health care possible, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in. All adults and children should have information about how to stay safe and healthy.

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LEPL Tskaltubo Municipality Opshkviti Public School

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LEPL Tskaltubo Municipality Opshkviti Public School

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Simple Editorial Article Page A4 Document

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL,TURKIYE

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL,TURKIYE

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Artickle-22

Children who move from their home country to another country as refugees (because it was not safe for them to stay there) should get help and protection and have the same rights as children born in that country.

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL/TURKIYE

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL/TURKIYE

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL/TURKIYE

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Bengi Efsa KARKIN/TURGUT ÖZAL SECONDARY SCHOOL/TURKIYE

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King Abdullah II school for excellence/Jordan.T.Njoud

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King Abdullah II school for excellence/Jordan.T.Njoud

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Irma Ghaniashvili / Zhinvali Public School / Georgia

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Irma Ghaniashvili / Zhinvali Public School / Georgia

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Blue Illustrated Women's Rights Poster (3)

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King Abdullah II school for excellence/Jordan/T.Njoud

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King Abdullah II school for excellence/Jordan/T.Njoud

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🌿Al-Zaniya Secondary School for Girls.🌿 Jordan 🌿T Arwa olimat

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🌿Al-Zaniya Secondary School for Girls.🌿 Jordan 🌿T Arwa olimat

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Georgia. Kutaisi #31 Public School    Gvenetadze Irma

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Georgia. Kutaisi #31 Public School    Gvenetadze Irma

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Georgia. Kutaisi #31 Public School   Gvenetadze Irma

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Georgia. Kutaisi #31 Public School   Gvenetadze Irma

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23. Children with disabilities:     Every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. Governments should remove all obstacles for children with disabilities to become independent and to participate actively in the community. 

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23. Children with disabilities:     Every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. Governments should remove all obstacles for children with disabilities to become independent and to participate actively in the community. 

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Georgia. Public school #31 of Kutaisi.  Irma Gvenetadze

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Georgia. Public school #31 of Kutaisi.  Irma Gvenetadze

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42:everyone Must Know children's right.  Governments should actively tell children and adults about this Convention so that everyone knows about children’s rights.                                                                           

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42:everyone Must Know children's right.  Governments should actively tell children and adults about this Convention so that everyone knows about children’s rights.                                                                           

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Article 28 . child has the right to education         The participating states recognize that the child has the right to education and on the basis of equal opportunities for the gradual realization of this right.

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Article 28 . child has the right to education         The participating states recognize that the child has the right to education and on the basis of equal opportunities for the gradual realization of this right.

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31. Rest, play, culture, arts                 Every child has the right to rest, relax, play and to take part in cultural and creative activities.

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31. Rest, play, culture, arts                 Every child has the right to rest, relax, play and to take part in cultural and creative activities.

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4- It is published in the form of a newspaper (a page is allocated for each team).

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4- It is published in the form of a newspaper (a page is allocated for each team).

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Check out this Email Newsletter designed by Roro Khawaldh.

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3- The team is working on preparing various designs (poster, logo, article, word cloud) around the title.

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3- The team is working on preparing various designs (poster, logo, article, word cloud) around the title.

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2-Naming each team with one of the human rights according to international agreements and preparing a logo for the team. Choose the title ((From the Rights of the Child)) by referring to the UNICEF website  

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2-Naming each team with one of the human rights according to international agreements and preparing a logo for the team. Choose the title ((From the Rights of the Child)) by referring to the UNICEF website  

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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. And we never give up.

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Find out how UNICEF drives change for children and young people.

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1-	Dividing schools into cooperative teams, each team consisting of 5 schools. Choosing a coordinator for each team.

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1-	Dividing schools into cooperative teams, each team consisting of 5 schools. Choosing a coordinator for each team.