Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Clea Hadjistefanou-Papaellina on Monday called for decisive action to combat child poverty in the European Union, warning that about 20 million children are at risk. She spoke as an EU anti-poverty strategy is set to be presented during Cyprus’s EU presidency.
Call for coordinated EU action
Chairing the council on social policy, consumer affairs, employment and health, Hadjistefanou-Papaellina said the meeting’s agenda focused on children’s wellbeing and warned that poverty in early life has “profound and long-lasting consequences.” She said it limits opportunities, widens inequalities and reinforces the perpetuation of these phenomena from generation to generation.
She appealed to council members to take coordinated action and implement targeted solutions to improve the situation of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU. She said one in four children is at risk and cited estimates that almost 20 million children in 27 EU member states face poverty or social exclusion.
Country figures and trend
Cyprus records the second lowest proportion of children at risk of poverty, at 14.8 per cent, or around 26,000 children, in 2024, with Slovenia recording the lowest rate at 11.1 per cent. The highest rate was recorded in Bulgaria, at 35.1 per cent.
Between 2023 and 2024, the overall figure in the EU decreased by 0.6 per cent to 24.2 per cent in 2024.
Government support cited
Former social welfare deputy minister Marilena Evangelou described the development as a result of the government’s substantial backing for households and children.
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