Miscellaneous
Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, former President of Malta and current President of Eurochild, is the guest of this FEPS Talks podcast episode conducted by FEPS Secretary General László Andor. The main topic of the conversation is the one she has committed to during her entire political life: how to tackle child poverty. The problem is not new, but it has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak in most EU countries. This makes the EU Child Guarantee a very timely initiative, and an instrument that could effectively promote equal opportunities among children, especially if framed in a social investment approach. With the same purpose, President Coleiro highlights the importance the FEPS initiative “Towards a Child Union” which advocates high quality and inclusive early child care and education. She also remarks the negative effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in education due to the digital divide, which threatens the young generation. In the moths of the lockdown, many children did not have access to the online courses, and children with disabilities could most easily be left behind. An effective Child Guarantee needs adequate funding from the European Social Fund, and it would also benefit from the EU setting targets for the member states for poverty reduction, just like under the Europe 2020 strategy.