Credit: Simon Hoffmann Photography
On Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 May 2024, Caritas Luxembourg hosted its second forum on the theme "Kanneraarmut: (k)een Thema?" (child poverty: no problem?) to address the pressing issue of child poverty.
The event attracted around 190 attendees to its inaugural general public session, where they listened to presentations by Prof Dr Butterwegge on children and inequalities, and Dr Anne-Catherine Guio on the specific challenges Luxembourg faces regarding child poverty.
The following day, the forum continued with a focused gathering of 150 representatives from various sectors involved in tackling child poverty. These sectors included social services, children's welfare, education, healthcare and legal services. The symposium featured contributions from around twenty experts, who facilitated discussions and workshops.
During the workshops, participants collaboratively developed numerous proposals to address child poverty. These proposals were then presented in a plenary session attended by Luxembourg’s Prime Minister, Luc Frieden, and the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn.
Caritas Luxembourg announced that the proposals from the symposium would be compiled into a comprehensive report, set for release in September. This report will encapsulate all the conclusions and recommendations derived from the event.
Following the forum, Caritas emphasised the critical importance of addressing child poverty in Luxembourg, highlighting that the future of the country depends on successfully tackling this issue. The organisation stressed the necessity for all concerned sectors to work collaboratively and pool their ideas and resources to improve the lives of children living in precarious conditions in the Grand Duchy.
