UNICEF points to child poverty risk in Greece

As World Children’s Day is marked Saturday, Greece remains one of the three European Union member-states with the highest risk of children living in poverty or social exclusion, according to UNICEF’s Country Office ​​in Greece.

In a report it said 30.5% of children in Greece are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to 2019 data. The report notes the country has made significant progress in recognizing and improving the rights of children but clarifies that “their full completion, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, has not yet been achieved.” In 2015, the figure was 37.8%. 

Sofia Palli, social policy manager at the UNICEF ​​office in Greece, told Kathimerini the analysis also includes indicators such as whether children have a quiet place to do their homework or internet connectivity.

“Child poverty is one of the most important indicators of a society’s prosperity,” she said.