MEP David Casa: 35 Years After the UN Convention, Millions of Children in the EU Still Live in Poverty

Marking 35 years since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, MEP David Casa urged the European Union to intensify efforts to combat child poverty, as millions of children across the continent still live below the poverty line. In his speech to the European Parliament, Casa stressed that while progress has been made, there is still much to be done.

"35 years ago, the UN Convention placed children at the center of social policies, but today, millions of children in the EU remain trapped in poverty," said Casa. "This is a reality we cannot ignore."

The MEP, a long-standing member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and once served as EPP coordinator, explained that poverty can be hereditary, and that the effects of poverty in early years can leave lifelong effects.

Casa also reminded MEPs of the EU's responsibility to act for the future of its youngest citizens. "Children cannot vote, protest, or change their circumstances. It is up to us to ensure a better quality of life and a brighter future for them," he stated.

He called for the strengthening of existing initiatives such as the Child Guarantee and Work-Life Balance Directive, both of which were aimed at improving the quality of life of children. "We’ve made progress, but we must do more to turn children’s rights from words on paper into reality," Casa concluded.