Broadly speaking, our society has never been in a better place. Countries are at peace, healthcare and education have never been more accessible, our economic model is generating massive economic profits and we are witnessing technological revolutions daily.
It should not be radical, then, to affirm that poverty and social exclusion in a thriving society should not exist. It should not be unrealistic to work towards a day when our wealth is distributed in a way which ensures that every human being has their basic needs met.
Yet poverty in Europe persists, and we remain nowhere close to reaching this ‘idealistic’ target.
Around 22 per cent of the European Union’s total population remains at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The numbers also vary widely from member state to member state, revealing that – despite our best efforts – EU initiatives are still not as effective as we would like them to be. Nor have they been able to address the challenges faced by countries such as Luxembourg or Spain, where the percentage of the population at risk of poverty has actually increased.
Thankfully, the same cannot be said of Malta, which sits well below the EU average percentage rates on poverty. Over the years, statistics show that poverty in Malta has been steadily declining. From 24.6 per cent of the population being at risk of poverty in 2013 to today’s 19 per cent, change is clearly happening.
Statistics are necessary, but when we tackle poverty and social exclusion, we are not tackling numbers. We are working for families and individuals with daily challenges, but also hopes and dreams, and those numbers are not in a vacuum: they represent lives being changed for the better. That is why I refuse to discuss social issues in numbers, but in tangible measures.
Being Maltese, we know how and why our society is faring better than others. We have all witnessed the changes brought about by this government. Today’s wealth is no accident, and the people we have lifted from poverty are not enjoying a stroke of luck. Measures such as free childcare, breakfast clubs and free public transport may seem like minor changes, but they have significantly helped families who might have not been able to juggle work and family. Investing in housing and measures for first-time buyers has enabled thousands to have decent living conditions.
Are we there yet? If our target is indeed to eradicate poverty, then clearly not. It is disappointing to see European institutions cheering when poverty rates decline by a percentage point or two, because they fail to acknowledge the remaining percentage – millions of children, women and men still struggling to make ends meet.
In Malta, for instance, we are on the right track, but we need to do more. We need to extend the measures that have been successful – for instance, free childcare should be extended to parents who are ill or seeking treatment, not just to working or student parents. It is also high time we gave our full attention to rehabilitation after serving time in prison: to address the social exclusion that leads former convicts to poverty and back to crime.
On an EU level, we need less talk and more action. We are, for instance, on the brink of a digital revolution that will shape our lives for years to come. If regulated and used wisely, it can be the tool we need to make sure our economy works for everyone.
In short, we need to reframe our mindset to think about social growth and prosperity, not just economics. If we truly believe in solidarity and social welfare, this is the way forward.
Josianne Cutajar is a Labour Party Member of European Parliament