A shared message from Social NGO's across Europe

from The European Women's Lobby and End Poverty

2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

2010 has been designated as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The Year comes during a time of severe financial, economic and social crisis. Part of the necessary response to this crisis is the renewal of a common vision for the type of society we want to create. A commitment to building a Europe where women and men of all ages can live free of poverty and social exclusion, should be the legacy
of the 2010 Year. This would contribute to a real recovery plan to address the current crisis.

Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon

It is not simply the lack of financial resources and income, whether through employment or social benefits. It also encompasses the notion of vulnerability, precariousness, lack of opportunities, injustice and denial of rights, such as access to
education and health, housing, employment, services and infrastructure, as well as access to information, culture and political participation.

Against the backdrop of the worldwide financial and economic crisis, NGOs are concerned that the current EU strategy of ‘growth and jobs’ and market liberalisation, without attention to fairness, inclusion, participation and re‐distribution, has failed to deliver a social Europe, where everyone has access to fundamental rights.

2010, the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, represents an opportunity to make policy changes that will have a real impact on fighting inequalities and create a Europe free of poverty in the long term. We therefore call for a wide mobilisation at local, national, and European level.