"Child poverty priority for Serbian government"

Serbia's Minister of Labor and Social Policy Rasim Ljajić says the global economic crisis had increased the number of children living below the poverty line.

Izvor: Tanjug

Monday, 04.10.2010.

17:33

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Serbia's Minister of Labor and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic says the global economic crisis had increased the number of children living below the poverty line. At the opening of the Children's Week Ljajic told a news conference that the fight against poverty was a priority. The government currently uses 1.4 percent of the GDP to help the poor, which is less than what the surrounding countries use, Ljajic noted. "Child poverty priority for Serbian government" "The percentage of the poor is higher among children than the adult population. It is 9.7 percent with children up to the age of 14 and 8.1 percent with those between 14 and 18, which says that the global economic crisis has put children at a particular risk," Ljajic stated. According to the minister, the government has three mechanisms to help the children. Around 70,000 families receive family assistance, 200,000 receive child bonus and 61,000 receive parental bonus, he explained. The number of children without parental care who have been put in institutions has been reduced, and there are now 76 children aged up to three who live in those institutions, while the number of those who are growing up in foster homes has gone up five times in the past three years, Ljajic remarked. Head of the UNICEF Serbia office Judita Reichenberg said the economic crisis must not be an excuse to postpone the adoption of the welfare law when ten percent of Serbian children live in poverty. Reichenberg also mentioned violence as another problem children in Serbia face. Tens of thousands of children are exposed to violence each day, she said. Children's Week is traditionally held the first week of October and organized by the Ministry of Labor and a non-governmental organization called Friends of the Children of Serbia. Miodrag Stanojevic received an award at the opening for donating a house in Belgrade to be used as a day care.

"Child poverty priority for Serbian government"

"The percentage of the poor is higher among children than the adult population. It is 9.7 percent with children up to the age of 14 and 8.1 percent with those between 14 and 18, which says that the global economic crisis has put children at a particular risk," Ljajić stated.

According to the minister, the government has three mechanisms to help the children. Around 70,000 families receive family assistance, 200,000 receive child bonus and 61,000 receive parental bonus, he explained.

The number of children without parental care who have been put in institutions has been reduced, and there are now 76 children aged up to three who live in those institutions, while the number of those who are growing up in foster homes has gone up five times in the past three years, Ljajić remarked.

Head of the UNICEF Serbia office Judita Reichenberg said the economic crisis must not be an excuse to postpone the adoption of the welfare law when ten percent of Serbian children live in poverty.

Reichenberg also mentioned violence as another problem children in Serbia face. Tens of thousands of children are exposed to violence each day, she said.

Children's Week is traditionally held the first week of October and organized by the Ministry of Labor and a non-governmental organization called Friends of the Children of Serbia.

Miodrag Stanojević received an award at the opening for donating a house in Belgrade to be used as a day care.

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