Among all EU countries, Romanian children are most at risk of poverty and social isolation, with a rate of 41.5% – two out of five. Only 11% of Romanian students between the ages of 6 and 14 read fluently, while 42% of students are considered “dysfunctional”, which is close to illiteracy, Save the Children reports, citing Eurostat data.

What the Save the Children report shows:

• Among all EU countries, Romanian children are most at risk of poverty and social isolation with a rate of 41.5% (two out of five); at the EU level, every fourth child lives below the poverty line;
• Finland and Denmark had the lowest risk of poverty or social exclusion for children in 2021 (13.2% and 14% respectively);
• 40% of Romanian households recorded a decrease in income compared to 2021, while expenses increased for 98% of them;
• The risk of poverty or social exclusion is significantly higher in rural areas than in cities: in 2021, this figure was 16.1% in large cities, 30.7% in small cities and suburbs, and 50.1% in rural areas;
• Only 11% of Romanian students between the ages of 6 and 14 read fluently, while 42% of students qualify as “dysfunctional”, which is close to illiteracy.

The risk of poverty or social exclusion for children in the European Union increased by 0.4 percentage points, from 24.0% to 24.4%, between 2020 and 2021, with the highest rate in Romania at 41.5%, followed by Spain (33.4%). while in Finland and Denmark it was the lowest in 2021 (13.2% and 14% respectively), according to Eurostat.

At the level of the European Union, the number of children living in poverty or social exclusion increased by 200,000 in 2021, meaning that 19.6 million children in the Union (one in four) are in this situation, Save the Children reports.

Of them, 12.5%, i.e. 25,000, are from Romania (Eurostat). In Romania, the risk of poverty or social exclusion is much higher in rural areas than in cities: in 2021, the rate was 16.1% in large cities, 30.7% in small towns and suburbs, and 50.1% in rural areas.

How are things in Romania: basic data

In 2021, more than 1.5 million children in Romania (41.5% of the total number of children) grew up at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The risk of poverty or social isolation is much higher in rural areas than in cities. In 2021, this indicator was 16.1% in large cities, 30.7% in small cities and suburbs, and 50.1% in rural areas.

In 2021, one in ten families could not afford to adequately heat their home, and almost one in five could not afford nutritious food.

The cost of living crisis

A survey conducted in 2022 on the impact of the economic crisis on families in Romania showed that 40% of households recorded a decrease in income compared to 2021, while expenses increased for 98% of families.

Most households were forced to spend more on utilities, food, health care and education (travel to school, supplies and books). Households believe that they have to cut back significantly. Half will save on utilities and food, which poses a risk to children’s well-being.

In addition to the pressure on food and energy prices, some analysts say that government financial support for migrants from Ukraine, as well as the return to work and higher education with a physical presence after the Covid pandemic, will put enormous pressure on housing rentals. market, especially in big cities.

The Romanian government distributed e-vouchers (financed through FEAD) to the most vulnerable people and families for basic necessities. He also introduced a comprehensive compensation scheme for the 2021/2022 winter season. However, the scheme did not help vulnerable families because compensation was based on consumption rather than income, says Save the Children.

The crisis caused by COVID-19

The consequences of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis have significantly affected single-parent and large families: in 2019, 9.6% of single-parent families were on the poverty line. The percentage doubled to 18.2% in 2020 and then increased to 23% in 2021.

Similarly, looking at not being able to afford meat, chicken, fish (or a vegetarian equivalent) every other day, the percentage in the general population rose from 14.2% in 2019 to 14.7% in 2020 and 19.2 % in 2021, but the growth is more dramatic among families with three or more children, from 17.5% in 2019 to 23.6% in 2021.

Climate change crisis

Desertification, deforestation, biodiversity loss, air and water pollution, depletion of gas and oil reserves, and the energy crisis are already part of Romanian children’s lives.

Save the Children Romania says it has contributed to a consultation process launched by the Romanian government on climate change, involving 272 children and young people. 47% of children said that they receive information about climate change in school, in subjects such as biology, geography and science, but this information only repeats/confirms what they have already learned at home or in a social context. Children also expressed concern about the level of knowledge, skills and willingness of teachers to teach about climate change in an interactive and interdisciplinary way. They also noted that the school infrastructure is not an example of an environmentally friendly place, as there is a lack of green space, waste is not collected selectively and there is a lack of investment in green energy sources for schools.

Early education

In the 2020/2021 academic year, the number of children under the age of three covered by the early education system decreased by 5.1 thousand (from 22.5 thousand to 17.4 thousand), of which 97.5% came from the city area The level of coverage of preschool education decreased from 88.6% to 84.5%. These alarming downward trends began in 2016.

Only 11% of students aged 6 to 14 can read fluently

National tests organized in 2022 to detect early literacy problems showed low learning outcomes in Romanian schools. The results show that only 11% of students between the ages of 6 and 14 can read fluently, while 42% of students are classified as “dysfunctional”, which is close to illiteracy.

Differences between students of rural and urban schools are also significant. Thus, if we look at the results obtained in the national examination, we notice that, although the difference between urban and rural schools is somewhat smaller than in previous years, children who go to school in rural areas continue to achieve lower results than their peers.

More than a third scored below 5 in mathematics (36.16% compared to 13.95% of urban school students), almost a quarter scored below 5 in Romanian (23.89% compared to 7.9% of urban school students), and almost 30% received an average score below 5 (29.5% compared to 10.05% of students in urban schools).

Almost half of mothers under the age of 15 in the EU are from Romania

Due to multiple vulnerabilities related to access to health, education, social services and protection, Romania continues to face serious challenges related to early motherhood, the report by Save the Children also shows.

Thousands of girls and adolescents give birth and face significant risks to their health, education and livelihoods. In 2021, 745 births to mothers under the age of 15 and 16,997 to teenage girls aged 15 to 19 were recorded. Thus, almost half (45%) of mothers under the age of 15 in the EU are from Romania. An assessment of the situation of underage mothers by Save the Children Romania shows that 4 out of 10 mothers and underage pregnant women do not have access to specialized health services, 8 out of 10 have dropped out of school and 2 out of 10 have more than one child.

It should also be noted that pregnant girls under the age of 16 need and do not always receive parental consent to access medical services, which leads to additional health problems for themselves and their children.

The percentage of Romanians who cannot afford a hot meal has also increased

In Romania, the percentage of people who cannot afford a meal that includes meat, chicken, fish (or a vegetarian equivalent) every two days increased from 14.2% in 2019 to 19.2% in 2021. For families with three or more children, this figure increased from 17.5% in 2019 to 23.6% in 2021, while for single-parent families, the percentage increased significantly from 18.9 in 2019 to 31.4 in in 2021.

With food prices rising, the situation of vulnerable children and families is expected to worsen. The results of Save the Children Romania’s survey on the impact of the economic crisis show that in autumn 2022, almost half (44%) of vulnerable families with children could not cover food costs.

Measures taken in EU countries

All countries have taken measures to counter not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the impact of the cost of living crisis and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Initiatives include child benefit, help with electricity bills, energy price regulation, tax credits, public transport discounts, food vouchers and housing benefits. In Italy and Germany, more than €1 billion and €2 billion respectively were allocated to support the education system, while in Spain the government introduced new child benefits and increased the guaranteed minimum income scheme.

Health and mental health policies and resources have been increased. For example, Finland allocated more resources to youth mental health, Italy introduced a “psychological bonus” to cover the cost of psychotherapy, and Spain launched a new national mental health strategy with a budget of €100 million.

“It is imperative that the Romanian government approves, implements and monitors a coherent national strategic plan aimed at ensuring equity in education for vulnerable children and strengthening the social assistance system to support children and families at risk of poverty” , – said Gabriela Alexandrescu. , executive president of Save the Children Romania.

recommendation

Save the Children is asking the Romanian government to:

• Prioritize vulnerable children and families in policy-making and budgeting processes and support local authorities in the fight against child poverty, including by strengthening child rights budgeting at the local level.
• Adopt, implement and monitor a coherent national strategic plan aimed at ensuring equity in education for children in vulnerable situations.
• Strengthen the social assistance system to support children and families in poverty.
• Target compensation/support to the most vulnerable families and children instead of opting for blanket measures.

Save the Children’s analysis compares the level of child poverty in 14 European countries for the period from 2020 to 2021 – 10 EU countries – Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and 4 countries outside the EU. – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iceland.