In Switzerland’s population of nine million, about 1.4 million are affected by poverty or on the edge of it, like Anna Schinz’s character in the film ‘A Happy Family’.
C-Films AG
Some 114,000 children in Switzerland are affected by poverty in Switzerland and another 315,000 children are at risk of poverty. Children from single-parent households and large families are particularly at risk.
The Swiss Network for Children’s Rights is therefore calling for a national strategy to combat child poverty.
In a press release, the Swiss Network for Children’s Rights states that child poverty not only affects living standards but also impairs educational, developmental, and health opportunities as well as social participation. It therefore calls for binding targets and systematic performance reviews, a separate child-specific component in the National Poverty Monitoring System, and nationwide minimum standards for family benefits.
+ Swiss drama unmasks the country’s invisible working poor
However, the statement noted that the support a family receives currently depends on the canton of residence and residency status. A national strategy is therefore needed as a solution instead of a patchwork of cantonal benefits.
According to the press release, other key children’s rights in Switzerland are still not being satisfactorily implemented five years after the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The child rights impact assessment is limited to a mere mention in the message guidelines, and key data gaps persist such as those regarding children placed outside their families or the reasons for child protection measures.
According to the network, the shortfall is most evident in the Ombudsman’s Office for Children’s Rights. Parliament had already issued a clear mandate for this in 2020, and during the consultation process, a clear majority also spoke out in favor of an independent body that advises children individually and mediates when necessary. However, the federal government is “sticking to a watered-down solution that omits precisely these elements”.
+ How we produce news in English
Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
