Approximately one in five children in the Baltic States are residing in poverty-stricken conditions.
Child Poverty on the Rise in Baltic States: A Focus on Lithuania
In 2024, the Baltic States are grappling with a high rate of child poverty, with one in five families facing this hardship. According to Eurostat data, Lithuania is the hardest hit, with 22.8% of its children at risk. This is followed by Latvia at 17.9% and Estonia at 16.5%.
Comparatively, the EU average for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion stands at 24.2%, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous year. The European countries with the lowest risks include Slovenia (11.8%) and Cyprus (14.8%), while Bulgaria (35.1%), Spain (34.6%), and Romania (33.8%) hold the highest risks.
Encountering a contrasting trend, Estonia saw a decrease in children at risk (1.8%), while Latvia and Lithuania faced increases (2.4% and 1.1%, respectively). In total, 19.5 million children in the EU faced this predicament in 2024.
Economic instability, social inequality, inadequate social support, and demographic changes are some of the contributing factors to the child poverty issue in the Baltic States, particularly Lithuania, though data specific to Lithuania remains scarce.
Possible solutions entail targeted welfare programs, education and job training initiatives, economic growth promotion, and strengthening social support infrastructure. Successful cases from other regions, such as Argentina, demonstrate the potential efficacy of these strategies in reducing child poverty.
The EU is active in its encouragement of member states to implement policies that curb poverty and social exclusion, and offers funding and programs aimed at improving living conditions. These measures among others, could contribute to reducing child poverty in the Baltic States, particularly Lithuania, given its current predicament.
In the face of rising child poverty rates, it's crucial to explore avenues that can improve the health-and-wellness of affected children. For instance, implementing targeted welfare programs and education initiatives, coupled with economic growth promotion, could potentially reduce the impact of poverty on children's health in Lithuania, just like Argentina has shown successful results. Similarly, strengthening social support infrastructure and securing adequate funds for improving living conditions are vital steps in the fight against child poverty, as encouraged by the EU.
