Eurochild president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is calling on EU leaders to allocate at least 5% of the European Social Funds Plus to ensure children do not become the invisible victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahead of the EU summit on July 17-18, Coleiro Preca is joining the chorus of European organisations that work with children to hold governments to account and address child poverty.

This comes as Unicef recently warned that children’s situation will worsen as household poverty is expected to increase by 15% worldwide by the end of 2020.

Coleiro Preca said: “Rising poverty and inequality will hit children harder. This is a real, tangible problem that is hidden, and unless addressed the future of these children will be in peril.”

She urged EU leaders not to think of just bailing out businesses, but to invest in the common good. 

“Invest in our children - they must be front and centre of the decisions EU leaders take this week on the EU recovery plan and long-term budget.”

In Malta, one in five children are at risk poverty, with the most vulnerable being children aged 10-14, where the rate shot up 30.6%, according to the National Statistics Office.

Nearly 23 million children in the EU grow up at risk of poverty and social exclusion. 

In a video address to all EU leaders, including Prime Minister Robert Abela, Coleiro Preca urged that at least 5% of the European Social Fund Plus resources be targeted at reducing child poverty in all member states. 

Eurochild’s 200-member organisations and individuals across 35 countries are echoing the call to make child poverty history across all EU national capitals.

Eurochild secretary-general Jana Hainsworth said: “With children being disproportionally affected by poverty, it is important to learn from the past and avoid responding with austerity. Public investment in children and families, and the services that support them, is essential if recovery is to be sustainable and inclusive.”