Irish Presidency event on the Social Investment Package

In early May 2013 a high-level conference presenting the Social Investment Package to civil society, Member State officials and key stakeholders was held in Leuven, under the aegis of the Irish Presidency of the European Union. A number of keynote speakers from various major European institutions took part in the event, including the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, and the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. Commissioner László Andor gave a speech   on the rationale behind the Social Investment Package. The conference focused on three themes relevant to the Package, including investment in people, social innovation and the role of NGOs, and the involvement of young people in tomorrow’s social Europe.

Education and integration of second-generation migrant children in Europe

Migration is essential in responding to the challenges posed by and ageing European society, but differences between the socioeconomic status of migrants and natives persist, and are to some extent passed down to generations born in the host country. The socioeconomic situation of second generation migrants with a foreign background (both parents born abroad), while being more positive than that of first-generation migrants, still shows disadvantages compared to the situation of individuals with a native background. While according to Eurostat statistics, migrants as a group suffer from disadvantages in terms of educational outcomes, income and employment rates, in the second generation (native born persons with one or both parents born abroad).  Some of these disadvantages have been reduced or even, in the case of second-generation migrants with a mixed background (one parent born abroad), sometimes reversed.  However, levels of educational attainment of second-generation migrants, differ considerably between Member States.

UNICEF report card 11 on child well-being in rich countries

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has recently published a report card providing a comparative overview of child well-being in 29 of the world’s most advanced economies. Using international data from 2009 and 2010, the report breaks down well-being into five dimensions, namely education, housing and environment, material well-being, health and safety, and behaviour and risks. The report card consists of three sections: a country ranking; children’s views on their own well-being; and changes in child well-being since the 2007 UNICEF report card on this same topic. Overall the data show improvements for most indicators of children’s well-being irrespective of per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with particularly strong gains for Central and Eastern European countries.

Protecting EU Kids online

Today’s children are living in an environment that is radically different from the childhoods of their parents.  The growing prevalence of virtual environments in private life and education is one of the most notable intergenerational changes. It has profound effects on children’s physical activity levels and socialisation, and challenges behavioural models that prevailed in previous generations. In particular, children’s online activities risk exposing them to novel forms of risks and create vulnerabilities that their parents and teachers are not familiar with. European institutions and EU-funded projects are increasingly addressing the risks and safety of children online.

EU Youth Conference focused on youth unemployment and social inclusion

The European Union (EU) Youth Conference, held between the  11– 13 March 2013, was the highlight of Ireland’s EU Youth Presidency Programme, and marked the culmination of consultations with 11,000 young people and 10 non-governmental organisations across 27 EU member states. One hundred and fifty young people from 27 EU Member States joined Minister Frances Fitzgerald and EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou at the conference in Dublin. A key focus of the meeting was on unemployment, which has emerged as the biggest challenge to the social inclusion of young people.

Right to Health: Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) publishes new General Comment

The Committee on the Rights of the Child, a body of currently 18 independent experts monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its State Parties, has published its General Comment No. 15 on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (article 24). The Convention sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children, who are defined as every human being below the age of eighteen years unless the age of majority is attained earlier according to national legislation.

According to article 24 of the Convention, State Parties ‘recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.’ They shall ‘strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.’ This General Comment no. 15 provides guidance and support to State parties and other duty bearers (governmental and non-governmental, private sector and funding organizations) across all levels of governance for respecting, protecting and fulfilling children’s right to health.