Hardship in Europe, time to act and change the poverty narrative

A countries true progress is not whether they add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether It provides enough for those who have too little writes Patrick O Brien

Poverty in the EU Union is a very real problem which brings misery to the lives of many people, curtails their fundamental rights, limits the opportunities they have to achieve their full potential, brings high costs to society and hampers sustainable economic growth.

We are just a few years away from the deadline to meet the United Nations’ sustainable Development Goals. Agenda 2030 is an inspirational plan to prioritize people, planet and shared prosperity signed up to by all Heads of States in 2015 delivered through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 Targets. It provides a new universal, social and sustainable global agenda, balancing the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental . Poverty eradication is a pre-requisite for the other goals: Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions including
extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.

This is no small feat, but it is also not impossible even if we may need a deadline extension given the economic impact of COVID-19. Many people are struggling to afford the basics to live and rely on charities and food banks to survive.  One of the major consequences of poverty is homelessness, increasingly becoming one of Europe’s biggest issues, as close to one million people are homeless every night in the EU and the UK. The cost of living crisis is driving disadvantaged households further into poverty. Poverty and the rising cost of living are major causes of homelessness, which has grown substantially over the last ten years  Eliminating homelessness starts with seeing beyond a one size-fits-all approach to homeless people. There is new poor taking shape the desperate, downwardly mobile. Betrayed by markets, forsaken by government, they seem to look different this time, but their harrowing vantage point is the same as ever.

Whether roofless, ill-housed, unhoused, homeless, rough sleepers, unsheltered, living on the street, living in shelters, or living in unsanitary or overcrowded transient accommodations, people affected by homelessness, whether short-term, long-term, or intermittent, often fall victim to stereotypes and exclusion from basic services. Being labeled as “homeless” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy when people are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, joblessness, and homelessness and come to face tremendous hurdles in finding safe and permanent housing. People living on the streets in many of the continent’s capitals and cities, even in places where this was not historically an issue are not uncommon

On a recent visit to London and Ireland ,  the visceral signs of hardship and destitution were evident, from rocketing use of foodbanks to growing numbers of homeless families. This is social failure at scale. It is a story of both moral and fiscal irresponsibility an affront to the dignity of those living in hardship, while driving up pressures on public services like health boards

It’s a story which can and must –change. Governments are not powerless to act, as we have seen throughout our history. One way politicians can take action is to enshrine in law a guarantee that people will always be able to afford the essentials, such as food and household bills, through our benefits system.

By prioritising housing as a human right and investing in systemic change, European governments can begin to reverse the alarming trend of rising homelessness and build more equitable and resilient societies. the task of ending extreme poverty by 2030 is becoming inexorably harder because we are running out of time. We should celebrate our achievements, but increasingly sound the alarm that not enough is being done. Adding to the problem, however, is the fact that certain sections of the population, often women, children, people with disabilities or minority groups, are systematically left behind.

Countries cannot adequately address poverty and inequality without also improving people’s well-being, including through more equitable access to health, education and basic infrastructure. Empowering women, girls and youth will maximize impact across communities and generations. Policy makers must intensify efforts to grow their economies while protecting the most vulnerable people and families. This includes strengthening investments in social protection systems