Schwerin (dpa/mv) – In the view of the Greens, the Red-Red state government falls far short of what is required when it comes to combating child poverty. The coalition of SPD and left lacks any strategy. Even the data basis for effective action is poor. “That’s why we in the Greens are calling for the introduction of a poverty and wealth report for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in order to be able to use the state’s resources in a targeted manner on the basis of a solid analysis,” said Anne Shepley, member of the Greens’ state parliament, in Schwerin on Thursday. In her opinion, the answer to a small question from her parliamentary group on the subject shows that the state government does not have any meaningful data.
According to Shepley, child and youth poverty in the north-east is very high in a nationwide comparison. “Almost a quarter of the children and every third young person between the ages of 18 and 25 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is at risk of poverty. The proportion of young women is also particularly high at 39.4 percent,” she stated. The opposition politician called on the state government to flank the basic child security announced by the federal government. Strategic poverty reduction goes beyond the material means, takes into account the relevant infrastructure and supports the municipalities in preventing and combating child and youth poverty.
From 2025, basic child security is to bundle various services: from child benefit and child allowance to financial support for school trips and leisure time. However, there is still no agreement in the Berlin traffic light coalition on the cornerstones and financing of the reform.
