The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the first of which is “no poverty”, namely: end poverty in all its forms everywhere. (click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are seven targets, the second of which is “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions”.

●  Current Situation

About the World

Social Protection Systems Fall Short of Reaching the World’s Most Vulnerable People

In 2018, one out of every five children in the world is in absolute poverty(less than $1.9 a day), nearly half of children are in multi-dimensional poverty, and the child poverty rate is about twice that of adults’.

Social protection programmes reduce the brunt of poverty and can also prevent people from falling into poverty in the first place. By helping to prevent and ease poverty and inequality at every stage of people’s lives, such programmes make societies more inclusive and stable. However, only 45 per cent of the world’s population are effectively covered by at least one social protection cash benefit. The remaining 55 per cent—as many as 4 billion people—have been left behind.

(Source: United Nations)

The extent of coverage depends on the type of protection system and the region. Globally, 68 percent of people above retirement age receive a pension, but the benefits in many countries are often not enough to lift older people out of poverty. Data also show a global deficit of social protection for other groups: only 22 percent of the unemployed receive unemployment benefit payments, 28 percent of persons with severe disabilities receive disability cash benefits, one third of children are effectively covered by social protection, and only 41percent of women giving birth receive maternity cash benefits. Furthermore, coverage of social assistance cash benefits is as low as 25 percent for vulnerable groups—children, people of working age and older persons not protected by contributory schemes.

The differences among regions are stark: 92 per centof children are covered by social protection systems in Europe and Northern America, 56 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, but only 13 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, and 14 percent in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia.

Poverty affects children disproportionately. One out of five children live in extreme poverty, and the negative effects of poverty and deprivation in the early years have ramifications that can last a lifetime. Ensuring social protection for all children and other vulnerable groups is critical   for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in regions with large coverage gaps between children and other segments of the population.

About China

Outstanding Achievement on Poverty Reduction of Children

China has made outstanding achievements in reducing poverty of children. The incidence on extreme poverty has decreased from 88.38% to 1.7%, and the incidence on poverty of rural children is only 3.9%. In 2018, a total of 7.669 million children in need were included in the three security systems (supporting orphans and the extremely poor, besides minimum living security) , including 322000 orphans, 101000 children in extreme poverty and 7.246 million children in basic living allowance. The security level of the three systems is significantly higher than that of the previous year.

(Source：UNICEF)

Text source：www.un.org, www.gongyishibao.com

●  Cases

Shenzhen: Efforts Made to Strengthen Children’s Welfare from Multiple Perspectives

In recent years, Shenzhen has conscientiously implemented the policies and deployment of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the Provincial Government on the security of children in poverty. Shenzhen has made full use of the favorable conditions of its early development of market economy, the mature economic and social foundation of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, continuously improved children’s welfare working mechanism featuring “Party committees’ guidance, governments’ leadership, departments’ responsibility, and society’s participation”, and actively promoted the innovative, accelerated and scientific development of children’s welfare and social work. Shenzhen has formed a set of children’s welfare and social security system with the city’s characteristics, which coordinates with the level of economic and social development, and institutionalizes children’s social security. As a result, the level of children’s welfare and caring services has been significantly improved.

In recent years, Shenzhen has issued a series of normative policy documents, such as “Children’s Development Plan of Shenzhen (2011-2020)”, “Implementation Guidelines on Strengthening the Security of Orphans”, “Measures for Granting Subsidies for Basic Living Expenses of Children in Poverty of Shenzhen”, “Implementation Guidelines on Further Improving the Security System for Children in Poverty”. Those documents focus on strengthening children’s health, education, welfare and legal protection, and systematic institutional arrangements have been made.

Shenzhen takes the lead in the pilot construction of a multi-field Child Friendly City. The guidelines for the construction of a multi-field Child Friendly City in seven fields including communities, schools, libraries, hospitals, etc. were formulated and put into practice in the whole city. It has also introduced the standard guidance and evaluation system for the construction of maternity and infant rooms. By 2020, more than 800 maternity and infant rooms will be built in the city. According to the statistical monitoring results of children’s development planning in 2018, 67 of the 80 comparable quantitative indicators have reached the final goal, with a rate of 83.82%.

Shenzhen also innovates to promote the construction of a socialized system on the aid and education for minors. On August 28, 2019, Shenzhen Charity Federation launched a charity public welfare project for children in poverty called “Better Education, Faster to Realize Dreams for Children”, which aimed to provide quality education assistance for children in poverty in the city.

A public welfare project for children in poverty by Shenzhen Charity Federation is launched on August 28, 2019.

Shenzhen held a joint meeting of member units for social welfare and assistance (security of children in poverty) recently. The meeting pointed out that the “Guidelines by the CPC Central Committee and State Council on Supporting Shenzhen in Building a Pilot Demonstration Area of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” expected Shenzhen to build a high-quality and balanced public service system, a sustainable social security system with full coverage, and a benchmark city for people’s well-being. All member units and civil affairs departments at all levels should not disappoint the trust of the central government. In combination with the education activity in the theme of “Never Forget the Original Intention and Keep the Mission in Mind”, and based on the strategic positioning of “good raising for the young, good education for learners, good salary for workers, good medication for the sick, good care for the old, good housing for people and public support for the weak”, all kinds of work regarding children’s welfare and security should be planned and promoted, making all children have more sense of gain and happiness!

Shenzhen holds a joint meeting of social welfare and assistance on August 29, 2019.

Source: smzt.gd.gov.cn

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.