Government launches national strategy against poverty

The national strategy against poverty and in favour of strengthening social inclusion has come into force with a vision for the next 10 years based on 165 recommendations, the Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights stated on Thursday.

This strategy, the Ministry said, is part of the implementation of Malta’s social vision and aims for everyone to live a decent and dignified life while ensuring that no one is left behind. It continued that this is at the same time that Malta continues to have one of the lowest rates of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union.

The Ministry said that all of the recommendations within the strategy are intended to ensure equal opportunities, strengthen people’s skills, as well as offer solidarity to those most in need and dignity to each individual.

There are five principles on which the strategy is built, the Ministry stated. It continued that those principles are to work for an inclusive environment where everyone can succeed and move forward, to ensure that individuals are given the necessary resources and access to opportunities that lead to a better quality of life, to ensure equal access to education, health care, employment, as well as other opportunities, to offer every support to ensure that no one falls behind in society, and to ensure access to basic needs without financial hardship and promote economic stability.

Minister Michael Falzon said that he is happy with the results that Malta has managed to achieve in terms of fewer people being at risk of poverty and social exclusion, but spoke of more needing to be done. “In front of us we have a detailed strategy that knows where we want to go. We are committed that with joint work between various Ministries and stakeholders, we will ensure the adoption of this document, where the fulfilment of every page of it means a positive and real difference in people’s lives,” the Minister said.

The Ministry stated that a committee has been set up that will be following the work of the various Ministries and will be carrying out revisions in the years 2027, 2030 and 2035 in order to ensure the situation and social realities of the present.

Permanent Secretary Mark Musu stated that this national exercise is being carried out at the same time that Malta continues to have one of the lowest rates of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union, with the national target of reducing poverty by 3.1% by 2030.

The Ministry continued that the percentage of Maltese at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 19.8% in 2023, where a decrease of 2.4% was recorded since 2015. It added that when it comes to severe material deprivation and social exclusion, it turns out that from 2015 to 2023 this has decreased from 20% of the population to around 8%, meaning they have decreased by more than half of what the country had 10 years ago.