“They feel humiliated. They feel different.” – Presentation of research on child poverty in Rijeka

On April 27, 2022, the results of research on child and family poverty in the Rijeka and Gospić areas were presented at the City Hall of the City of Rijeka. The research was conducted by Paul Stubbs from the Institute of Economics in Zagreb and Gordana Šimunković from the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka, as part of the project My Place in the Sun by the CeKaDe association from Rijeka, funded by the Active Citizens Fund in Croatia. The leading research institute FAFO from the Kingdom of Norway also participated in the research and writing of recommendations for improving policies toward child poverty.

The event was opened by Rijeka Mayor Marko Filipović, who stated that we are “witnesses to increasing social disparities, driven by both the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which is reflected in the rising living costs for citizens. It is important to listen to suggestions” said the mayor, adding that “the City’s program strives to be comprehensive and aims to reduce poverty in cooperation with the civil sector. He announced a new social program for the City of Rijeka and believes the results of this research will be implemented in the city’s social policies.“

Research as a basis for improving social services

On behalf of the My Place in the Sun program of the CeKaDe association, social pedagogue Ana Karakaš addressed the audience, expressing the expectation that this research will serve as a foundation for improving social services in Rijeka. She said, “The research was conducted because we wanted to better understand the specific problems faced by families of lower socio-economic status and whether existing institutional strategies meet their needs. Resolving this issue requires collaboration between public institutions, civil society organizations, the private sector, citizens, and local policies.“

Research findings

The lead researcher, Paul Stubbs, emphasized that the study showed that single parents, parents with lower education levels, long-term unemployed parents, Roma, parents with disabilities, or parents of children with disabilities are at higher risk of poverty. “The entire situation has been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which worsened the situation over two years, with people losing jobs. My personal impression is that as a society, we are on the brink of poverty.” said Stubbs, adding that child poverty should be a higher priority for Croatian society and politics.

“…sometimes I give more to the older child than to the younger one, because they will get it later – I hope…”

The research showed that many families recognize that children’s health has worsened due to their housing situation, with a quarter of the research participants reporting this. Also, a third of the children experienced abuse in their environment due to their material status, and in the past year, a quarter of households reported children going to bed hungry due to a lack of resources. Participants’ statements were also read during the presentation: “I choose the older child. By that logic, sometimes I give more to the older one than to the younger one, because they will get it later – I hope. The girl is entering puberty, and some things are more important to her. The younger one may not feel it as much, and it’s not as important to him: he is 6 years old and the girl is 12. That’s the principle. If I could, I would buy for both.” and “Sometimes I don’t have money for toys. My priority is food, let’s say, clothes, and only then toys. … And you have to pay the bills. Little children should not be exposed to this: ‘Oh, I haven’t paid the electricity bill, so we won’t buy sneakers.’ What does that mean for the child? … It’s your problem as an adult.“

Deborah Čugalj, the mother of a My Place in the Sun program participant, particularly praised the work of the program, which “gives children a boost. The program recognizes and develops talents in children. Parents cannot afford various activities for their children because they are focused on giving them the basics. My Place in the Sun is the first line of advice for parents on what they can do with their children” said Čugalj.

This research also includes recommendations for improving policies toward child poverty. Experts recommended exploring a strategy for social welfare for a four-year period, establishing a Children’s Observatory in Rijeka that will conduct annual research, based on which the city’s policies will be guided. They also proposed forming a multi-sector platform of public institutions, civil society, and the private sector, which would serve as an “arena” for exchanging information and potential assistance in combating child poverty. Finally, the necessity of conducting a study on the effectiveness of the social program of the City of Rijeka was emphasized.