Islamic Relief USA’s Post

More state funding for affordable housing and food pantries are among a statewide group's recommendations to address the post-pandemic growth in childhood poverty. The suggestions came alongside Wednesday's release of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies' annual State of Poverty in Ohio Report. It found the state had an overall poverty rate of 13.4% in 2022 – 12th highest among the 50 states – and a childhood poverty rate of 17.7%. The state's overall rate was unchanged from 2021 despite the national rate falling from 12.8% to 12.6% over the same period.

Ahead of the UK general election taking place on July 4, we are looking at how the FCDO can better measure #extremepoverty. Learn more in this blog by Joseph Brammer. https://lnkd.in/efnMWgNv

Manifesto Poverty Audit analyses major parties' manifestos in the #UKElection. Our academics have assessed how confident they are that the party policies in their area of expertise will enable British society to flourish. #GeneralElection2024 Audit coming soon! Until then, have a look at our 2017 Elections Poverty Audit and download full report. https://bit.ly/3LjSwVT #generalelection4july

Please read this insightful blog by my colleague Joseph Brammer BRAC on the importance of FCDO to keep their focus on the multi-dimensional aspects of #extremepoverty following the UK general election on July 4.

1/2 The gathering of over 100 people experiencing poverty in Europe right after the #EUelections last week felt like a meeting of storytellers and scientists, of pattern observers with a strong message based on the common denominator of their own lived experiences. Their power is in their ability to tell stories that are local and spot the patterns that are #European, to talk about the way things are, and what is coming. Much more than consultants sweeping in to do clipboarded analyses, these are the true experts. But they're not being listened to. It is so odd that the practice of the European Commission and its member states is still to 'consult' (sometimes) groups of people on the frontlines of poverty and inequality, but not to actually involve them in the design of the policies that have to work for them. Policies on #homelessness, on #childpoverty, on minimum income schemes, on how #digitalisation is creating yet more #exclusion because its becoming impossible to get a bus without a bank card. I had to work hard to hold back tears a few times. When the woman from Austria asked 'when are we going to invest in peace?'. Or the Swedish woman who asked the Commission representative 'how can we get you to trust us?' Or the Belgian man who told the story of his life on the street, and his long journey of empowerment that brought him to speak on a panel questioning European politicians. Mostly the look on his face. One of those on the panel, Olivier De Schutter, the UN Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty, reminded us that Greece has a 153% GDP to debt ratio and needs to get to 60% in the next years (according to our economic rules in Europe). They will do that by cutting on things like social welfare and housing. People will suffer. In Belgium its 108% and it will have to save 27 billion Euro. Where will that come from? The not so funny thing is that social spending is exactly the thing that could help build a state of rights and trust and care and undercut the far right. But that's not whats happening. The next round of decisions to cut social spending will provoke a million stories of misery that are man-made. The decisions will be taken by politicians that we vote for, based on 'experts' who work with a logic of 'efficiency' and growth, not humanity, not redistribution. And the cycle keeps turning. It doesnt seem to matter if the governments are far right, centre right (though the definition of that has shifted) or centre left (ditto). Peoples' welfare, climate action, nature protection are sacrificed continually in the name of #growth, that doesn't trickle down. As De Schutter said, 'many do not benefit from economic growth. They dont feel heard or understood. Scholz in Germany campaigned on 'respect' for good reason. He was afraid of the rise of the far-right AFD that is happening because of all this.' If you listen to people, respect them, involve them, it could be so different. EAPN - European Anti Poverty Network #hope #systemicchange

Just 3 Words- End Child Poverty I attended the Power to Change Forum in Leicester on Friday 07/06/24 and the community partners attending were asked what should the winner of the General Election be prioritising. Please see the video below. This is my answer. Just 3 Words. End Child Poverty. In Leicester, it was revealed in March, that more than 1 in 3 children (specifically 40.6%) are growing up in poverty/in a household classed as poor. This was from Govt data 2022/2023 which also revealed that Leicester is the 4th worst area in the UK for child poverty. Ready for the next reveal? Leicester City council are in a financial crisis and will no longer be supporting the city's adventure playgrounds and are proposing such heavy cuts to the budget's of the city's children centres, some of them will be forced to close their doors. So, in response to child poverty, cut services that provide a lifeline for children and their families? I think that is madness. Agree/Disagee? https://lnkd.in/ebGSNFZq

Affordable housing is a key issue in Europe's cost-of-living crisis. Here's a breakdown of the major EU Parliamentary Groups' positions on housing and homelessness. Don't forget - Sunday's polling day!

Access to water often strengthens access to other rights, including health & education. Ahead of the #EUElections2024 we're calling on MEPs to make water a political priority in the next EU parliament by signing the #StandUp4Water pledge. End Water Poverty @EndWaterPoverty ➡️https://lnkd.in/d_CpQhRk

The general election is an opportunity to ensure the next government puts fuel poverty and fuel crisis at the heart of their vision to deliver change for the most vulnerable in society. To this end, we have published our manifesto to End Fuel Crisis, in which we set out our top priorities for whichever party is elected. You can read them here: https://lnkd.in/eEvy8ZJr #EndFuelCrisis

Ahead of the General Election, UNICEF UK's #EarlyMomentsMatter campaign calls on next Government to protect all children in the UK from poverty by: - Scrapping 2-child limit policy & benefits cap - Increasing financial support for households with young children - Regularly adjusting benefits in line with inflation #EndChildPoverty #ForEveryChild