German Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus stressed on Thursday the high risk of an increase in child poverty in the country due to inflation and proposed to increase child benefits
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2022) German Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus stressed on Thursday the high risk of an increase in child poverty in the country due to inflation and proposed to increase child benefits.
"The rise in energy and food prices is very tangible. The threat that child poverty will rise is high. Therefore, we must take further compensation measures, which should also aim to reach those who need it most. At the moment, we are talking about livelihoods. Many people, including families with children, are financially pinned against the wall," Paus said in an interview with German media group RND.
Responding to a question on what measures could be taken, Paus said that Germany paid one-time benefits for children during the COVID-19 pandemic, but "this is no longer enough" in the current situation, and all German families urgently need an increase in child benefits.
The current German government has designated the fight against child poverty as one of its priorities. Under the government program, a basic income system for children will be introduced instead of numerous separate benefits. According to Paus, a bill to that effect will be presented in the fall and will go into effect from 2025, if adopted.
