Policies of European Welfare States On Child Poverty And The Effects Of Covid-19

Abstract

Child poverty is a universal social problem experienced not only by underdeveloped or underdeveloped countries, but also by developed countries. It is absurd to talk about prosperity in a world where children, the most important human capital of the future, are deprived of love, affection and education; where they are forced to work, earn money and even grow up. This article, which presents a comparative analysis of child poverty among European Union (EU) countries, discusses the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on child poverty and child labour, and emphasizes the importance of national policies and international cooperation to address this problem. In this context; the aim of the study is to examine child poverty in the welfare states of the European Union and to emphasize that the problem in question is a global issue that needs a solution. In the first part of the study, the reflection of the concepts of poverty and deprivation on children within the conceptual framework is emphasized, and the determinants of child poverty and child labour are mentioned in the context of cause and effect relationship. In the second part following the study, the scientific literature on child poverty was mapped based on the four welfare state models of the European Union, and the approaches, strategic solution plans and policies of the member countries to reduce child poverty were examined. In the third part, the effects of Covid-19, which is the global epidemic of our age, on child poverty and child labor are discussed and the negative developments in the member countries of the European Union are discussed. In addition, in order to avoid conceptual confusion in the study, there are tables showing the different features of the four welfare state models and graphs including the current data of Eurostat.