Gov’t aid programme cuts child poverty: Polish family minister

“The 500+ programme almost completely offset extreme poverty among children and young people of school age in Poland,” Rafalska told a press conference following a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss the effects of the initiative.

Rafalska added that a recent study has confirmed that extreme child poverty in Poland has almost completely disappeared.

“Extreme poverty – which shames every country when it involves families with children and young people – may drop [in Poland] by about 98 percent,” Rafalska said.

She added that more long-term studies will be needed to provide a detailed assessment of the programme.

Rafalska also said that early data strongly suggests that the programme is having a positive impact on reversing the declining birthrate in Poland. Some 16,000 more babies were born in Poland last year than in 2015, the Central Statistical Office said earlier this month.

Under the scheme, the government gives PLN 500 a month for each child in low-income families, and for second and subsequent children in all other families.

Rafalska has received an award called “Fighting for family” presented by the Barcelona-based Plataforma per la Familia Catalunya – ONU.

(rg/pk)