UN tackles poverty

Despite a 2% growth rate in 2019, the country still suffers from high unemployment, at 13.78%, more than double the European average. Reuters / Juan Medina

Text by: RFI Follow

The final report will not be presented until June at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, but already the first statements on poverty in Spain by a United Nations expert speak for themselves: Madrid has "completely failed in its responsibilities ”towards people living in poverty.

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Poor people whose situation " ranks among the worst in the European Union ", " a housing crisis of an astounding magnitude ". This is what the UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston says on extreme poverty. Among the most significant cases in his eyes, the living conditions of certain immigrant workers: " probably the worst " he had ever seen.

Spain is however the 4th economy in the euro zone. Philip Alston also said he had visited regions that " many Spaniards would not recognize as being part of their country ". He is alarmed by the level of inequalities . According to him, between 2007 and 2017, 1% of the richest population saw their income increase by 24%. For 90% of Spaniards, they " grew less than 2% ".

The Spanish economy may have recovered after the crisis, unemployment remains high and more than one in four people is exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The former Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy is indirectly accused. Philip Alston believes that " poverty levels reflect a political choice of the past decade " and criticizes " a totally inadequate social protection system ".

But the expert sees in the new left-wing coalition government a " ray of hope ". Socialist Pedro Sanchez already raised the minimum wage by 22% last year. A new boost was given in January with an increase of 5.5%.

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  • Spain
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Social issues
  • Economy
  • Poverty
  • UN

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