Dolores Padrón calls for a “structural, enduring and stable transformation” to implement policies aimed at combating poverty and social exclusion.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Nov. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Common Deputy, Dolores Padrón, expressed her concerns this Thursday during the annual seminar conducted by the European Network to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Spanish State regarding the existence of “invisible poverty” in the Canary Islands, which is linked to “precariousness” in accessing essential services such as education, healthcare, or housing.
In her presentation, she also highlighted the difficulties faced in the Canary Islands related to administrative delays in recognising or reviewing disability and dependency status, “issues that obstruct access to essential services and entitlements under the rule of law,” as evidenced by various annual reports.
She emphasised that this invisible poverty encompasses low-income workers or pensioners “who rely on a pension and cannot cover education costs, who lack support when caring for someone with a disability or functional diversity, who face healthcare costs if they do not wish to wait for treatment, or who struggle with housing costs, which have soared by an average of 16% in the Canary Islands while average salaries have only increased by 1%.”
As a result, she stated, “a shift in paradigm is necessary, a collaboration between public administrations and civil society, alongside non-governmental organisations in the fight against poverty and social exclusion; this is urgent.”
Padrón pointed out that “there is a necessity for a transformation in the crafting of policies aimed at addressing poverty and social exclusion, which should encompass transversality, comprehensiveness, and consensus, with engagement from all public administrations at their various levels, leading to a lasting structural and stable change.”
She also underscored the issue of child poverty, which is particularly severe on the islands and driven in part by inadequate infrastructure and an underdeveloped family support system.
Furthermore, she noted that regions such as the Basque Country and Navarra have markedly lower poverty rates, attributed to more substantial social welfare policies and economies less reliant on tourism.
At the European level, countries such as Germany and the Netherlands display considerably lower poverty and social exclusion rates, largely due to the implementation of effective social protection measures that address these challenges more successfully.
Concerning migration, she reviewed statistics on unaccompanied minor migrants arriving in the Canary Islands and noted the impact of these migratory patterns “which are fostering the rise of xenophobic rhetoric.”
NGOs AS A “CRUCIAL” PILLAR
In this context, she emphasised the essential role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) “which play a pivotal role in combating poverty and supporting the most vulnerable sectors in the Canary Islands, Spain, and Europe.”
She stated, “These organisations act as a complementary foundation to governmental policies, focusing on direct assistance, advocacy of rights, and the establishment of support networks which enhance the living conditions of individuals in social exclusion. Their role in the Canary Islands, amidst ongoing structural poverty and significant reliance on tourism, is particularly pertinent.”
In her contributions to the seminar, she discussed Artificial Intelligence, noting its considerable potential to enhance the quality of public services.
“However, it is vital to address the associated risks to safeguard the rights and freedoms of citizens; this includes ensuring human oversight in decision-making, avoiding biases and discrimination, and promoting transparency,” she remarked.
Regarding compliance, she added, “We are aware of its capabilities, and we must ensure the privacy of citizens is safeguarded, including the management of their data free from discriminatory biases. Therefore, we must remain vigilant that the programs developed by administrations to enhance their operations uphold human rights, as outlined by the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and previously proposed by the European Ombudsman during the approval of the European AI Regulation at the end of 2023.”
