Minister calls 10,500 children in low-income households a national disgrace

Iceland’s education and children’s affairs minister, Inga Sæland, has called it “a national disgrace” that 10,500 children in the country live below the low-income threshold, mbl.is reports. She was speaking at a conference on child poverty held at Veröld – House of Vigdís, where 14 measures to tackle the problem were presented.

Sæland said the measures had funded action plans that would be launched immediately, and said she was confident all would be carried out. They include abolishing enrolment fees for upper secondary schools, establishing an incentive fund and reaching an agreement with ÍSÍ.

She said she hoped talks with the sports movement would lead to a national effort to help every child take part in sports and leisure activities, regardless of their parents’ finances. Children should not have to give up because their parents cannot afford sportswear and shoes, she said, adding that costs had spiralled in recent years.

The measures also include a comprehensive review of the child benefit system. The government will allocate more than 21 billion krónur to child benefits next year, Sæland said, with between two and three billion going to high-income households because of what she called shortcomings in the legislation. She said the aim was to redirect that money to lower-income parents.

Sæland said it was impossible to put a value on the cost to society of marginalising children and denying them opportunities to participate. Talented children might never get the chance to develop their abilities, she said.