BASW Cymru urges change after UN report on poverty
BASW Cymru is calling for a poverty strategy that sets out clearly how poverty will be eradicated, following the recent UN Statement on poverty in the UK.
Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, visited the UK over two week and his visit to Wales coincided with the launch of the Equality and Human Rights Commission report – ‘Is Wales Fairer?’.
The report provides comprehensive review of how Wales is performing on Equality and Human Rights.
“I was fortunate to meet Professor Alston and with poverty deepening in Wales, the answer to the question of Wales being fairer is a resounding no!” says Allison.
She adds: “The findings show that the gap has widened in particular for children, women, disabled people, and some ethnic minority groups.
“Men born in the most deprived areas of Wales have over eight years less life expectancy than those born in the least deprived areas, disabled people face an education attainment gap, and high levels of racism and violence against women are a reality for many people living in Wales today.”
Professor Alston’s findings reinforce those in the ‘Is Wales Fairer?’ report, as he acknowledges that Wales faces the highest relative poverty rate in the UK.
“Even with some protective measures being implemented by a devolved Labour Government, there is still a lack of strategic focus and no Ministerial responsibility for poverty reduction in Wales,” says Allison.
“Social workers supporting vulnerable adults and children, who bear witness daily to the devastation austerity measures have created, know this. Professor Alston, by meeting directly with people impacted by austerity measures, has given voice to the most marginalised, whose voices need to be heard above all others.
“As Professor Alston rightly says ‘the full picture…cannot be captured by statistics alone’
“Following our boot-out-austerity walk in 2017, a foodbank in my home City in Wales, ran out of supplies because of increased demand during the Summer holiday period.
At the time, the words I wrote in Professional Social Work’ Wales Country View were: I am a social worker and I am angry. When the UN Special Rapporteur says loudly and clearly that austerity is a political choice and that the British values of mutual support and compassion have been outsourced, I am no less angry.
BASW Cymru will continue to work in partnership with other organisations in Wales to lobby for a poverty strategy that sets out clearly how poverty will be eradicated.