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Description
Poverty in the European Union is a real problem, it limits fundamental rights of many persons and opportunities to reach their full potential, brings high costs to society and threatens sustainable economic development. Pensions in Croatia are increasingly lagging behind wages and expenses, and thus behind the poverty line that most retirees not only do not cross, but do not even approach. Last year, 67% of pensions were below the Croatian poverty line (2,927 kuna / 388,48 Euro). The line is now set at around 3,200 kuna/427,71 Euro, 75% of all pensions will be below the line. The poverty rate in Vukovar-Srijem County is a worrying 31.9% (20,4% at national level). Along with other problems faced, especially in rural areas such as isolation, lack of social assistance and demographic aging, this county is one of the least developed in Croatia.
Humanitarian organizations can best witness the problems that citizens, especially the elderly, are struggling with, primarily in the countryside. Through the implementation of calls like the FEAD, these organizations were key in providing better conditions and helping elderly people in the countryside. The new programming period threatens to break this chain. With this project we will address the problem of rural poverty through:
-networking and strengthening the capacity of humanitarian organizations for sustainability
- sensitizing the public to the existing problem through video testimonies, campaigns, data collection through surveys and public activities, and
- advocating for a more efficient and regionally acceptable poverty reduction policy in Croatia
The project strongly re-examines the values of today''s society, the solidarity. What we want to make the public aware that by ignoring the problem, we are deleting our elderly people/grandparents due to the administrative burden. The campaign will raise awareness among citizens at all levels about the importance of philanthropy and intergenerational respect.