Slovenia’s children are less likely to know deprivation than any other European nation’s. Is that because of what the country is doing now – or its socialist past?
Much of the world doesn’t have a clue what to do about child poverty, or even when to do it. In the UK the Labour government recently delayed its flagship policy on tackling the issue until the autumn. But if you’re looking for inspiration, it might be worth asking what Slovenia has been getting right. The country has the lowest rates of child poverty in Europe.
Why? The glaringly obvious reason is that Slovenia is a very economically equal country. “The heritage of the social state, from communist times, is still here,” says Marta Gregorčič, a professor at the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, which addresses household distress and poverty.
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