Destitution among girls and boys in Argentina increased to 14.3% in the first half of 2023, which is equivalent to 1.8 million girls and boys, 250 thousand more compared to 2022, according to a UNICEF report published today. Furthermore, according to the organization’s estimates, the scenario would have worsened towards the end of last year until it reached 19.4% of the child population. There are 630 thousand more girls and boys who live in homes that do not cover the basic food basket.
Meanwhile, monetary poverty affects 57.0% of girls and boys, which is equivalent to 7.1 million girls and boys. Some of them are even in situations of greater vulnerability: poverty increases when the household members have a very low educational climate (83%), in the cases of single-parent households (68%) or when they reside in popular neighborhoods (84% ).
In this context, the national budget for children shows, to date, a drop of 75% in real terms, according to three new UNICEF reports based on official figures that address monetary poverty and deprivations linked to rights in girls and boys. children; the budget for children; and the adequacy of income protection policies.
“The budget constitutes a key tool to provide elements from fiscal policy that guarantee compliance with the rights of children and adolescents,” explained Luisa Brumana, Representative of UNICEF Argentina.
The implementation of key national policies for children records a significant number of initiatives that show zero or almost zero levels of execution. In the case of the Universal Child Allowance (AUH) and the Food Benefit, they show high levels of execution for the time of year because the amounts provided for in the current budget are not sufficient to meet the financing needs required to provide coverage to families throughout the year.
Income protection policies are central to mitigating poverty levels: without these programs, around 270,000 more girls and boys would live in poverty and more than 1 million would become destitute.
If nothing changes, the numbers will be worse
“If current trends continue, the prevalence of monetary poverty in children and adolescents by the first quarter of 2024 would reach values around 70%, while indigence would reach 34%, with repercussions on the current well-being and long term,” said Sebastián Waisgrais, Specialist in Social Inclusion and Monitoring at UNICEF Argentina.
“In a context of social vulnerability and high levels of child poverty, it is important to sustain budget allocations for household income protection policies. Although there were positive signs in this regard, it is key to maximize efforts to improve the coverage and adequacy of benefits,” he stressed.
The 100% increases established at the beginning of the year in the amounts of the AUH and the Food Benefit contributed to mitigating the impact of price increases on households in poverty.
Meal plans are no longer enough
During recent years, the purchasing power of social benefits has shown a significant drop. Currently, the AUH represents 45% of the Basic Food Basket and 21% of the Total Basic Basket, and the Alimentar Card faces a similar situation. The reports presented today mention the need for a new mechanism for updating benefits that integrates price variations and rethinks the current conditionalities scheme to access these programs.