Child poverty, as a phenomenon, preexisted the international financial crisis. Today, more than ever, child poverty is a tragic reality, acquiring major dimensions both in Europe and in Greece.

The realisation of the “rights of the child” -as defined by the relevant international treaty- and the investment in the quality of children’s life, in a structured, rational and effective way, must become the core of the planned policies at the European and national level, as an ethical obligation, but also as a priority of any economic policy, thus constituting the “litmus test ” for ensuring the much-desired sustainable social and economic development.