Poverty and Social Exclusion in Europe: Cyprus's Position

In 2024, significant regional disparities in the European Union regarding the risk of poverty and social exclusion were revealed, according to Eurostat data.

Overall, 93 out of 243 EU regions recorded rates higher than the EU average (21%). The regions with the highest rates include Guyana (France) at 59.5%, Calabria (Italy) at 48.8%, and Campania (Italy) at 43.5%.

Conversely, 26 regions had rates below 12.5%, with Bolzano/Bozen in Italy recording the lowest rate (6.6%).

Furthermore, 24.2% of children in the EU (under 18 years old) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The highest rates of child poverty were recorded in Bulgaria (35.1%), Spain (34.6%), and Romania (33.8%), while Cyprus showed one of the lowest rates (14.8%).

In Greece, one in three children live in conditions of social exclusion, due to low income, high cost of living, and limited access to services.

A significant gap is observed depending on the educational level of the parents. 61.2% of children with low-educated parents face the risk of poverty, compared to only 11.0% of children with highly educated parents.