Division IV PRIORITIES FOR THE EUROPEAN YEAR ACTIVITIES

Taking into account the multidimensional nature of poverty and social exclusion and with a view to mainstreaming the prevention of and fight against poverty and exclusion within other policies, the European Year activities should aim to produce a clear added value and provide an effective complement to the OMC on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. These activities should therefore focus on a limited number of priority areas.

In line with the analysis carried out and the priorities identified in the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion, the European Year should focus on the following themes:

• promoting multidimensional integrated strategies to prevent and reduce poverty, in particular severe poverty, and approaches which would be mainstreamed across all relevant policy areas,

• fighting child poverty including the intergenerational transmission of poverty as well as poverty within families, paying special attention to large families, single parents and families caring for a dependent person, as well as poverty experienced by children in institutions,

• promoting inclusive labour markets, addressing in-work poverty and the need to make work pay,

• eradicating disadvantages in education and training, including digital literacy training and promoting equal access for all to ICT, with particular focus on the specific needs of disabled people,

• tackling the gender and age dimensions of poverty,

• ensuring equal access to adequate resources and services, including decent accommodation, health and social protection,

• facilitating access to culture and leisure opportunities,

• overcoming discrimination and promoting the social inclusion of immigrants and ethnic minorities,

• promoting integrated approaches to active inclusion,

• addressing the needs of people with disabilities and their families, the homeless, as well as other groups or persons in vulnerable situations.

In planning the European Year activities in line with the above priorities, the participating countries will adapt them to the national, regional and local situations and challenges, including considerations of territorial cohesion.

In the light of the objectives set out in Article 2 of this Decision, the issue of participation should be mainstreamed throughout all the priorities.

Under Article 4 of this Decision, the Commission and the Member States are to take into account, in implementing the European Year activities, the different ways in which women and men experience poverty and social exclusion. They will also ensure that gender is mainstreamed throughout the European Year priorities with a view to promoting gender equality.