The latest indicators show that 15.2% of Madeiran workers earn an income that still puts them below the poverty line, according to a news story from Marco Livramento for the Newspaper Diário da Madeira.

The figure was recalled by Licínia Freitas, from the regional branch of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), on the sidelines of the III Regional Forum to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, which occurred at the Funchal Cultural and Research Center.
Although the regional situation is a little better than the national one, the problem is still worrying, with repercussions on families’ daily lives. “The minimum wage is low, and with it, people can’t meet their monthly expenses, especially these days, with inflation, but also as a result of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine,” she notes, as reported by Diário da Madeira.

In addition, Licínia Freitas mentions the need to start thinking about implementing a regional average wage “because families can’t stretch their budgets any further.” “It’s important that we make this effort to increase both the minimum and average wage,” she says.

In the new story by Marco Livramento, she stressed the importance of the measures already in place through the Regional Strategy for Social Inclusion and Combating Poverty, which has a scope until 2030 to reduce fragility and bring down the numbers. She said this is “a good instrument for these figures to have some effectiveness and to fall in terms of percentage,” she said.

Alongside the Regional Strategy, Licínia Freitas believes that the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) can also effectively contribute to reducing the inequalities in Madeiran society.

Concerning poverty, the head of the regional branch of the European Anti-Poverty Network stresses the importance of it being “studied as a whole” in an “intersectoral” way, not in a “splintered” way, thinking that it is exclusive to the social area. In this context, he notes that health, education, culture, and employment should be included in this group.

In a related story, also by Marcol Livramento for the DN-Madeira, it is reported that three thousand Madeiran families have already received 80 euros a month this year to help pay fixed monthly expenses, such as water, electricity, or gas bills, under the Social Stability Guarantee Support Program (PROAGES).

The figures were given to DN-Madeira by Ana Sousa on the sidelines of the III Regional Forum to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, which is taking place this Friday at the Funchal Cultural and Research Center to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

In Diário de Notícias da Madeira, story by Marco Livremaneto

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.

For further reading on the issue…

Chance of poverty is higher in Madeira