Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Minister of Family, Inclusion and Social Development, Fernando Elísio Freire, promised today, in parliament, the expansion of social protection and the creation of more day centers, aiming to eradicate extreme poverty in the country.
Fernando Elísio Freire, who spoke in the monthly debate of the first ordinary session in April, regarding the portfolio he oversees – Family, Inclusion and Social Development, considered that the Government’s social policy is oriented and focused on the autonomy and self-sufficiency of families and social inclusion.
Therefore, according to the government official, it is an ethical and moral obligation to combat poverty and encourage “everyone” to contribute and enjoy the national wealth.
For the minister, inclusive development presupposes, in addition to active policies to minimize social inequalities and gender equality, decent employment in order to “boost” the social ascension of the most disadvantaged based on access to work and constant improvement their income conditions and quality of life.
He mentioned that several measures were taken, namely, the consolidation of the Single Social Registry, the Social Inclusion Income and the Social Water Tariff to address poverty.
“Extreme poverty decreased to 6.8 percent (%) in the third quarter of 2023 and the mandatory social protection coverage rate increased from 51%, in 2020, to 57%, in 2023”, he listed.
The government official stated that there is more social protection and less poverty and assured that increasing mandatory social protection coverage for at least 66% of workers in all municipalities is “possible and feasible”.
“That is why we are accelerating the transition from the informal to the formal economy and expanding social security coverage and we are adapting the legal framework to integrate protective measures for the different categories of workers in the informal economy, making the requirements for access to benefits more flexible to the specific reality of the work as precarious work”.
Elísio Freire announced, in parliament, that “a major reform” is being undertaken in social security, the labor code and labor administration, with the aim of facilitating the production of wealth, protecting the most vulnerable and promoting competitiveness and productivity, declared the governor.
“We have already started the social security reform process, which will cover old-age pensions, disability and survivor pensions, illness and maternity, family benefits and supplementary benefits,” he said.
The minister reinforced that, for this year 2024, they will continue the “walk” of leaving no one behind, aiming to eliminate extreme poverty and reduce absolute poverty, which is why he intends, this year, to increase the social income of inclusion for 9,220 families in extreme poverty.
Likewise, it announced the extension of social pension coverage to an additional 552 people and people with disabilities from poor families not covered by the contributory regime, totaling 26,442 beneficiaries.
“We will expand productive inclusion to the 22 municipalities, covering 5,050 families, we will have daycare and family support for two thousand families and the opening of 11 day centers on the islands of Santiago, São Vicente, Sal, Boavista and São Nicolau”, he assured the Minister of Family, Inclusion and Social Development.
He also announced the introduction of early retirement for all professional categories and, in the private sector, the hiring of 60 caregivers to expand access to healthcare for children and people with disabilities.
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