NICCY joins new campaign group formed to call for anti-poverty strategy

Representatives of almost 20 charities and civil society organisations have come together to form the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group and are calling for the Executive to publish a strategy for tackling poverty as a matter of urgency.  

The event outlined principles that the campaign group argues should be present in the Executive’s strategy if it is to be effective. They are calling for a strategy based on evidence of objective need and underpinned by the Executive’s duty to protect human rights. Other demands include a call for the strategy to be fully resourced, have clear timebound targets, and adopt a lifecycle approach to address the different needs and vulnerabilities people face at all stages of their lives. 

Alex Tennant, NICCY’s Head of Policy and Participation and a codesign representative.  

Speaking at the launch, Alex said: “The Group’s Expert Panel and Codesign members are clear in saying that the Strategy’s purpose is to lift people out of poverty and not make people happier in poverty. 

“NICCY advocate for a single strategy, as we recognised that children are poor because their families are poor, and that while there are child-specific actions needed, interventions for working age adults were also important to raise family incomes.”  

The most recent government statistics reveal that 349,000 people in Northern Ireland were living in relative poverty in 2022/23, almost 1in 5 of the population. Additionally, there is a concerning rise in child poverty statistics that same year putting one in four children here living in poverty.  

Commissioner Chris Quinn said: “It is unacceptable that one in four children in Northern Ireland is living in poverty is a statistic in our society. The NI Executive is legally obliged to deliver an Anti-Poverty Strategy based on objective needs. The cost of living is rising, without signs of levelling off or reducing, leaving families struggling more than ever.” 

“Poverty is a children’s rights issue. Every child has the right to a decent standard of living under the UNCRC.

“Now is the time for real action. Our children can’t wait. The Executive must step up and deliver a strategy that protects, supports, and uplifts families across NI.” 

Service providers Trussell reported an 11% increase in food parcel distribution in Northern Ireland in 2023/24 from the previous year. The need for a government strategy for tackling poverty has been the subject of much debate since the Assembly returned just over a year ago, including a legal challenge by human rights groups who believe the Executive is failing in its duty to ‘adopt a strategy setting out how it proposes to tackle poverty, social exclusion and patterns of deprivation based on objective need’ as set out in the Northern Ireland Act.  

The publication of an Anti-Poverty Strategy is currently the responsibility of Communities Minister Gordon Lyons who has reported that a strategy is currently under development. 

The Anti-Poverty Strategy Group includes organisations such as Trussell, Disability Action, the Salvation Army, Advice NI, the Rural Community Network and representatives from trade unions, the community sector, the women’s sector and the youth and children’s sector.  

The members had previously worked in a co-design group with the Department for Communities before the collapse of the Assembly in 2022.  

Having been told by Minister Lyons that there will be no further engagement with civil society in this stage of the design of the Anti-Poverty Strategy, the members have decided to launch this group as they want to continue working together to influence the development of the strategy and press for its publication.