《2020年香港貧窮情況報告》日前發表，貧窮人口不斷上升，當中兒童貧窮人口在政策介入前多達27萬多人，情況在惡化。有社區團體調查更發現，逾八成貧窮兒童因照顧家庭影響學習成長。香港的貧窮問題是結構性問題，縱然不可能全部消除，但兒童貧窮及跨代貧窮問題必須得到高度重視，應積極完善政策，研究制定具體時間表，以基本消除兒童貧窮現象。
一條貧窮線，將香港人口分成兩組，在貧窮線下的人群每天都在掙扎中度過。在職貧窮、兒童貧窮、長者貧窮等等，不同貧窮群體都需要政府和社會的關注。從社會政策的角度，兒童貧窮往往導致跨代貧窮，對整個社會發展的影響也更為深遠，需要更多的重視。
現實是，香港兒童貧窮人口不斷增加，貧窮發生率高達27%，即便是政府政策介入之後，也達到8.4%。儘管從絕對數目來看未必是歷年最高的，但問題長期沒有得到解決，貧窮問題多年來為人詬病。
以香港社區組織協會早前進行的調查為例，逾八成受訪貧窮兒童需做家務、照顧家庭，每星期照顧家庭的時間平均為10小時，當中近半要幫忙煮飯，另有近一成兒童需參與賣廢紙、紙皮。有兩成受訪兒童出現休息、精神不足問題，沒時間做功課，更有近33%受訪兒童沒有餘錢外出活動。也就是說，貧窮問題嚴重影響到兒童及青少年的學習成長，容易導致上一代貧窮延續到下一代身上。
應當看到，特區政府為扶貧減貧推出了大量政策，例如新一份施政報告中推出高額長者生活津貼、優化在職家庭津貼計劃、落實一系列改善綜合社會保障援助措施，包括大幅增加租金津貼及放寬多項特別津貼資格等等，成效有目共睹。但關於兒童貧窮問題，特區政府各自為政，長期以來分散在不同的政策部門，缺乏統籌性、更具針對性的制度與處理機制。
實際上，單親家庭、新移民家庭及少數族裔家庭的貧窮兒童比例，與全港家庭貧窮兒童比例的差距更大；而因居住條件問題導致的貧窮兒童比例，也是所有類別中最高的。靠分散的政策與處理方式，只能起到「滅火式」作用，是被動式、應對式，難以觸及問題根本。只有系統性、恆常性的制度與政策，才能起到「扶貧、扶智、扶志」的目的。
樹立「以人民為中心」的發展理念，並不是一句空話。今年國慶節期間，中聯辦主任駱惠寧落區看望劏房戶，直言「心情十分沉重」；盧新寧副主任探望劏房裏的兒童時，感嘆：「讓孩子們在這樣的環境下生活長大，實在太對不起他們了。」要完全消滅貧窮問題並不容易，但基本上消除兒童貧窮現象是完全做得到的。劏房問題要解決，兒童貧窮更須解決。制定具體時間表，完善制度與政策，社會各界共同努力，一定可以創造一個「無窮香港」。
2021-11-15
Setting a timetable for eradicating the problem of child poverty
The recently-released Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2020 shows a steady increase in poverty. Among others, there are as many as 270,000 poor children under the age of 18 before policy intervention, and the situation keeps getting worse. A survey by some social group further shows that over 80 per cent of poor children's education and growth are affected because they have to help keep house and take care of families. Poverty in Hong Kong is a structural issue. Even if it cannot be completely eradicated, great importance must be attached to the problems of child poverty and intergenerational poverty. Efforts must devoted to proactively optimise policies and consider setting a detailed timetable to essentially do away with the phenomenon of child poverty.
A poverty line separates the Hong Kong population into two groups, with those people living under the poverty line struggling for survival every day. There are in-work poverty, child poverty, elderly poverty, etc. The government and society must show solicitude for various groups of poor people. From the perspective of social policies, child poverty often leads to intergenerational poverty, which has a far reaching impact on social development and thus demands greater attention.
In reality, Hong Kong's child poverty rate keeps growing. The poverty incidence (PI) reaches as high as 27 per cent, and even after the government's policy intervention it still stands at 8.4 per cent. Although in terms of the absolute number it may not be the highest in years, the problem remains unsolved and a target of criticism for a long period of time.
Taking for example a recent survey by the Society for Communist Organization (SoCO), over 80 per cent of the children interviewed have to help keep house and take care of families. On average each of them spends 10 hours per week on such chores. Nearly half of them have to help cooking while about 10 per cent have to help sell used paper and cardboard. Twenty per cent of the children interviewed suffer problems of insufficient rest and lack of energy and have no time to do homework. Furthermore, nearly one third of the interviewed have no pocket money for outdoor activities. In other words, poverty seriously affects these children and teenagers' education and growing up. As a result, poverty could be easily passed down from one generation to the next.
It is noteworthy that the SAR government has launched a lot of poverty-alleviation and poverty-reduction policies. For instance, the latest Policy Address announces the introduction of the Higher Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), enhancements to the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme, and implementation of a series of measures to improve the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) including substantially increasing the rent allowance and relaxing the eligibility for a range of special grants. Such achievements are there for all to see. With regard to the problem of child poverty, however, the SAR government lacks coordination. For a long period of time, the issue is being dealt with separately by various policy bureaux. There is a lack of coordination, a more pertinent system and handling mechanism.
As a matter of fact, the ratio of poor children from families of single parents, new immigrants and ethnic minorities is far bigger than the ratio of poor children from all families in Hong Kong. The radio of poor children due to living conditions is also the highest in all categories. Having only a fire-extinguishing-like effect, decentralised policies and handling methods are passive and responsive which can hardly touch the root of the problem. Only a systematic and regular system and systematic and regular policies can achieve the purpose of "poverty alleviation with the support of education and a change of attitude".
Establishing the ideal of people-centered development is by no means empty talk. During the National Day period, Luo Huining, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR (the Liaison Office), paid a visit to some households living in sub-divided flats and frankly said his "heart sunk" at the sight of such living conditions. Upon seeing some children living in such sub-divided flats, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office Lu Xinning sighed: "I feel really sorry for these children who have to live and grow in such an environment." The problem of sub-divided flats must be tackled, and the problem of child poverty even more needs to be solved. With the government working out a detailed timetable and optimising the system and policies, with the joint efforts of all sectors in society, a "poverty-free Hong Kong" is bound to be created.
15 November 2021
