Poverty and social exclusion Jurate Matikoviene EAPN Lithuania Caritas Lithuania

Poverty? Dictionary of terms for social security describes poverty as a status, when there is not enough: Dictionary of terms for social security describes poverty as a status, when there is not enough: material, material, social and social and cultural cultural resources to guarantee the minimum for the standard of living.

Poverty? - Personal experience and perspective of the person living in poverty. - Personal experience and perspective of the person living in poverty. -Gap between the richest and the poorest members of society. -Gap between the richest and the poorest members of society.

Disability as a phenomenon from the point of illness which has physical expression; as a phenomenon from the point of illness which has physical expression; as a social limitation which sooner or later leads to poverty. as a social limitation which sooner or later leads to poverty.

Affects on person disability affects: disability affects: physical, physical, emotional/ psychological, emotional/ psychological, Financial, Financial, social functioning. social functioning.

Financial effect of illness results in economical poverty. Financial effect of illness results in economical poverty. But we should not forget that there are many faces of poverty- we should not describe it as only the lack of means. But we should not forget that there are many faces of poverty- we should not describe it as only the lack of means.

Social functioning Personal relation; Personal relation; Governmental attitude ; Governmental attitude ; Societal mindset. Societal mindset.

Personal relation I don’t care; I don’t care; to dare to open my eyes, to dare to see, to dare to speak on what I see and to dare to act to change it to dare to open my eyes, to dare to see, to dare to speak on what I see and to dare to act to change it

Governmental attitude economical value- to invest into the disability and old age- pays back or not?; economical value- to invest into the disability and old age- pays back or not?; double standards- words vs actions; double standards- words vs actions; inconsistent policy- allowances instead of services. inconsistent policy- allowances instead of services.

Societal mindset stereotypes; stereotypes; unattractive; unattractive; ugly; ugly; not sexy at all….. not sexy at all…..

Solutions??? Macro level Macro level Mezo level Mezo level Micro level Micro level to involve in to the system of support for those who experience poverty all possible levels starting from the grassroots and to cooperate between different social groups. to involve in to the system of support for those who experience poverty all possible levels starting from the grassroots and to cooperate between different social groups.

In our days of “running” society we should switch our mindset from High Tech to the most of all we do need- high Touch In our days of “running” society we should switch our mindset from High Tech to the most of all we do need- high Touch

Thank you very much for your attention! Ph Aukstaiciu str. 6, Kaunas