FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Approximately 26,000 children in Cyprus were at risk of poverty and social exclusion in 2024, accounting for 14.8% of the country’s child population, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical office.
The figure marks a decline of 3,000 children compared to 2023, when the rate stood at 16.7%. Cyprus now ranks second among EU member states with the lowest percentage of children at risk, behind Slovenia (11.8%) and ahead of the Czech Republic (15.4%).
Across the EU, 24.2% of children under 18—equivalent to 19.5 million—were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, down from 24.8% the previous year. The largest proportions were recorded in Bulgaria (35.1%), Spain (34.6%), and Romania (33.8%).
The report highlights Cyprus’s progress in reducing child poverty, with a 1.9 percentage point drop over the past year. Authorities attribute the improvement to targeted social policies and economic measures.