The 2016 statistical report from Secours Catholique is based on the analysis of 85,179 distinct situations among the 1,463,000 people received by Secours Catholique in 2015. It paints a picture of a France burdened by poverty, where territorial disparities and inequalities continue to widen.
In 2015, 608,500 families or individuals in difficulty were encountered. This number increased by 2.7% compared to 2014.
The findings are unequivocal. Year after year, the statistical report from Secours Catholique highlights a persistence of the poverty level and the society’s inability to rally efforts to reduce it. More concerning is that certain groups of people see their situations deteriorating: families, women, children, and people of foreign origin. The association calls on all candidates in the 2017 elections to make ending poverty the top priority.
Words from Bernard Thibaud, Secretary General of Secours Catholique-Caritas France
NP: What observations can we make about the evolution of poverty in France?
Nearly 9 million people, including 3 million children, live in poverty in France. We observe an increasing precariousness among families, women, and children, as well as individuals of foreign origin, with more people having no resources and living in very precarious housing. Contrary to what one might believe, this increase is not due to the rise in the number of migrants present in the country but to the increasingly fragile situation of this category of individuals.
For the past ten years, this precariousness has been increasing, and we have not been able to reduce poverty in our country. This undermines the foundations of our society. The fight against poverty, and particularly against long-term unemployment, should be a top priority in the electoral campaign, which unfortunately is not the case.
In “The State of Poverty in France,” Secours Catholique emphasizes that people encountered in the field come seeking material assistance (notably food), but also a listening ear and a warm welcome.
This proves that “poverty is by no means solely a monetary reality; it also has a moral dimension,” notes sociologist Nicolas Duvoux. People without resources suffer above all from isolation and need to share their distress.
