Sweden s action plan against poverty and social exclusion

Transcription

1 Sweden s action plan against poverty and social exclusion July 2003

2 Sweden s action plan against poverty and social exclusion The EU s Member States have drafted national action plans against poverty and social exclusion in the first half of This cooperation was pursued in accordance with the open coordination procedure and in consequence of the strategic objective set by the Lisbon European Council of making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustained economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. In these action plans the Member States specify their priorities in relation to the objectives in this area that were agreed by the Nice European Council, supplemented by the Copenhagen European Council. These objectives are: 1. to facilitate participation in employment and access by all to resources, rights, goods and services 2. to prevent the exclusion of people from work 3. to help the most vulnerable 4. to mobilize all relevant bodies. In accordance with the supplementary objectives, the Member States are called upon in their 2003 action plans to set targets with the aim of substantially reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion, to emphasize the gender perspective and draw special attention to the risk of poverty and social exclusion among immigrants. Eight core challenges were identified in the joint report on social inclusion in the EU that was produced following the first round of national action plans in These are: 1. Developing an inclusive labour market and promoting employment as a right and opportunity for all 2. Guaranteeing an adequate income and resources to live in human dignity 3. Tackling educational disadvantage 4. Preserving family solidarity and protecting the rights of children 5. Ensuring good accommodation for all 6. Guaranteeing equal access to quality services (health, transport, social, care, cultural, recreational, legal) 7. Improving the delivery of services 8. Regenerating areas of multiple deprivation All the identified challenges are important starting-points for the measures and strategy described in Sweden s action plan. A recurring theme in Sweden s policy in this area is closer cooperation and partnerships at all social levels and a clear user perspective. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was responsible for preparing the Swedish action plan. It is arranged in accordance with the structure agreed by the Social Protection Committee. All the relevant ministries took part in the drafting of the action plan. Statistics Sweden contributed data for the indicators agreed upon by the EU Member States for use in connection with the national action plans. In the course of the preparation of the action plan consultations and exchanges of information took place between public authorities, representatives of local authorities and the Network Against Social Exclusion, which is made up of a very large number of voluntary organizations. One important aim was to disseminate information and raise awareness about the European integration process. The action plan includes a contribution from the Network Against Social Exclusion itself about the objective of mobilizing all relevant bodies. The three cities that are members of the European Eurocities network contributed a description of their collaboration on the development of local strategies. Both these contributions are annexed to the action plan. Stockholm, June

3 Content 1 Trends and challenges The economy and the labour market... 6 Indicators Income and economic vulnerability... 8 Indicators Health and ill-health Indicators Conditions for children Children at risk The most disadvantaged Misuse of alcohol and drugs Crowded housing and homelessness Crime and vulnerability Review of the progress made since the previous action plan Implementation of the 2001 action plan Objectives and performance Strategic approach, key objectives and specific targets Full employment and universal social insurance An ultimate safety net Knowledge generation in the social services Gender equality Children s best interests Protection of children at risk Integration The ombudsmen and efforts to combat discrimination Access to the courts Crime prevention Key objectives and specific targets Specific goals Political measures An inclusive labour market Training a shortcut to employment Developing employability Overcoming obstacles to employment New rules for the unemployment insurance fund Opportunities in the social economy Equal Reconciliation of work and family life A reformed pension system Good health and health care on equal terms Public health goals Sport Reversing the ill-health trend

4 4.6 Lifelong learning Inclusive schools Support for pupils with special needs Good, reasonably priced accommodation Strong tenants rights The knowledge society offers new opportunities The Agenda for Culture Integration Labour market measures The rights of disabled persons Groups at risk Better protection for children at risk Action to combat violence against women and girls Measures to combat long-term dependence on social assistance Measures against homelessness Measures for the clients of the correctional services Mobilization against drugs Alcohol action plan Institutional arrangements Sweden s national action plan Measures to promote vulnerable persons opportunities for participation and a say in matters that affect them Dialogue and partnerships with stakeholders The social partners, organizations and authorities Promoting corporate social responsibility The strategic approach adopted for the 2003 Swedish action plan Closer collaboration at all levels Nordic cooperation on improving the knowledge base in the social services A user perspective and user influence Examples of good practice Local development agreements to overcome segregation in the largest cities A pilot project systematically linking social services, higher education and research Drug prevention activities in the largest cities Local cooperation projects DELTA - financial coordination in Hisingen Work and development centres in Malmö Innovative methods for improving support for the homeless Stockholm Matching Contribution from Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm: collaboration on the development of local strategies Points of departure Collaboration on three activities with a view to developing local strategies

5 Activity Activity Activity Introduction A holistic approach and coordination A bottom-up user perspective Consultations and partnership agreements

6 1 Trends and challenges In the last analysis, welfare depends on the extent to which individuals can take control of their lives. This definition of welfare was the point of departure for the committee of researchers that was commissioned by the Government in 1999 to draw up a welfare balance sheet for the 1990s. In its final report, which was submitted in the autumn of 2001, the committee concluded that the structure of Swedish society and the living conditions of the population underwent major changes in the 1990s. The composition of the population changed, both in terms of age and of country of birth. Working life and the labour market changed, at the same time as the deregulation of certain economic sectors and increased mobility for various production factors led to some changes in the working of the economy. While certain improvements took place, such as a rapid increase in real wages, lower mortality and an improvement in educational levels, the proportion of the population with various kinds of serious problems increased. These include increased unemployment, changes in working conditions, economic problems and a decline in mental well-being. This general picture presents major challenges to welfare policy. The committee has helped to increase our understanding of what the turbulence of the 1990s meant for individuals and society as a whole. And this understanding is important for us to be able to make well-informed choices in future. However, the options available to welfare policy depend not only on a knowledge of the facts, but also on value-based assessments of these options. From the point of view of international law, the minimum protection against poverty and social exclusion that must be provided for individuals is determined by Sweden s international undertakings with regard to human rights, i.e. both economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights. 1.1 The economy and the labour market The years were a period of strong economic growth in Sweden s economy. But ever since then the international situation has been marked by uncertainty and recession. The war in Iraq only served to increase this uncertainty. The international downturn has also affected Sweden, and as a result growth has declined and is expected to be no more than 1.4% in 2003 and 2.4% in The employment rate dropped in 2002 for the first time since The percentage of people in employment is highest in the age group (84.2% in 2002) and lowest in the age group (46.5% in 2002). The percentage of people at work fell in all age groups between 1990 and 1995, after which it increased once again. The recovery made least impact on people between the ages of 16 and 24, which is largely due to the fact that nowadays more young people continue to study after leaving school. Percentage of the population in regular employment, age group Total Men Women (Source: Welfare Data 2003, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs) Open unemployment, which fell in the second half of the 1990s, and was down to 4% in 2001 and 2002, increased again in the autumn of 2002, and in February 2003 was 4.5% (men 5.2%, women 3.7%). The Government expects the average annual unemployment rate in 2003 to be 4.5%, but this figure should fall next year as the employment rate rises again. Most of this increase will be in the age group 25-54, in which unemployment has increased among both women and men. Unemployment among young people is especially sensitive to cyclical variations. Whenever unemployment increases, it increases most among young people. Youth unemployment in 2002 was 9.4%, which was an increase of 1.4 percentage points on As a result of the high rate of unemployment among young people and the expansion of the upper secondary school system in the last decade or two, young people enter the labour market and adult life in general later than before. One consequence of this is that they form a family and have children at a later age. In 2004 unemployment is expected to fall as the employment rate rises again. The regular employment rate for persons between the ages of 20 and 64 is expected to be 77.6% in

7 Persons born outside Sweden were hit especially hard by the decline in employment during the first half of the 1990s. Starting in 1997, employment among immigrants has increased every year. This applies both to men and women, but the increase has been larger among men. Despite this positive trend during the last few years, the differences between persons born in and outside Sweden are still large. The employment rate among those born in EU or EEA countries was 70% in the second half of 2001, while it was 61% among those born in the rest of Europe and 54% among those born outside Europe. The corresponding figure for persons with no foreign background was 77%. The chances of finding work increase the longer a person has lived in Sweden. Immigrants have to build a new network of contacts and acquire a basic knowledge of the new language. Apart from this, the labour market is not ethnically neutral. Persons born outside Sweden usually have a suitable level of education and age structure for the labour market, but this does not give them the same advantages as it would for native-born Swedes. The rate of employment is not the only difference between immigrants and native Swedes in the labour market. There is a marked concentration of immigrants in certain labour market sectors and they often perform work that does not correspond to their qualifications. The National Integration Office has also pointed out that certain mechanisms in society unintentionally discriminate against persons with a foreign background. One example of this is that employers who lack adequate information about an individual s capacity and are unable to pick the best candidate on the basis of qualifications and job interviews tend to use group affiliation as a recruitment criterion. As a result, it is harder for some individuals to get a job simply because they are assigned to a certain group on account of external factors such as their name or appearance. The percentage of disabled persons at work varies greatly between different groups, depending on the disability. While the employment rate among the hearing-impaired is similar to that of the population as a whole, the rate is much lower among persons with reduced mobility, the visually impaired and persons with a history of mental problems. The employment rate among disabled persons fell by over 9 percentage points for both women and men between 1988/89 and 1998/99. The proportion of students is also lower among certain groups of disabled persons. Indicators Regional cohesion 1 (indicator 5) NUTS 21(county) Variation coefficient Stockholm 0.4 Uppsala, Södermanland, Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland 0.4 Jönköping, Kronoberg, Kalmar, Gotland 0.6 Blekinge, Skåne 0.5 Halland, Västra Götaland 0.4 Värmland, Dalarna, Gävleborg 0.5 Västernorrland, Jämtland 0.8 Västerbotten, Norrbotten 0.7 Total 0.2 Percentage of long-term unemployed (> 12 months) as a percentage of the total workforce 2002 (age group 15-74) (indicator 6) Women 0.9 Men 1.5 Total 1.2 There are no data on indicator 7, Persons in households outside the workforce. 1 The variation coefficient for 2002 with respect to the employment rate was calculated for the age group The standard deviation for the number of people at work was divided by the actual number of people at work. 7

8 Percentage of persons with a basic education who do not continue their studies, 2002 (age group 18-24) 2 (indicator 8) Women 43.4 Men 47.9 Total Income and economic vulnerability The economic situation became precarious for more and more people during the economic crisis of the 1990s. This was especially the case among young people, single parent providers and immigrants. There was, however, no fall in the disposable income of old-age pensioners (as a group) during the 1990s. The improvement in the financial position of households that started in the second half of the 1990s has continued in the last few years, and household income is now higher than at the start of the 1990s. This does not apply to the lowest-income households, however. Families with children were one of the groups that suffered most from the recession of the 1990s. It took many years for them to achieve the same levels as at the start of the 1990s. There has been a recovery in recent years, but the rate of increase in income is lower among single parents with children than married/cohabiting parents with children. Various indicators may be used to describe economic vulnerability. One such indicator is the basic social assistance allowance 3, another is the proportion of the population whose income is lower than a certain percentage of median income (50 or 60%). In 1990, about 5% of the population had an income that was lower than the basic social assistance allowance. This percentage increased during the second half of the 1990s, and then fell again to 7% in The most vulnerable groups new immigrants, single parents with children and young people have improved their financial position considerably since 1996, but they have still not achieved 1991 levels. Although the cost of financial assistance and introduction allowances 4 has continued to fall, there has been no reduction in the proportion of households that are dependent on social assistance for long periods of time 5. On the contrary, long-term dependence increased throughout the 1990s, until the trend was reversed in Just under one-third of recipients of social assistance were dependent on a subsistence allowance from the social services on a long-term basis. The costs for this group amounted to over 60% of total costs that year. The family situation and the composition of the family play an important part when it comes to household income. Single parents with children are often financially disadvantaged. The percentage of persons with an income under the basic social assistance allowance in this group, 72% of whom are women, increased from 10% to almost 30% between 1991 and 1996, after which it dropped to 16% in The most vulnerable of all are those with three or more children. In 12% of families with children aged 0-6 disposable income was lower than the basic allowance in This is only just over half the figure for The time factor must also be taken into account in the context of financial vulnerability. Estimates made by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs show that 5% of the population lived in households whose income was less than half of the median income during the period Just under half of these were in this situation for only a year, while for 70% of them the situation persisted for two years. Less than 1% of financially vulnerable persons remained vulnerable throughout the six-year period. 2 Not higher than ISCED-2. 3 In 2002 this allowance was SEK 3,255 for a single adult. The allowance is for expenses for food, clothes and shoes, play and leisure activities, disposable items, health and hygiene, newspapers, telephone and TV fees. Expenses for housing, household electricity, journeys to work and householders insurance are assessed separately. 4 Since 1993 local authorities have been authorized to pay induction allowances instead of social assistance to refugees who have been granted a residence permit and are taking an induction programme. 5 Households that receive social assistance for at least months. 8

9 Not unexpectedly, new immigrants have the greatest difficulty in supporting themselves, since they are not available for the labour market during their first few months in this country. During the civil war in the former Yugoslavia in the first half of the 1990s, Sweden accepted a large number of refugees from that area at the same time as the country suffered its worst economic crisis since the 1930s. This made it extremely difficult for this group of refugees to get a foothold in the labour market. Starting in 1996, however, there has been a positive trend. The cost of maintaining a refugee during his/her first year and the three following years was, for the refugees accepted in 1997, the lowest recorded during the 1990s. The social assistance needs of persons born outside Sweden correlate closely with the period of residence in this country. Among recipients of social assistance who arrived in Sweden before and during the 1970s and received such assistance in 2001, only about 20% were dependent on assistance for lengthy periods, while the figure for those who immigrated during the 1990s was almost 50%. Immigrants who have lived in Sweden for more than 21 years have generally seen their incomes rise at the same rate as those of native Swedes. Financial problems (difficulty in paying day-to-day expenses and lack of a financial buffer) are much more common among disabled persons than others, which is mainly because they have extra expenses in the form of fees and charges etc. compared with the average citizen. Elderly disabled persons (65-84) have significantly lower incomes than non-disabled persons in the corresponding age group. Indicators Percentage of low-income earners by age and sex, (indicator 1a) Age Total Women Men Total Percentage of low-income earners over 16 by main employment status (indicator 1b) Employment Employees Self-employed Unemployed Old-age pensioners Other non-workforce Total Women Men Total To start with, disposable income was calculated per consumption unit. The OECD s modified equivalence scale was used to take into account the maintenance burden in households with varying numbers of members. The members of households were weighted as follows. First adult: 1.00, next adult and children aged 14+: 0.50, children aged 0-13: Disposable income is calculated as factor income plus positive transfers minus negative transfers. The term housekeeping unit that is used here refers to the sample person and all those who live together with him/her and share the household s economic arrangements. The household s equivalenced income was then calculated with reference to all the individuals in the household and a median was calculated. When this method is used, the median is individual-based. The next step was to calculate the low-income threshold (60% of the national equivalenced income). The proportion of individuals under the low-income threshold was then calculated for each group. 7 Calculated as in 1a. The following codes were used for employment status. Employees: SEI codes 11 Unskilled, in production of goods, 12 Unskilled, in production of services, 21 Skilled, in production of goods, 22 Skilled, in production of services, 33 Junior white-collar workers I, 36 Junior white-collar workers II, 46 Intermediate-level white-collar workers, 56 Senior white-collar workers, 57 Management posts, 99 Unclassified employees or if the sample person describes himself/herself as an employee. Self-employed: 79 Business owners (operators), 89 Farmers or if the sample person describes himself/herself as self-employed in his/her limited company. Unemployed: Professional status Not working where labour market support represents more than 50% of total income. Old-age pensioners: Persons aged 65 or over whose income from pensions and life annuities exceeds SEK 0. Other non-workforce: Other persons not included in the above groups. 9

10 Percentage of low-income earners by type of household (indicator 1c) 1. Persons living alone aged Persons living alone aged Persons living alone aged 65 or more Two adults without children, at least one person over Two adults without children, both under Other households without children Single parent, at least one child Two adults with one child Two adults with two children Two adults, at least three children Other households with children Total Percentage of low-income earners after transfers by type of housing, (indicator 1d) Type of housing Percentage Owner-occupied house (incl. a one-family house on agricultural premises) 4.99 Rented apartment Tenant-owned apartment 9.33 Other (incl. condominiums, apartments in apartment buildings owned by the sample person and lodgings) Total Low-income threshold in purchasing power parity (PPP), euro and SEK, (indicator 1e) Low-income threshold PPP Euro SEK Persons living alone Households with two adults and two children Income distribution 11 (indicator 2) The ratio between the national equivalenced income for the 20% most highly paid to the 20% lowest paid: This means that the total income of the 20% highest paid is 92.2% higher than that of the 20% lowest paid. Number of persons with a low income during a long period 12 (indicator 3) At least 1 year At least 2 years 3 years Women 624, , ,010 Men 488, , ,078 Total 1,112, , ,088 8 Calculated as in 1a. Children: Persons aged Other households without children: Households without children that consist either of a) single persons in a housekeeping unit with several adults or b) married/cohabiting couples in a housekeeping unit with several adults. Other households with children: Households with children aged 0-19 who are either a) single persons in a housekeeping unit with several adults or b) married/cohabiting couples in a housekeeping unit with several adults. 9 Calculated as in 1a. 10 Calculated as in 1a. The exchange rate for the euro is that recorded on the Sveriges Riksbank website. Every day the Swedish banks calculate a fixing rate in accordance with the formula: (Buy plus Sell) 2. The average rate for the period January-April 2003 was used (9.1776). The data on purchasing power parity (PPP) are from the OECD website. The coefficient used was 9.88 (SEK divided by US dollars). 11 Equivalenced income was distributed among individuals. The income distribution measure was then calculated by dividing the limit value for the 80th percentile by the limit value for the 20th percentile. 12 The low-income threshold was calculated for each of the three years as in 1a-1e. The persons under the lowincome threshold in each year were then excluded and these data sets were matched against the sample person. When this procedure is used, the sample person must appear in the database in all three years. 10

11 Relative median value for low-value income gap (indicator 4) The difference between the median income of persons under the low-income threshold and the low-income threshold, expressed as a percentage of the low-income threshold (SEK 90,694). Women 13.30% Men 16.17% Total 14.38% 1.3 Health and ill-health The health of the population is one measure of welfare. Public health has steadily improved in Sweden during the last few decades. Life expectancy has increased for many years and shows no signs of stagnating. In 2002, life expectancy for men was 77.7 and for women 82.1 years. The mortality rate (the number of deaths during a year per 100,000 inhabitants) fell in almost all socioeconomic groups with the exception of women in unskilled professions. The increase in life expectancy is mainly due to the fall in infant mortality and in overall mortality. Mortality due to most causes of death, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, accidents and suicide, has fallen during the 1990s. On the other hand there was a deterioration as regards mental problems; in particular, sleep problems and milder forms of alarm, worry and anxiety increased during the 1990s. This deterioration applies to all age groups up to retirement age. There are great differences between the sexes, however. Almost twice as many women suffer from mental illness as men. Mental illness is on the increase especially among young people, young women in particular. Women also suffer considerably more from pain than men. There was a sharp increase in sick leave in the late 1990s. As of December , almost 300,000 persons were on sick leave, which is twice as many as in The greatest increase was among persons who were sick for at least one year. Sick leave rates are increasing for all types of illness, but the increase is most marked in the case of mental illness. The percentage of mental diagnoses continued to increase in 2001 and accounted for 25% of all sick leave that started in February The increase was largest among women, among whom the percentage increased from 24% in 2000 to 28% in However, there are now visible signs that this trend has been reversed. The number of persons on sickness benefit in February 2003 was about 6,100 lower than in February the previous year a fall of 1.8%. Self-perceived health and functional ability have developed well among persons over 44, while the trend for younger people was negative during the 1990s. Normal health care interventions for elderly people, such as coronary, hip joint and cataract operations, increased sharply during the 1990s, which means that, thanks to the health service, more and more elderly people have improved their vision and hearing and their ability to move without pain. Several studies indicate that the health status of immigrants to Sweden is worse than that of the average population. This may be due to the discrimination they suffer in the housing and labour markets. Lifestyles and the factors that caused them to emigrate in the first place may also play a part. As is the case among native Swedes, there are great differences in health between the sexes. Health inequalities are a major challenge to public health and social cohesion. There are substantial social differences which do not appear to have diminished during the last 20 years. White-collar workers live longer than blue-collar workers, who generally run a greater risk of falling sick. This applies to both men and women. The risk of premature death is smaller among both women and men the higher their level of education. The differences between conditions for women and men as regards work, family situation, social relationships and financial assets result in different patterns of sickness between the sexes. Women live longer than men but show more symptoms of ill-health. Disabled persons are ill more frequently than the population as a whole. 11

12 Indicators Life expectancy at birth, 2002 (indicator 9) Women Men Self-perceived health 13 (indicator 10) Women Men Total Conditions for children Although, by international and historical comparisons, children have a good life in Sweden, there are also serious problems and some children are at risk. There are worrying signs of problems in various areas and more forceful measures, both general and targeted, need to be taken. These areas include the increase in allergies and the deterioration of young people s mental health. Attention has also been drawn to the situation of single parents and the special problems encountered by girls in some situations. Today, one child out of four has a foreign background on account of one or both of its parents. The children of immigrants are not a uniform group, however, and the conditions for girls and boys may also vary considerably within the group. Apart from the needs that children and adolescents generally have while they are growing up, disabled children have a special need of support to compensate for their disabilities. Since most disabled children nowadays grow up with their parents, the nature of public support for both these children and their parents is extremely important for their development. It is important to keep track of child and adolescent welfare, the progress they make in their social integration, the changes in their knowledge over time etc. It is especially important to monitor the development of children who have a special need of support and protection. Is this group becoming smaller or larger? What are the reasons for the changes? Are their needs changing? Is society getting better at helping these children? Are views changing as to the causes of the problems? It is important in this connection to learn more about children of foreign origin and about what can be done to facilitate the integration process. Children at risk Children at risk are not a homogenous group. They include children who are subjected to physical and mental violence and sexual abuse, children of substance abusers, children of mentally ill parents, children of intellectually disabled persons, children of battered women and children who are neglected. It is difficult to say how many girls and boys belong to the group of children at risk. Many of these children have multiple problems and belong to more than one group. Some statistics show how many children are the subject of intervention by the social services, cooperation talks or investigations of custody and/or visiting rights. There are also crime statistics relating to offences against children that are reported to the police. However, the statistics are not exhaustive. There is a lack of information both about children who are reported to the social services in cases where no investigation is carried out and about children who are the subject of an investigation, where no action is subsequently taken. Apart from this, many cases are unrecorded. 13 The quotient of the percentages in the lowest and highest quintiles of the population (aged 16 and over) who consider that their state of health is poor or very poor (code 4 or 5 of the WHO definition). The indicator shows the difference in self-perceived health between the lowest and highest paid groups of the population. The higher the percentage, the greater the difference. 12

13 During the last decade there has been an increase in the percentage of young people with a foreign background, particularly young people born abroad, who are dealt with by the social services. They are over-represented among young people who are taken into care voluntarily or under coercive legislation. There are also indications of an increase in the number of young children with a non-european background in child and youth care. There may be several reasons why young people with a foreign background are over-represented, but in any case their number is small in absolute terms. Most young people with a foreign background cope well and do not come into contact with the social services. Girls and boys with a foreign background consume more physical health care than the average. There is also a relatively high occurrence of psychosocial problems among this youth group, which may have to do with the stress and strain of growing up with two normative systems and less adult support as a result. They also have to deal with the problem of insufficient knowledge of the language. Continuing commitment to universal welfare policy is the best guarantee of a good upbringing for all children, but it is not enough. The youth social care services also need to be developed and improved. 1.5 The most disadvantaged Misuse of alcohol and drugs Both alcohol consumption and the use of drugs have increased in the 1990s. Per capita alcohol consumption in 2002 was 9.6 litres of pure alcohol for persons over the age of 15, which is an increase of 20% since The share of overall consumption accounted for by women has increased sharply over a long period of time. Up to 2000, this increase had not led to any visible increase in alcohol-related mortality, which was basically constant in the 1990s among both women and men. The percentage of young men reporting for national service (age 18) who stated that they had tried drugs tripled in the 1990s and was 18% in Experience of drugs among pupils in the 9th form also increased sharply during the 1990s from about 3-4% at the beginning of the period to almost 10% in In 2002 the figure had dropped to 8%. These levels are relatively low by international standards. The number of heavy 14 misusers increased between 1992 and 1998 from about 19,000 to about 26,000. About a quarter of these were women both in 1992 and The number of drug-related deaths increased by more than 100% during the 1990s from 143 in 1990 to 353 in Crowded housing and homelessness In 2001 there were 4.3 million housing units in Sweden. 42% of these were owner-occupied houses, 40% were rented apartments and 18% were tenant-owned apartments. According to Statistics Sweden, the proportion of people living in crowded housing (more than two persons per room, not counting the kitchen and living-room) has, for the first time since the early 1980s, increased in recent years from just under 2% in 1998/99 to 2.7% in More bluecollar workers than white-collar workers live in crowded housing. Families with children live in crowded conditions more often than families without children. Homelessness is a serious social problem with implications for both housing policy and social policy. It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable information about the extent of homelessness. Just under 10,000 homeless were reported in In a survey carried out in 1999 the National Board of Health and Welfare estimated that there were about 8,400 homeless persons. In both these studies about one-fifth of the homeless were women. The fact that different methods were used for these two studies makes it difficult to compare them. However, the Board has concluded that the figures for 1999 broadly correspond to those for According to the 1999 survey, three-quarters of the homeless were born in Sweden. Among those born outside Sweden, there was a marked over-representation of Finns in relation to the percentage of the population that is of Finnish origin. According to the Misuse is defined as heavy if a person has injected drugs any time during the past 12 months or used drugs daily or almost daily during the last 12 months, irrespective of the method of intake. 13

14 study, there were more than 100 homeless persons in 14 local authority areas. The corresponding figure for 1999 was 15. Crime and vulnerability The crime trend Crime is unevenly distributed. Most crimes are committed in areas where social and financial resources are below average. The risk of falling victim to a crime is therefore greater in these areas, which makes it especially important to take measures to reduce crime and increase security in such areas. There is no reliable documentation on the extent of crime in Sweden, but the trend is relatively clear. While crime increased sharply between 1950 and 1990, the crime level has now stabilized. The crime profile has changed in recent years. There is evidence to suggest that violent crime and criminal damage have continued to increase since 1990, while crimes against property, i.e. mainly theft of various kinds a major category have decreased slightly. About 1.2 million crimes are reported to the police every year. However, not all crimes come to the knowledge of the authorities. The majority of undetected crimes are ones that are not usually committed against an individual, e.g. drug, smuggling and traffic offences. Crimes against the person, e.g. assault and battery, sexual offences and unlawful threats are not always reported either. The real number of crimes and victims of crime is therefore larger than criminal statistics indicate. Violence against women About 18,000 cases of assault and battery against women were reported in the first half of the 1990s. This figure had risen to 21,400 in One reason for this increase is greater willingness to report such offences, but the actual number of cases has probably increased all the same. A recent study issued by the Department of Criminology at Stockholm University on vulnerability to threats and violence among young single mothers shows that women with welfare-related problems, such as unemployment, poor health and precarious finances, are much more vulnerable to threats and violence than women who do not have such problems. Prostitution In 1999, one year after entry into force of the Prohibition Against Purchasing Sexual Services Act, the National Board of Health and Welfare carried out a survey of the incidence of prostitution in Sweden. The survey confirmed the findings of previous studies, i.e. that visible street prostitution is only the tip of the iceberg. It is generally assumed that about one-third of all prostitution consists of street prostitution, while two-thirds is invisible. Street prostitution did not undergo any radical changes between 1998 and The number of known prostitutes in the three largest cities, where outreach workers work with prostitutes, is much greater than in smaller towns without such activities. It is impossible to estimate the number of known female prostitutes since it is impossible to check that women are not counted more than once. The National Board of Health and Welfare plans to follow up its survey. According to a report on trafficking in women issued by the National Police Board in February 2003, there is a good deal of evidence that the legislation has made a positive impact on this form of trafficking. As a result of the Act, human traffickers and pimps no longer consider Sweden a profitable market for their activities. 2 Review of the progress made since the previous action plan 2.1 Implementation of the 2001 action plan The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was responsible for the drafting of the 2001 action plan. Owing to the cross-sectoral nature of the action plan, many different ministries are involved in this work. A network consisting of a large number of voluntary organizations, as well as central agencies, the social partners etc. was also closely involved in the process. 14

15 The purpose of the open method of coordination is to create a learning process based on exchanges of experience and good practice, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity. Given this procedure, the section in which concrete examples are presented has a prominent place in the action plan since it is here that the measures undertaken at the national level to achieve the common objectives are described. The main focus of the Swedish action plan was a description of the Swedish welfare model and political initiatives and decisions that were to be implemented, wholly or in part, during the period Combating economic and social vulnerability is an important objective of welfare policy. This perspective is integrated into all government decisions relating to welfare issues. However, national policy is created and developed in a political process that differs from the action plan process. A political reform process normally involves identification of the problems, investigations, political negotiations, budget considerations, a bill and, eventually, a parliamentary resolution enacting legislation. In recent years Sweden has prepared action plans relating to social inclusion in several areas, e.g. older persons policy, health care policy, disability policy, alcohol and drugs policy and measures to combat racism, xenophobia, homophobia and discrimination and to strengthen human rights. These action plans have proposed new initiatives and additional financial resources for the area in question. However, the context of the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion was different, and the action plan was therefore more like a concise description of political strategy and action than a platform for new political reforms. This is why no new political initiatives were launched in the action plan and why it cannot claim to have determined the direction and scope of welfare policy. The political initiatives that were presented in the implementation section in the 2001 action plan are being followed up within the framework of the established monitoring and evaluation instruments that are used by the ministries concerned. However, it is still too early to say what impact they have made on economic vulnerability and social exclusion. The issues involved in poverty and social exclusion are so complex that two years is too short a period to indicate whether changes have had the desirable effects. In 1999 the Government set up a committee consisting of a group of researchers to draw up a welfare balance sheet for the 1990s. This was motivated by the economic crisis of the 1990s and its effects on welfare. The committee presented its final report in autumn 2001, in which it described the changes that had taken place with regard to welfare in the 1990s and how they affected various sectors of the population. One of the committee s conclusions was that, despite adequate activity statistics, there was in several areas a lack of relevant data on citizens welfare, population records and periodic broad-based studies of the population s living conditions. Efforts are therefore currently being made in the Government Offices to improve statistics and other instruments that are used to monitor efforts in this field. 2.2 Objectives and performance In 1998 the Government set a target to increase the proportion of the population aged that is in regular work from 73.9% in 1997 to 80% in The overall employment rate increased at an average annual rate of 1.5% between 1998 and In spite of this favourable trend, the prospects of achieving the employment target by 2004 have diminished. The regular employment rate is expected to be 77.6% in One of the main reasons for this is the impact on Sweden of the weakening of the international economy. An increase in the number of students and in net immigration is another reason. The target for social justice set in the 2001 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill was to reduce dependence on social assistance, calculated in full-year equivalents, by half, i.e. from 115,200 to 57,600, by The number of full-year equivalents in 1990 was 71,700. The target of halving dependence is therefore very ambitious and also involves a significant reduction in relation to 1990, which was a very good year in terms of employment, with an open unemployment rate of only 1.5%. The latest figure, which was presented in the 2003 Budget Bill, showed that the number of full-year equivalents had fallen for the second year in succession, i.e. a reduction of about 24,000 since This means that a further reduction of 33,600 is needed to achieve the target. 15

16 The number of households that receive social assistance has fallen since The proportion of new entrants 15 to the social assistance system was 2.1% in 2001, which is the lowest figure since Both the average period on social assistance and the average amount of assistance per household fell between 2000 and This is the first time since the beginning of the 1990s that all components the number of recipients, the length of the period on assistance and the average amount of assistance per household contributed to the reduction. In percentage terms the number of recipients has dropped more than the cost, which is due to the fact that there has been an increase in the proportion of recipients who need assistance for a longer period. Estimates show that it is necessary, but not sufficient, to achieve the employment target in order to achieve the social assistance dependence target. The economic downturn and the decline in employment are making it more difficult to achieve this target. However, the prospects of achieving the target will improve if the recent favourable trend as regards employment among immigrants continues. 3 Strategic approach, key objectives and specific targets 3.1 Full employment and universal social insurance Sweden s welfare policy is based on an economic policy geared to full employment for both women and men and a universal social insurance system. The main aim of the Government s labour market policy is a well-functioning labour market, full employment and satisfactory economic growth. The policy is based on the principle of providing incentives to work and improve skills. If there is a shortage of work, the unemployed are offered suitable training or other measures to help them find a job. To promote the achievement of these goals, labour market policy aims to help match job-seekers and vacancies as soon as possible, to improve their knowledge and skills, to support those who find it hardest to find a job and to provide income security during a transitional period of involuntary unemployment. An activity guarantee provides additional support on a full-time basis to enable persons who have been excluded from the labour market for a long time to find a new job or start studying. Apart from the unemployed, part-time workers and persons who wish to increase their working time are eligible for the Guarantee. Welfare systems must also be appropriately designed to achieve high employment. Appropriate social and labour market insurance schemes contribute to growth and increased security for individuals. The same applies to access to child care for all children. The Swedish social insurance system is universal and is largely based on the principle of compensation for loss of income. The entire population of Sweden enjoys individual rights regardless of their social or professional position, marital status or sex. They are also eligible for many benefits regardless of whether or not they are at work. Unemployment insurance is voluntary, but there is also a basic protection against unemployment for all those who are qualified on the basis of previous employment. The social insurance system provides income-related compensation for loss of income. The following are examples of income-related benefits: compensation for parents who are at home from work to look after small children (parental benefit), compensation for persons who cannot work on account of sickness (sickness benefit), an allowance for persons with permanently reduced work capacity (sickness/activity allowance), compensation for persons who are injured or become sick at work (work injury compensation) and old-age pensions. In several cases there is a guaranteed benefit level that is paid to insured persons with a low income or no income. The social insurance system also includes allowances for various situations, e.g. child benefit and housing allowances. 15 I.e. households in relation to the population as a whole that received social assistance for at least one year but did not receive such assistance the year before. 16