Social Challenges in Spain: Poverty, Exclusion & Inequality

Social Problems Today

There are many social problems affecting people today. Here are some of the most pressing:

• Difficulties accessing housing: There is a shortage of rental housing, and prices are too high.
• Job insecurity: An abundance of "trash contracts" leads to unworthy working conditions.
• Loneliness: Many people feel alone. This sense of loneliness and emptiness leads some to fall into addiction.
• Individualism: There is a growing trend marked by its own interests, without taking others into account.
• Aggression and violence: This is a sad reality in our country.
• Anxiety: The level of stress we live with is also worrying.
• Discrimination: Those who are different from the majority have difficulty being included.

Poverty and Social Exclusion

The problems presented above are compounded dramatically for those suffering from poverty and social exclusion. In addition to economic instability, the poor accumulate other social problems, e.g., drug addiction. They suffer from illiteracy and social exclusion, living on the fringes of society with little chance of changing their personal degradation on their own.

A Dangerous Spiral

The spiral in which the poor fall when this situation is lasting involves the interrelation of three factors:

1. Economic insecurity
2. Social problems
3. Loss of personal dignity and fundamental values in common life

At-Risk Groups

Children

Child poverty has a double fatal consequence. Children must subsist in this situation, scarred by the lack of a stable emotional environment, decent housing, hygiene, and other shortages. It negatively conditions their future, as it affects their physical, mental, and emotional development.

Youth

Higher levels of poverty correlate with a higher number of young people affected. They represent 65% of people in extreme poverty. Poverty is increasing among young people due to problems with social insertion and finding housing.

Elderly

At 65, retirement age, while still being productive, may cause an identity crisis in which one must seek other jobs and face new realities, such as more free time and fewer interactions with children. Studies show that low pensions cause nearly 50% of people over 65 who live alone to be in poverty.

Women

Along with children, women are the group most impacted by poverty, especially those over 65. They are also most affected by job loss and low wages. The causes are the unfavorable labor market and the rise of female-headed households with children.

Immigrants

Almost 10% of Spain's population is foreign. Immigrants leave their countries in search of an opportunity to change their lives. Having a job is essential for permission to reside in our country, but without papers, they cannot be legally hired. This leads them to accept precarious work.

Disabled

Disability is the result of the interaction between a person suffering from a deficiency and the physical and attitudinal obstacles preventing their full participation in society. The more obstacles there are, the more disabled that person becomes. Disabilities include mental, intellectual, physical, or sensory impairments.

The Homeless

A homeless person is one who lives on the street in a very severe degree of poverty and very precarious living conditions. The cause of this situation is the breakdown of social, family, and work relationships. They are called homeless because their greatest lack is not just a roof but also a family and stable conditions.

Individualism and Selfishness

We live in a society where selfishness abounds. We act according to our own interests, seeking benefits and avoiding anything that can harm us. We are individualistic. These intolerant attitudes lead to indifference and prepare us for discriminatory behavior.

Discrimination

Stepping out of our shells and opening ourselves to differences leads us to accept others and their way of doing and thinking. Comparing ourselves with positive feelings towards those who are different has led many people to associate and volunteer to fight for a change in reality.