By IRNA,
Berlin : German Protestant leader Nikolaus Schneider on Wednesday called for stepping up cooperation with the nation’s 4.3 million Muslims on tackling poverty and social alienation.
In a message marking the holy month of Ramadan, Schneider stressed it was time that Muslims and Christians worked together for the sake of those people who ‘need our solidarity, support and help.’
The problem of poverty and social inequality in Germany has been troubling to me, he said.
Schneider called for a factual discussion on the objectives and prospects for success in fighting poverty in the country.
The number of poor people in Germany has dramatically increased over the past decade, according to a study released earlier this year which indicated that some 11.5 million people were living in poverty.
Around 14 percent of Germany’s total population of 82 million people were below poverty line, up one-third over the past 10 years, said a recent report published by the Berlin-based German Institute for Economic Research (DIW).
It pointed out nearly one-fourth of young Germans between the ages of 19 and 25 and families were especially facing an imminent risk of poverty.
The sudden surge in poverty was linked to a growing numbers of young people seeking higher education, the extension of time spent in vocational training, a stagnant post-education job market, and a tendency toward moving out of their parents’ home at an earlier age.
Large families are also at higher risk for poverty, the DIW said.
About 22 percent of those with three children were at risk of poverty, while it was more than 36 percent for those with four children.
Meanwhile, over 40 percent of single-parent homes are below the poverty line.