Joint Report On Social Inclusion

This report contains the second generation of National Action Plans against poverty and social exclusion which have been prepared by the Member States and constitute a strong political acknowledgement, three years after the Lisbon Summit, of the continuing challenge to ensure social inclusion across the European Union.

Social cohesion is one of the declared objectives of the European Union and, with some 16% of EU citizens at risk of poverty, the need to fight poverty and social exclusion continues as a major challenge. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the EU Social Inclusion Process, the means by which it hopes to meet this objective, and explores the challenges ahead at local, regional, national and EU levels. It sets out concrete proposals for taking the Process forward. The book provides a unique analysis of policy formulation and assessment. Setting out the evolution and current state of EU cooperation in social policy, it examines what can be learned about poverty and social exclusion from the EU commonly agreed indicators. Taking the position of outside, but informed, observers, the authors explore the further development of the common indicators, including the implications of Enlargement, and consider the challenges of advancing the Social Inclusion Process - strengthening policy analysis, embedding the Process in domestic policies and making it more effective. Proposing the setting of targets and restructuring of National Action Plans and their implementation, they emphasise the need for widespread ownership of the Process at domestic and EU level and for it to demonstrate significant progress in reducing poverty and social exclusion. The book will be invaluable to academics, students and policy-makers at sub-national, national and EU levels as well as to social partners, and NGOs working towards a more inclusive society.

This supporting document complements the 2008 Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion with a more detailed account of the work carried out in the framework of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) on social protection and social incusion in 2007.

In the last couple of years there has been a spurt of growing interest in and awareness about questions of social exclusion and inclusion. While the nature of exclusion in India has centered around the caste system, other disadvantaged groups such as tribal, women and poor have also suffered from similar disabilities. Their politics of exclusion and inclusion, censure and celebration show that they wish to be a part of the so-called mainstream academic discourse yet cannot be. The objective of this book is to discuss about social exclusion arising out of institutions of caste and gender and the inclusive policies designed for them. This book makes a comprehensive analysis on the thematic issues identified for this seminar within the frame work of human rights education. The recommendations made through this book are expected to influence the policy of inclusive growth within the broad frame work of human rights education. This book is expected to fulfill the teaching research and extension needs of academics, research scholars, students, pursuing subject like sociology, anthropology, social work, history, economics, political science, rural development, women studies, futurology, public administration, etc.

The Treaty of Amsterdam committed EU member states to tackle social exclusion. This book aims to explore, from an inter-disciplinary perspective, the possibilities and limitations of the attempts by the EU to co-ordinate and 'Europeanize' member states' strategies and policies.