Belgium's Federation of Social Assistance Centres (CPAS) aims to focus in the next few months on refinancing, streamlining administrative processes, and respecting local differences while addressing the rising needs of vulnerable people, according to its new president, Dorothée Klein.
The end goal is social and professional reintegration and broader access to human dignity, she says.
Speaking after the Federation's first meeting since she took over the post, Ms. Klein also announced that the organisation would not be able to take on any new responsibilities without appropriate refinancing.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Federation emphasised the need for full, permanent, and structural compensation for the increased costs associated with unemployment reform.
This is not a temporary financial booster shot conditioned by performance, but a medium-term refinancing necessity, it said.
Such financial support is vital to enabling CPAS to carry out their duties without compromising local government budgets or neglecting solidarity among federated entities, communes and, especially, vulnerable citizens.
“CPAS are at the frontline of social realities and transitions,” Ms. Klein is quoted as saying in the statement.
She highlighted CPAS’s role as a defence against poverty and as key contributors to community cohesion.
Dorothée Klein, who has worked in journalism, communication, higher education, and equal opportunity policies, presides over the CPAS in Namur.
She is the second woman to become president of the Federation of CPAS, after Magy Yerna.
