A German Red Cross President Calls for Investment in Social Infrastructure
The President of the German Red Cross, Gerda Hasselfeldt, has urged the government to launch an investment offensive in social infrastructure, citing a pressing need for 18 billion euros to be invested in social services and institutions, particularly in the areas of climate protection and digitalization.
The upcoming years will determine the future of the social network in Germany and its resilience in times of crisis, Hasselfeldt emphasized. The special fund, which has been proposed by the new federal government and a two-thirds majority in the old Bundestag, offers the opportunity to future-proof institutions such as care homes, kindergartens and counseling centers, she added.
The special fund for infrastructure, which is set to total 500 billion euros over a period of 12 years, has been the subject of intense debate in Berlin, with the question of how the funds will be distributed and who will benefit from the special debts still unanswered. The Red Cross is pushing for more money to be allocated to the social sector.
In its latest report, the Red Cross has warned of the high pressure on social institutions, stating that while the demand for childcare, care and counseling is increasing, the financial resources to shape the upcoming transformations are lacking. The social sector, particularly in areas such as climate protection and digitalization, has limited access to funding opportunities, the Red Cross criticized.
Without digital offerings and services, the social sector, including care homes, kindergartens and family centers, will not be able to maintain the supply of services to the population, the Red Cross predicts. The organization’s president, Gerda Hasselfeldt, emphasized the need for the social sector to be digitally strengthened, stating that the digitalization will only benefit many if the non-profit social sector is digitally reinforced.
Hasselfeldt has called for a broad investment offensive, urging the government to invest in the social infrastructure, including the renovation of institutions to make them climate-resilient. She also highlighted the social aspect of such investments, stating that they not only benefit the recipients of the services but also strengthen social cohesion and benefit the wider society.