An alarming new report from UNICEF and the World Bank has unveiled a distressing reality: approximately 333 mn children worldwide, or one in six children, are living in extreme poverty. The report, "Global Trends in Child Monetary Poverty According to International Poverty Lines," provides a comprehensive analysis of child poverty trends, emphasizing the profound impact of COVID-19 on global efforts to eradicate this issue.
While the report highlights some progress, such as a decrease in the number of children living on less than $2.15 a day from 383 mn to 333 mn (a 13% reduction) between 2013 and 2022, it also underscores that the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out three years of progress. This translates to a staggering 30 mn more children in extreme poverty than projected if not for the pandemic-related disruptions.
This concerning analysis comes ahead of the High-level Week of the United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders will convene to discuss the mid-point progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Notably, the report warns that at the current rate of reduction, the SDG goal of ending extreme child poverty by 2030 is in jeopardy.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the need to redouble efforts to end extreme child poverty amid compounding crises, including COVID-19, conflict, climate change, and economic shocks.
“Seven years ago, the world made a promise to end extreme child poverty by 2030. We have made progress, showing that with the right investments and will, there is a way to lift millions of children out of what is often a vicious cycle of poverty. But compounding crises, from the impacts of COVID-19, conflict, climate change, and economic shocks, have stalled progress and left millions of children in extreme poverty. We cannot fail these children now,” Executive Director Catherine Russell voiced.
She highlighted that ending child poverty is a policy choice and called for ensuring access to essential services for all children while addressing the root causes of extreme poverty.
Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest burden, with 40% of children living in extreme poverty. The region has experienced the largest increase in the last decade, surging from 54.8% in 2013 to a staggering 71.1% in 2022. Factors such as rapid population growth, limited social protection measures, and global challenges like COVID-19, conflict, and climate-related disasters have contributed to this alarming rise. In contrast, all other regions of the world have witnessed a steady decline in extreme poverty rates, except for the Middle East and North Africa.
Shockingly, despite comprising just a third of the global population, children account for over 50% of the extremely poor. They are more than twice as likely as adults to live in households deprived of basic necessities such as food, sanitation, shelter, health care, and education.
World Bank Global Director for Poverty and Equity, Luis-Felipe Lopez-Calva, remarked;
“A world where 333 million children live in extreme poverty — deprived not only of basic needs but also dignity, opportunity, or hope — is simply intolerable.”
Lopez-Calva stressed that it is now more important than ever to ensure that all children have a clear path out of poverty. This can be achieved through providing them with fair access to quality education, proper nutrition, healthcare, social support, safety, and security. He called attention to the urgent need to address poverty and inequality, with a specific focus on prioritizing the well-being of children.
The report further underscores that the most vulnerable children, particularly those living in rural areas and households with poorly educated heads, bear the brunt of extreme poverty. In conflict-affected and fragile states, approximately one in three children live in extremely poor households, compared to one in ten in non-fragile states.
As the world grapples with multiple crises, the report serves as a stark reminder that children living in extreme poverty cannot wait for change. Urgent and concerted efforts are needed to fulfill the promise of ending extreme child poverty by 2030 and ensuring a brighter future for millions of children worldwide.
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