A new UNICEF assessment has exposed the depth of global child deprivation, warning that 417 million children, nearly one in five worldwide, are still living in extreme poverty on less than US$3 a day. The report highlights that the world is far off track in meeting its poverty-reduction targets, with progress slowing sharply over the past decade.
The situation is most severe in sub-Saharan Africa, where population growth, conflict, weak social safety nets, and climate-related shocks have combined to trap millions of children in cycles of hunger, poor education, and limited economic mobility. UNICEF notes that some African countries have seen child poverty rates rise, driven by inflation, currency depreciation, stalled economic recovery post-COVID, and food insecurity linked to droughts and flooding.
Globally, the report shows:
- Children are twice as likely as adults to live in extreme poverty.
- Over 330 million children lack access to essential services like schooling, vaccinations, and clean water.
- Nearly half of all children in poverty live in countries experiencing conflict or political instability.
- At current rates, the world will miss the 2030 SDG target of eradicating extreme child poverty.
UNICEF warns that the consequences are long-term: undernourished children face stunted growth, reduced cognitive development, and significantly lower lifetime earnings. The agency is calling for major investments in social protection, including cash-transfer programmes, expanded childhood nutrition schemes, and policy reforms that shield vulnerable families from economic shocks.
Governments are also being urged to strengthen public education systems, prioritise rural development, and channel climate-adaptation funds toward communities where children face the greatest risk.
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