Around 417 million children live in poverty worldwide, says UNICEF

Poverty robs children of their lives, disrupts their health and development, and limits their education. The consequences extend far beyond childhood: adults who grew up in poverty face weaker employment prospects, shorter life expectancy, and higher levels of depression and anxiety, according to the annual UNICEF report.

Approximately 417 million children worldwide live in poverty. Lack of resources, conflict, and climate change threaten their access to essential services. Progress in combating this phenomenon has stalled.

Six categories are used to assess deprivation: education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, and water supply. The analysis shows that 118 million children face deprivation in three or more of these areas, while 17 million experience four or more.

For example, the lack of access to safe drinking water, preventive healthcare, and education pushes millions of children worldwide into poverty. In low- and middle-income countries, more than one in five children live under adverse conditions.

The highest rates of multidimensional child poverty are found in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In Chad, for instance, 64% of children face two or more severe deprivations, while slightly less than 25% face three or more.

Sanitation is the most widespread and severe deprivation. In low-income countries, 65% of children lack access to a toilet, compared to 26% in lower-middle-income countries and 11% in upper-middle-income countries. The absence of adequate sanitation increases children’s vulnerability to disease.