Sub-Saharan Africa records highest children living in extreme poverty — UNICEF, World Bank

An estimated 333 million children globally, or one in six, live in extreme poverty, with Sub-Saharan Africa having the highest burden of such children, a report of a new UNICEF-World Bank analysis published on the UNICEF website, on Wednesday, has revealed.

The report stated that 40 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa live in extreme poverty, accounting for the largest share increase in the last decade, jumping from 54.8 per cent in 2013 to 71.1 per cent in 2022.

The steep increase is attributed to rapid population growth, limited social protection measures, and challenging global trends including COVID-19, conflict and climate-related diseases.

Meanwhile, all other regions in the world are reported to have a steady decline in extreme poverty rates, with the exception of the Middle East and North Africa.

According to the report, an estimated one in three children in countries affected by conflict and fragility live in extremely poor households, compared to one in ten in non-fragile states.

The most vulnerable children such as those living in rural settings and children living in households where the head has little or no education are significantly more affected by extreme poverty. Globally, children comprise more than 50 per cent of the extremely poor, despite making up only a third of the global population, though the number of children living on less than $2.15 a day decreased from 383 million to 333 million between 2013 and 2022.

Children, estimated at 15.8 percent are more than twice as likely as adults at 6.6 percent, to live in extremely poor households, lacking food, sanitation, shelter, health care, and education they need to survive and thrive.

The analysis was released ahead of the High-Level week of the United Nations General Assembly, to hold from September 18-22 when global leaders, will among other things, meet to discuss the mid-point of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Next week’s meeting is also against the backdrop of fears that going by current rates of reduction of poverty, the SDG goal of ending extreme child poverty by 2030 will not be met.

UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russel was quoted as saying: “Seven years ago, the world made a promise to end 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 to conflict, climate change and economic shocks have stalled progress and left millions of children in extreme poverty. We cannot fail these children now. Ending child poverty is a policy choice.

“Efforts must be redoubled to ensure that all children have access to essential services, including education, nutrition, health care and social protection while addressing the root causes of extreme poverty.”

Similarly, World Bank Global Director for Poverty and Equity, Luis-Filipe Lopez-Calva said: “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.

“It is more critical than ever that all children have a clear pathway out of poverty, through equitable access to quality education, nutrition, health and social protection, as well as safety and security.

“This report should be a stark reminder that we have no time to lose in the fight against poverty and inequality and that children must be foremost in our efforts.”

To end extreme poverty and offset the pandemic backslide, UNICEF and the World Bank said it had become more expedient than ever for governments and partners around the world to ensure a sustained focus on children living in extreme poverty in lower middle and low-income countries and fragile contexts. The world bodies also called on governments to prioritise agendas aimed at tackling child poverty, including expanding social protection coverage for children to reach those living in extremely poor households.

They also called for the design of public policy portfolios to reach large households and those with young children in rural areas.

Also identified as imperative is investing in early childhood, increasing access to universal child benefits, designing inclusive social protection programmes, and taking into account disability and gender-specific needs.

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