The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 20 per cent children worldwide live-in extreme poverty, surviving on under $3 a day,
UNICEF, in a report, on Thursday stated that nearly 90 per cent of those children are in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, but even in high-income countries, 23 per cent live with far less income than their peers.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said. “When governments commit to ending child poverty by implementing effective policies, they can unlock a world of possibilities for children.”
The report draws on data from more than 130 low and middle-income countries, assessing deprivation across six areas: education, health, nutrition, housing, sanitation and water.
Poverty undermines children’s health, development and learning, leading to weaker job prospects, shorter lifespans and higher rates of depression and anxiety.
UNICEF finds 118 million children are deprived in three or more of the areas studied.
The findings come as many governments scale back foreign aid.
The agency warns that cuts could leave six million more children out of school by next year.
