Global Child Poverty Falls, But Disparities Remain, New Data Shows
WASHINGTON D.C. – The number of children living in extreme poverty globally has fallen to 412 million in 2024, down from 507 million in 2014, according to new research released by the World Bank and UNICEF. While this represents important progress, stark regional differences persist, with Sub-Saharan Africa bearing the brunt of the crisis.
The study, utilizing the World Bank’s Global Monitoring Database and recently revised global poverty lines – $3 for low-income, $4.20 for lower-middle-income,and $8.30 for upper-middle-income countries – reveals that roughly one in five children worldwide currently live in households struggling to survive on less than $3 per day.
South Asia has experienced notably dramatic improvements,more than halving its child poverty rate over the past decade. India is credited with the largest reduction in the number of extremely poor children within the region, successfully lowering both the number and proportion of children living below the poverty line.
However, the picture is far from uniform. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a major hotspot, housing over 312 million children in extreme poverty – representing approximately three-quarters of the global total, despite being home to only 23% of the world’s children. The region’s child poverty rate stands at around 52% in 2024, unchanged as 2014, and is heavily concentrated in areas affected by conflict.
conversely, the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing a worrying trend, with child poverty nearly doubling between 2014 and 2024, rising from 7.2% to 13.3% of the child population.
This research builds upon collaborative efforts between the world Bank and UNICEF dating back to 2016, and expands on previous findings from 2023 regarding global child poverty.The updated data incorporates information from recent surveys, providing more accurate estimates in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
