UNICEF has revealed that more than 400 million children globally live in poverty, lacking at least two essential needs such as nutrition, sanitation, or healthcare. The warning comes as global funding cuts, conflicts, and climate crises threaten children’s access to critical services.
The findings are detailed in UNICEF’s flagship report, The State of the World’s Children 2025: Ending Child Poverty Our Shared Imperative, released on World Children’s Day.
The report draws on data from over 130 low- and middle-income countries and measures multidimensional poverty across six categories: education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, and water.
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According to the report:
- 417 million children in low- and middle-income countries face severe deprivation in at least two essential areas.
- 118 million experience three or more deprivations, while 17 million suffer four or more.
- Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia record the highest rates of multidimensional poverty, with Chad seeing 64% of children deprived in two or more areas.
- Sanitation is the most widespread deprivation, affecting 65% of children in low-income countries.
While some progress has been made—such as a drop in children facing one or more severe deprivations from 51% in 2013 to 41% in 2023—gains are slowing due to conflict, climate change, mounting debt, and technological divides. Cuts to Official Development Assistance (ODA) threaten to deepen child deprivation further.
The report highlights successful national efforts:
- Tanzania reduced multidimensional child poverty by 46 percentage points between 2000 and 2023 through cash support grants and empowerment initiatives.
- Bangladesh cut child poverty by 32 percentage points over the same period by improving education, housing, electricity, water, and sanitation access.
UNICEF emphasizes that poverty undermines children’s health, development, and future opportunities, particularly affecting young children, children with disabilities, and those in crisis zones. Monetary poverty also remains critical, with over 19% of children globally living on less than US$3 per day, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The report calls on governments to make ending child poverty a national priority by:
- Integrating children’s needs into economic policies and budgets.
- Expanding access to essential public services.
- Providing social protection programs, including cash support for families.
- Promoting decent work for parents to strengthen household economic security.
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UNICEF warns that cuts in development aid could result in 4.5 million child deaths under five by 2030 and leave six million more children out of school next year, underscoring the urgent need for global action to protect the world’s most vulnerable.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
