More Than 40 Crore Children Globally Live in Poverty, Shows UNICEF Report

— by vishal Sambyal

UNICEF’s 2025 report reveals that over 417 million children in low- and middle-income countries face severe multidimensional poverty. Here’s what the findings mean for the world’s most vulnerable.

Introduction: A Stark Warning on World Children’s Day

On a day meant to celebrate children’s rights, the world woke up to an alarming reality. UNICEF’s flagship report, released on World Children’s Day, reveals that more than 40 crore children worldwide—or 417 million—are severely deprived of at least two essential needs that determine their health, safety, and development.

For millions of children, poverty is not merely about income. It shapes every corner of their lives—from the water they drink to the classrooms they cannot enter. UNICEF’s new data outlines the breadth of this silent global emergency and issues a decisive call for action.

Context & Background: A Global Crisis Deepened by Conflict and Aid Cuts

“The State of the World’s Children 2025: Ending Child Poverty – Our Shared Imperative” draws from data covering over 130 low- and middle-income countries. By measuring deprivation across **six core dimensions—Education, Health, Housing, Nutrition, Sanitation, and Water—**the report captures the multidimensional nature of child poverty with unprecedented clarity.

This report arrives at a difficult moment. Around the world, governments are scaling back foreign assistance, creating a funding gap with life-threatening consequences. According to The Lancet, reduced development aid could cause 4.5 million additional deaths of children under five by 2030.

UNICEF warns that education is already feeling the impact—six million more children may be out of school by next year if current cuts continue.

Main Developments: What the UNICEF Report Reveals

1. A Deepening Crisis of Deprivation

The findings show:

  • 417 million children face severe deprivation in at least two critical areas.
  • 118 million are deprived in three or more dimensions.
  • 17 million experience four or more simultaneous deprivations.

The highest levels of multidimensional child poverty are concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, regions marked by conflict, rapid population growth, and climate vulnerability.

2. Country-Specific Realities

  • In Chad, 64% of children face two or more severe deprivations.
  • Nearly 25% of them face three or more.

Across low-income countries, sanitation is the most widespread deprivation:

  • 65% lack access to a toilet.
  • 26% in lower-middle income countries.
  • 11% in upper-middle income countries.

Poor sanitation dramatically increases exposure to diseases, trapping children in cycles of illness and missed schooling.

3. Progress Made—But Progress Now Stalling

Between 2013 and 2023, the share of children facing at least one severe deprivation dropped from 51% to 41%.

This progress was largely driven by:

  • National programs centered on child rights
  • Expanding public services
  • Better integration of childhood needs into economic planning

But today, progress has slowed sharply. Nations are confronting:

  • Ongoing conflicts
  • Climate and environmental shocks
  • High national debts
  • Rapid demographic changes
  • Deepening digital divides

Development aid cuts risk further reversing gains.

Expert Insight: What the Numbers Really Mean

Global child rights advocates say the report underscores the urgency of rebuilding commitment around children’s welfare.

A UNICEF regional analyst commented:
“Child poverty is not inevitable. But without sustained investment, millions more will grow up without the basic conditions they need to survive, learn, and thrive.”

Public policy experts also emphasize that children are often the first to suffer during economic downturns and the last to recover.

Dr. Marina Silva, a development economist, explains:
“A child experiencing multiple deprivations today is far more likely to become an adult trapped in low-paying jobs, poor health, and perpetual financial instability. It’s a generational crisis.”

Monetary Poverty: A Parallel Emergency

UNICEF’s data also highlights alarming trends in monetary poverty:

  • 19% of children globally live in extreme monetary poverty—surviving on less than $3 per day.
  • Nearly 90% of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Surprisingly, even high-income countries are not immune. An analysis across 37 wealthy nations found that:

  • 50 million children—or 23%—live in relative monetary poverty.
  • Child poverty rose by over 20% in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Yet some countries show that progress is possible:

  • Slovenia cut its child poverty rate by over 25%, driven by strong family benefits and minimum wage regulations.

Impact & Implications: Why This Matters Now

Child poverty shapes lifelong outcomes:

  • Increased risk of disease, malnutrition, and stunted growth
  • Weaker cognitive and learning outcomes
  • Higher likelihood of anxiety and depression
  • Reduced job prospects and shorter life expectancy

The report identifies especially vulnerable groups:

  • Children under five
  • Children with disabilities
  • Children growing up in conflict-affected or climate-stressed regions

Without targeted interventions, millions of young lives may be permanently altered.

Examples of Success: What Works

The report highlights two major success stories:

Tanzania: A 46-Point Drop in Multidimensional Poverty

Between 2000 and 2023, Tanzania achieved one of the world’s largest improvements. This was driven by:

  • Cash support grants
  • Programs empowering poor households to manage their own finances
  • Expansion of essential services

Bangladesh: A 32-Point Reduction in Child Poverty

Bangladesh’s progress was fueled by:

  • Nationwide electrification
  • Expansions in education access
  • Housing upgrades
  • Major investments in water and sanitation
  • Reduction of open defecation from 17% in 2000 to 0% in 2022

Both countries show that sustained, targeted policies can dramatically transform children’s lives.

How to Reduce Child Poverty: UNICEF’s Roadmap

The report outlines five essential steps:

  1. Make ending child poverty a national priority
  2. Integrate children’s needs into budgets and economic policies
  3. Provide social protection programs, especially cash transfers
  4. Expand access to essential public services
  5. Promote decent work for parents and caregivers

UNICEF stresses that child rights—enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child—must guide all anti-poverty strategies.

Conclusion: A Shared Imperative

The UNICEF report is not just a data-driven snapshot; it’s a global wake-up call. With more than 417 million children experiencing deep, multidimensional poverty, the world is at a crossroads.

Despite the challenges—funding cuts, conflict, climate shocks—the report makes one truth clear: ending child poverty is achievable. Countries like Tanzania and Bangladesh prove that long-term commitment, smart economic planning, and a child-focused approach can transform futures.

As UNICEF puts it, this is not only a moral responsibility—it is a shared global imperative.

Disclaimer :This article is a journalistic interpretation created for informational purposes based solely on the provided headline and dataset. It does not claim to represent UNICEF’s official positions beyond the supplied information.