UNITED NATIONS: A new UN Development Program (UNDP) report revealed that over 1.1 billion people around the world are living in extreme poverty, with more than half of them being children.
The report, produced in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), found that poverty rates are three times higher in countries affected by conflict. The year 2023 saw the highest number of conflicts globally since World War II, further worsening the situation.
The annual Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) has been published since 2010 and collects data from 112 countries, representing 6.3 billion people. It measures poverty using indicators like access to housing, sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel, nutrition, and education.
Yanchun Zhang, the UNDP’s chief statistician, stated, “The 2024 MPI shows 1.1 billion people are in multidimensional poverty, with 455 million of them living in conflict zones.” She added that those in war-torn countries face an even harsher struggle for basic necessities.
The report highlighted that 584 million children under 18 are living in extreme poverty, accounting for 27.9% of the global child population, while 13.5% of adults face the same challenges. It also showed that 83.2% of the world’s poorest people live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI, emphasized that conflicts are significantly slowing poverty reduction efforts. “The sheer number of people facing poverty while fearing for their safety is staggering,” she said, calling for global efforts to reduce poverty and promote lasting peace.
India has the highest number of people in extreme poverty, with 234 million affected, followed by Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which together account for nearly half of the global total.