A new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reveals that more than 1.1 billion people worldwide are living in severe poverty, with children comprising over half of this population. The 2024 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), highlights the devastating impact of conflict on poverty levels, with poverty rates three times higher in conflict-affected regions.
The report underscores that 455 million people in conflict zones struggle daily for basic needs. Notably, children bear the brunt, with 584 million under the age of 18 enduring extreme poverty.
Regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia remain heavily affected, hosting 83.2 percent of the world’s poorest people. India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo account for nearly half of the global population living in extreme poverty.
The report calls for increased efforts to combat poverty and promote peace in affected regions.
News Editor