The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sharp increase in child poverty, with 333 million children now living on less than $2.15 per day, according to a new report.
This is an increase of 30 million children since before the pandemic.
The report, published by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank, found that the pandemic has had a devastating impact on children's lives. Millions of children have been forced out of school, lost their jobs, and seen their families' incomes plummet.
"Compounding crises, from the impacts of COVID-19, conflict, climate change, and economic shocks, have stalled progress and left millions of children in extreme poverty," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
The report found that sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected by child poverty, with 40% of children living in extreme poverty. This is followed by South Asia, where 31% of children live in extreme poverty.
The report called on countries to take urgent action to address child poverty. This includes expanding access to education and healthcare and investing in social protection programmes.
