UN Report: 1.1 Billion People Facing Acute Poverty

More than one billion people worldwide are living in acute poverty, with over half of them being children, according to a UN Development Program report released Thursday. The report, in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), noted that poverty rates are three times higher in conflict-affected countries, as 2023 saw the most global conflicts since World War II. The Multidimensional Poverty Index, which assesses factors like inadequate housing, sanitation, and nutrition, found that 1.1 billion people suffer from extreme poverty, with 455 million living in conflict zones.

The report highlighted that 584 million children are enduring extreme poverty, representing 27.9% of the global child population, compared to 13.5% of adults. Additionally, 83.2% of the world's poorest reside in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. 

Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI, emphasized the magnitude of the issue, calling for urgent international efforts to reduce poverty and foster lasting peace in affected areas.

India leads in extreme poverty, with 234 million people affected, followed by Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which together account for nearly half of the world's poorest.