United Nations (TDI): A report from the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) has revealed that over one billion people globally are living in multidimensional poverty, with children constituting more than half of this population.
The 2024 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which analyzed data from 112 countries, shows that poverty rates are three times higher in conflict-affected areas, which are experiencing their highest levels of hardship since World War II.
The report highlights that 455 million people reside in conflict zones, where the struggle for basic necessities such as housing, sanitation, and nutrition is intensified by insecurity.
Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are identified as home to 83.2% of the world’s poorest individuals.
Also Read: China and Uzbekistan collaborate on poverty reduction
Children are particularly vulnerable, with 584 million minors living in extreme poverty.
India has the largest number of impoverished people, with 234 million, followed by Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which together account for nearly half of the world’s poorest population.
Also Read: Rise in Global Hunger: Gaza and Sudan Bear the Brunt
The findings emphasize the urgent need for initiatives aimed at poverty reduction and peacebuilding, according to Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI.
Alkire highlighted the difficulty of alleviating poverty in conflict zones and stressed that sustainable peace is crucial for making progress.
