Regional Reports
East Asia and the Pacific
This study is the first measurement of multidimensional child poverty at the regional level in East Asia and the Pacific. It is based on seven countries in the region: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, Vanuatu and Viet Nam. The study results show that, of the 93 million children who live in these seven countries, approximately 54% experience poverty, as measured by deprivation of basic needs.
In 2006, approximately 36% of children suffered severe deprivation in at least one of the seven dimensions identified as relevant for child poverty (food, water, shelter, sanitation, health, education and information) and approximately 14% suffered from severe deprivation in multiple dimensions. In the group of countries with the highest rates of child poverty (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Mongolia), approximately 83% of children were severely deprived in at least one dimension.
Latin America & the Caribbean (Spanish)Country Reports
Bolivia (Spanish) 69% of the population aged 0-17, that is 2.9 million children and adolescents, are income poor in Bolivia. The study shows that deprivations associated with the home are highest, with 39.7% of children experiencing housing deprivation, 29.2% are deprived of adequate sanitation, and 14.4% of safe water. 10.6% of all children are deprived of education, and 8.1% of access to health services. There exist significant disparities within the country, particularly between urban and rural areas: 90.5% of children and adolescents in rural areas are in poverty, when utilizing a multidimensional measure. Additionally children from indigenous backgrounds are disproportionately affected. The study recommends complimenting the existing measure of income poverty with a multidimensional measure; in order to full capture the experiences of children living in poverty.
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Jamaica (English)
The report portrays that the percentage of the children who fall under the poverty line has been declining steadily, as has overall poverty in the country. Within a study of deprivation, findings indicate that frequency of severe deprivation was 9% in the health dimension and 5% for water deprivation. Furthermore, no Jamaican children were reported to be severely deprived of education. Recommendations are to aggressively implement existing policies, while simultaneously identifying the gaps in this policy framework. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need to concentrate on indicators of quality of services.
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Despite the progress achieved in social development in the nineties, the report finds that Mexico still has high levels of poverty and inequality directly affecting children. Approximately 25% of children experienced food poverty in 2005, and 24% of children were severely deprived of housing. The study informs of the large disparities within the country; rural children face far more disadvantages than those that reside in urban areas. Additionally, indigenous children are Mexico’s most vulnerable group and experienced significantly higher rates of deprivation. Therefore, policy recommendations include progressive government spending that focuses on rural, indigenous and marginalized populations.
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Central & Eastern Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States
Using a poverty line of €1.417 per day the report notes that 48.6% of the child population in Kosovo is poor, as opposed to 46.2% of the general population. The report demonstrates that if welfare benefits were deducted from their total household consumption, 5% of children who are currently not poor based on the extremely poverty line would have been classed as extremely poor. At the same time, 9% of children who are currently not poor based on the total poverty line would have been classed as poor if benefit income were deducted from their household consumption. Consequently, one of the policy recommendations of the report is to increase the benefit paid to children of school age.
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The findings of the report indicate that in Kyrgyzstan 34.8% of families with children live under the overall poverty line. Additionally, 13.7% of children under-five are stunted, which is an indicator of chronic poor nutrition. Although primary school enrolment is high, only 11% of children have access to pre-schools, and functional literacy remains a problem. The report identifies a gap in knowledge on the complexity and scale of child poverty within the country. Therefore policy needs include recognizing and defining the social problem of child poverty, to then be better incorporated into government programming.
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More than one third of all households with children are considered poor, and large families with many children are faced with the worst situation. The poverty rate for families with many children is 64.6%. The deprivation approach to poverty indicates that 14% of households with children are unable to renew winter wear every 5 years; 20% are unable to pay for necessary medical services and over 11% of households with children do not have access to a school facility near the house. There exist disparities within the country as well, with rural populations being worse off than their urban counterparts. For example, 6.9% of urban households with children are deprived of timely emergency medical aid, as compared with 57% of rural households. Policy recommendations from the study include improving the social assistance programmes to provide better targeted social protection.
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In Burundi, 68% of households live in poverty, which largely impacts children. Nearly 17% of children aged 0-16 are orphans, with a large percentage due to the AIDS pandemic. Additionally other indicators also reveal high poverty and deprivation rates for children; 35% of children under-five are malnourished, and the under-five mortality rate remains high at 176 per 1,000 live births. There was a jump in primary school enrollment from 30% to 77%, however only 29% of children complete primary school. Additionally there exist large disparities within the country, with rural children and girls experiencing greater levels of poverty and deprivation. The study highlights new strategies, including pro-poor growth, combating rural exodus and policies that are targeted at the most disadvantaged children.
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The regional study on child poverty in the Indian Ocean region covers five countries: Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius and la Réunion, a Département of France. Child Poverty levels are highest in Madagascar with 74% of children living below the poverty line. A total of 929,000 children in the five countries are deprived of any vaccinations. 1 million children in the 5 countries suffer from malnutrition, with the majority in Madagascar. 2.5 million children in the region to not complete primary school; 40% of children in Madagascar, 20% in Comoros, 3% in Mauritius and 0% in Réunion. ½ of all children in Madagascar, and 15% of children in Comoros, are deprived of sanitation facilities.
The 2010 Study on Child Poverty and Disparities in Mozambique provides an opportunity to take stock of the progress made towards the realisation of the rights of the country’s ten million children since the 2006 Childhood Poverty Study: A Situation and Trends Analysis, and to assess the immense challenges that remain for the coming years. According to the 2008/2009 Household Budget Survey, 55 per cent of Mozambicans are living below the national poverty line of 18.4 Meticais ($US 0.50) per day. Using a deprivations-based approach the proportion of children living in absolute poverty in Mozambique fell from 59 per cent in 2003 to 48 per cent in 2008. Significant disparities exist in relation to provincial deprivations-based poverty rates. The proportion of children experiencing two or more severe deprivations was highest in Zambezia province in both 2003 and 2008 (80 and 64 per cent respectively). Maputo City has the lowest levels of absolute child poverty, with only 4 per cent of children experiencing two or more severe deprivations.
This report indicates that although Tanzania has made positive strides towards achieving health and education goals, child poverty and deprivation remain high, as does inequality. Approximately half (48%) of all children in rural Tanzania suffered three or more severe deprivations, of which water and shelter deprivation were most common; 78% of all children suffered severe shelter deprivation and 63% severe water deprivation. The report also finds that although data points to strong economic growth in the country, this growth has not been pro-poor. Hence, three essential elements are emphasized: national leadership, effective management by decentralized government, and collaboration with national, non-state actors. These core elements are key to ensuring that children benefit from national development.
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East Asia & the Pacific
Vanuatu has a young population that is growing rapidly, in which children make up approximately less than half of the population inhabiting the country’s 65 islands. Yet 17% of all children live in poverty or live under the national basic needs poverty line and 30.3% of children live under 60% of the national median income [with the rate being as high as 56.9% of children in the Torba region]. Factors of location, household size and the education level of the head of a household appear to have a great impact on the likelihood of children living in poverty. In regards to levels of deprivations of children in Vanuatu: 44% of children live with inadequate roofing; 38% of children use unimproved sanitation facilities; 16% of children use water from an unimproved source such as open wells, open springs or surface water; 55% of children ages 3-17 have no access to broadcast media; 26% of children ages 0-5 are more than 2 standard deviations below the international reference for stunting, wasting, or are underweight; 23% of children ages 7-17 were not attending school in 2007; and 65% of children ages 1-2 have not received eight of nine necessary vaccinations. Approximately 20.2% of children have at least one severe deprivation. The study recommends that promoting child well-being in Vanuatu requires an evidence-based approach and that improving educational attainment is likely to help reduce poverty and deprivation. The Vanuatu telecommunications reform in 2007 seems to have significantly reduced information deprivation and current steps towards abolishing primary school fees are likely to have an important impact on improving educational attainment. Although Vanuatu has a number of policies to promote child well-being, the study concludes that such policies should be better reflected in programs that concretely and measurably improve child outcomes.
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Although there has been progress in areas such as health and gender equality in education, this report shows that over the past two decades, the well-being of Filipino children below 15 years of age has been deteriorating. The number of children in income poverty stands at 12.9 million, with major disparities within the country; 7 out of 10 poor children are from the rural areas. 26.2% of children remain underweight, and the U5MR is 33.5. The report stresses the need for targeted interventions, to reach the most disadvantaged; including health services for the most rural mothers and children. Additionally, the need for policymakers to have a database of information on child well-being indicators is emphasized.
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This report notes that despite the government’s efforts to provide universal health and education services for all, there remain 9.5 per cent of children who are malnourished and 16.7 per cent of children who are not fully immunized.The persistence of poverty in Thailand is attributed mainly to uneven development and its benefits which have not reached all people in Thailand, causing income disparity and large scale migration to urban centers. The policy recommendations emphasize the need for integration of social services for holistic development of children, focusing on physical, mental, intellectual and emotional resiliency.
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Middle East & North Africa
2/3 of children in Djibouti suffer from at least one severe deprivation, with shelter deprivation being the most common. Furthermore, there exist significant disparities within the country both regional and rural-urban; 9 of 10 children in rural areas are deprived of housing, as compared with 7 0f 10 in urban areas. The report indicated that the nutritional status of children had declined, and that nearly 1 in 10 children dies before age 1. There have been numerous government education programs that have improved primary education in the country; however the country remains characterized by row enrollment. Additionally, rural areas appear to be even more disadvantaged with school attendance at 49%. Policy recommendations include developing strategies and programs that offer universal social services to poor and vulnerable groups.
Children are 1/3 of Egypt’s population and 1/5 of children live in poverty. The study shows that the economic growth experiences by the country has been neither pro-poor, nor pro-children. 23% of children between ages 0-15 are income poor; furthermore, one in four children are deprived of one or more dimensions of welfare. Children that live in income-poor households are more severely deprived in welfare dimensions as well. The study also indicates that child-poverty in Egypt is regional, with higher concentrations in rural areas and Upper Egypt; 30.5% of children in rural areas live in households that are poor, as compared with 12.6% in urban areas. However, vulnerability is the same for both boys and girls. The study recommends a refinement of the Egyptian definition of poverty, and the need to prioritize the well-being of children in public policy.
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South Asia
In Bangladesh, around 26.5 million out of 63 million children in the country are living below the national poverty line. The highest proportion of children, 64% of children aged 3-17 years, are deprived of sanitation, 59% of information, 41% of shelter, 35% of food, 16% of health and 8% of education. The report stresses the importance of strengthening the profile of children at the national policy table and the policy recommendations are amongst others monitoring the implementation of laws and regulations and programme results, and increased budgetary allocation are necessary for realizing the existing relevant policy commitments.
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West & Central Africa
The study indicates that the child poverty rate in Cameroon was 46.02% in 2007. Furthermore there exist disparities in the incidence of poverty within the country; households with children in rural areas are six times as likely to be at risk of poverty as compared with households with children in urban areas. In terms of deprivation, 64% of all children in Cameroon experience at least one form of severe deprivation, the most frequent of which is access to housing. Additionally, 30% of children lack access to food; 30% of children are deprived of access to information; and 20% of education. The situation of deprivation is significantly worse in rural areas. Therefore, one of the recommendations from the study is to focus on poverty reduction in the northern regions and rural areas, in order to address the significant geographic disparities in the country.
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76.6% of households live in poverty, based on the international poverty line of under $1 a day. Child poverty is estimated to be even higher. The report found as a result of the large population of displaced person, the spread of HIV/AIDS and violence, the DRC made little progress towards the MDGs between 1995 and 2001. However, slow progress between 2001 and 2007 was seen. The child mortality rate is 148 children per 1000 live births and 25% of the under-five population is underweight. Furthermore 8 of 10 children are severely deprived in at least one dimension of welfare. The study recommends prioritization of non-monetary poverty measures to improve living conditions, increasing resources for children through improved institutional capacity, and strengthening social protection provisions.
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The percentage of the Ghanian population living below the poverty line has fallen significantly from 52% in 1992 to 29% in 2006. Despite the fall in poverty, there remain concerns for child well-being in the country. The study shows that under-five mortality remained at 111 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2003. Additionally, 39% of children experience severe deprivation in sanitation, and 30% in education. There also exist major regional disparities within the country with concentrations of poverty in the northern regions. Children in rural areas are twice as likely to experience stunting as compared with urban children (27% versus 14%). Social protection is also a concern in the country, with 34% of girls aged 5-14 being engaged in child labor activities. Policy recommendations of the study include targeted social programming to address disparities, and an integrated and participatory approach to social protection.
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The study finds that child poverty in Mali is very high with 85% of children affected by severe deprivation and 50% by absolute deprivation. Additionally, the study found that housing and education were the areas where children were most deprived; 8 of 10 children are deprived of housing, and 6 of 10 children are deprived of education. However, the report found that children are less prone to deprivation of water and sanitation, areas that have seen progress in Mali. The study emphasizes key recommendations, including prioritizing satisfaction of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and replicating strategies that have been successful in certain regions of the country.
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The report finds that child poverty is fairly high in the country with significant regional and group-based disparities. The child poverty rate is 61%, with the youngest children most affected. Housing, sanitation and education are the dimensions of welfare that children are most deprived of. Nutrition is of great concern with 50% of children experiencing stunting and 45% underweight; furthermore, malnutrition has increased in the last decade. Similar results are found in other dimensions, with significant disparities between rural and urban populations, and girls and boys. Amongst many recommendations, the report emphasizes capacity building and resource efficiency.
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The Nigerian Child Poverty Study reveals that 79% of children are deprived in at least 1 of the 7 aspects considered. Water deprivation is the most common form experienced by children, and water and shelter deprivation the most frequent pair of deprivations. Additionally, 45% of male children and 40% of female children are severely food deprived; over 70% are not registered at birth; and over 30% experience severe educational deprivation. Moreover, there exist disparities within the country, particularly between rural and urban areas and different regions. For example, children in rural areas are far more likely to be food deprived experience stunting or underweight. Policy recommendations from the study include diversification of agriculture and strengthening of rural infrastructure, targeted at addressing regional disparities and food insecurity.
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The study illustrates that children are the most deprived segment of the population, with 54% of children living in poverty. Additionally, deprivation rates are high in all sectors within the country; 52% of children are not in school, 42% are deprived of adequate nutrition, 45% do not have access to healthcare, 68% of children have no access to water, and 58% are deprived of shelter. The report emphasizes the need for multidimensional strategies to address child poverty and deprivation. Policy recommendations include reducing costs and improving access to education, healthcare, water and sanitation.
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The report recognizes that Senegal has made significant progress towards achievement of the MDGs, particularly in the field of education. However, child poverty and deprivation rates still remain high. 54% of children live in poor households, the infant mortality rate is 127 of every 1,000 live births, 43% are severely deprived of housing, and almost one in two children did not complete primary school. Moreover, there exist large disparities, with children in rural area suffering far more deprivation. Policy recommendations include establishing a system of social protection to reduce deprivations and aligning government budgets which such goals.
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