Over one billion children lack fundamental rights. This is what their world looks like in 2023.
Children make up one-third of the global population, but they starkly overrepresent those afflicted by humanitarian crises. It is estimated nearly 335 million children live in poverty — nearly 50% of the total number of impoverished people. Poverty creates ripple effects in the life of a child, impacting their lives in the most fundamental ways.
Barriers to Being A Child
- Education: Globally, more than 224 million children face barriers to education. One such barrier to attending school is child labor — of the 160 million children in child labor today, 53 million are not in school.
- Safety: 1 out of every 6 children are living in conflict zones. Between 2021 and 2022, children living in conflict increased by 10%. Half of children living in crisis live in the areas with the deadliest conflict.
- Displacement: Over 43 million children are living in forced displacement due to conflict and violence — they largely overrepresent the world’s total refugees.
- Nutrition: 45 million children suffer from malnutrition every year. 1 in 5 children do not have access to enough clean water, making them vulnerable to disease. Malnutrition is one of the driving forces behind child pneumonia — which kills one child every minute.
- Health: While newborn mortality has nearly halved, 6,400 babies die every day before reaching one month old. Despite vaccines saving an estimated 4.4 million lives every year, 1 in 5 children are either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.
- Climate Change: Nearly every child on the planet is impacted by climate change. It is now considered one of the greatest threats facing young people.
Future for Every Child
As our planet’s population continues to expand, so does its challenges. The world’s population is expected to near 10 billion by 2050, and much of this growth is concentrated in developing countries where parents devote nearly all of their resources to the survival. While there are some signs that extreme poverty may fall, children from these and other conflict-afflicted regions are still disproportionately affected. Support now is imperative in ensuring every child’s future has equal promise.
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