Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty declined from 36 per cent in 1990 to 10 per cent in 2015. But the pace of change is decelerating and the聽COVID-19 crisis聽risks reversing decades of progress聽in the fight against poverty.聽New researchpublished by the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research warns that the economic fallout from聽the global pandemic could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people, or 8% of the total human population. This would be the first time that poverty has increased globally in thirty years, since 1990.
More than聽700 million people, or 10 per cent of the world population, still live in extreme poverty today, struggling to fulfil the most basic needs like health, education, and access to water and sanitation, to name a few. The majority of people living on less than $1.90 a day live in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, the聽poverty rate in rural areas is 17.2 per cent鈥攎ore than three times higher than in urban areas.聽
For those who work, having a job does not guarantee a decent living. In fact,聽8 per cent聽of employed workers and their families worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 2018. One out of five children live in extreme poverty. Ensuring social protection for all children and other vulnerable groups is critical to reduce poverty.
Collectively 亚洲影院聽researchers聽 across聽all Research Institutes, Centres and Groups聽(uws.ac.uk/research/research-institutes-centres-groups/)聽are working towards this goal.聽聽
Last updated: 03/11/2023