Child poverty is everyone’s problem having devastating impacts on all societies and economies, be it rich or poor, urban or rural - it affects everyone.
But it is felt most strongly by children living in poverty right now.
Millions of children around the world suffer from the immediate consequence of child poverty every day. For some, child poverty may mean going to work while seeing other kids going to school. For others, it can mean not having food for dinner tonight. Or, some children may be waiting for their parents to come back home after finishing a long working shift to earn minimum income.
“I often hear that we as children are the future of the nation, and we are. But we are also the present and I want my rights to be fulfilled now.”
Source: Save the Children (2016)
Children from around the globe have spoken about their experiences.
Child poverty numbers matter. But equally important is to understand the hardships that children living in poverty face every day.
On this year’s International Day for The eradication of Poverty,
we invite you to take a moment,
to listen to them.
©UNICEF/UNI125824/Arfa
Source: Dorji, L., (2016)
Source: Caritas (2013)
Source: Anku, V (2012)
Source: Jade in Walker et al.(2008)
Source: Anku, V (2012)
Source: Dorji, L., (2016)
Source: Caritas (2013)
Source: Dorji, L., (2016)
List of Resources
Save the Children (2016) Child Poverty. What Drives it and what it means to children across the world. Save the Children UK. London
Caritas Europa (2013) Child Poverty. Listen to the voices of children in poverty! Caritas Europa. Belgium.
Dorji, L., (2016) Children's lived experience of poverty from Child Poverty in Bhutan. National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan. Thimpu.
Anku, V., (2012) Children’s Perspectives Of Poverty And Livelihood Strategies In Sakumono Village, Ghana. Trondheim, Norway
Walkers, J., et al. (2008) Listening to children: gaining a perspective of the experiences of poverty and social exclusion from children and young people of single-parent families. Health Soc Care Community. Jul; 16(4): 429-36
Saidov, F. (undated) Children’s Voices: A Qualitative Study of Poverty in Tajikistan. UNICEF Tajikistan and Strategic Research Center under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.