Poverty Hurts: Child Poverty, Mental Health, and Violence
Event Date: 17 October 2025, Time: 8.00 AM EST (2.00 PM CEST)
Background:
Poor mental health of children and/or their caretakers can deeply undermine children’s and young people’s education, health, future earning potential, relationships, and in many cases contribute to increased mortality. Similarly, exposure to violence harm children’s bodies and minds, with detrimental lasting effects.
Children across all income levels, including in high-income settings, suffer from mental health problems and violence. However, poverty can heighten these risks by increasing household stress, leaving caregivers with less time and limiting access to important services.
On the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) on October 17th this webinar looked at how child poverty links to children’s mental health and violence.
In line with this year’s IDEP theme “Ending Social and Institutional Maltreatment: Ensuring Respect and Effective Support for Families”, this event also covered the policies that help tackle poverty while also preventing violence and strengthening mental-health support for children and families.
Opening Remarks:
Ann Willhoite (UNICEF)
Speakers:
Carmen Leon-Himmelstine (ODI) - Researcher working on Addressing the mental health needs of adolescents in Tanzania and Viet Nam through the co-creation of digital and non-digital solutions
Claudia Cappa (UNICEF) - Author of Are the poorest families the most violent? Exploring the relationship between poverty and violence against children around the world (evidence from 12 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe)
Priya Edwards (Save the Children) - Author of A Dual Crisis: The hidden link between poverty and children’s mental health (focus on the UK)
Moderators:
Oliver Fiala, Co-chair, Global Coalition to End Child Poverty
Sola Engilbertsdottir, Co-chair, Global Coalition to End Child Poverty