# Global Poverty Hits 1.2 Billion Children

> UNDP report shows 1.2 billion people in multidimensional poverty, 617 million children affected.
- Title: Global Poverty Hits 1.2 Billion Children · Allafrica
- Summary: UNDP report shows 1.2 billion people in multidimensional poverty, 617 million children affected. Global multidimensional poverty reached 1.2 billion people…
- Keywords: united nations development programme, multidimensional poverty, child hardship, global poverty, university of oxford, 2026, kenya, news, world, politics, Global, Poverty
- Source: Allafrica — https://allafrica.com/stories/202610120146.html
- Published: 2026-10-12T07:56:11+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: united nations development programme, multidimensional poverty, child hardship, global poverty, university of oxford, 2026, kenya, news, world, politics
## Global Poverty Rises
The number of people living in acute multidimensional poverty worldwide has risen for the first time since a global index was launched in 2010.
## 1.2 Billion Affected
The 2026 update of the global Multidimensional Poverty Index estimates 1.2 billion people living in multidimensional poverty.
## Children at Risk
617 million children account for more than half of those affected by multidimensional poverty.
## Rural Challenge
83 per cent of people living in multidimensional poverty live in rural areas.
## UNDP Response
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo urged renewed global action to address interconnected hardships faced by poor households.
## Poverty Causes
The rise in global poverty count reflects revised population estimates and shifts in poverty incidence across countries.
## Progress in Some Countries
Egypt, Nepal and Tajikistan recorded significant declines in multidimensional poverty rates.
## Nigeria's Reversal
Nigeria experienced an increase in multidimensional poverty after making progress during the 2010s.
## Sustainable Progress
Eswatini halved multidimensional poverty in 15 years, reducing the rate from 38.7 per cent to 8 per cent.
## Key takeaway

Global multidimensional poverty reached 1.2 billion people in 2026, with 617 million children affected.