World Children's Day

The Executive Board is the governing body of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), providing intergovernmental support and oversight to the organization. The 2025 Annual Session will be held in-person from 16 to 19 June 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters. Watch the (2nd plenary meeting) UNICEF Executive Board, 2026 Annual Session! 02:43:08 Economic and Social Council

Who is most at risk of child poverty? The world’s youngest children experience higher rates of poverty than older ones. Children with disabilities, children living in rural areas, and indigenous children experience higher rates of poverty than other children. Historic levels of conflict are also driving more children into poverty, with half of all children in fragile and conflict-affected settings living in extreme poverty. Children who are displaced or refugees, though often undercounted, face heightened poverty risk both in transit and upon arrival. Where is child poverty most common? Together, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia account for almost 9 out of 10 children living in extreme monetary poverty. Such concentration in these two regions is no reason for complacency elsewhere. Substantial levels of child poverty exist around the world, even in countries that are now considered relatively well off. In high-income countries, about 50 million children live in monetary poverty, mean...

Both universal and targeted family and child benefits have demonstrably helped reduce child poverty rates, improved nutrition and health, and increased school attendance and completion . Targeted cash transfer programmes have proven effective in countries including Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, while Poland’s universal child benefit has helped drive a substantial reduction in child poverty rates . Still, approximately 1.6 billion children globally lack any form of social protection coverage. Learn more on the Ways to Expand inclusive social protection .