One in five children in developed world in relative poverty: UN

16 June 2017 10:41 am

 

REUTERS, 15th JUNE, 2017- One in five children in rich countries lives in relative poverty, according to a UNICEF report published Thursday that put the US and New Zealand among the world’s worst performers for youth well-being.


Nearly 13 percent of children in those countries lack access to sufficient safe and nutritious food, the report said, with that number rising to 20 percent in the US and Britain. “Higher incomes do not automatically lead to improved outcomes for all children, and may indeed deepen inequalities,” said Sarah Cook, director of the UNICEF Innocenti research office that published the study.


“Governments in all countries need to take action to ensure the gaps are reduced and progress is made,” she said.