Report on Child Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A joint report by the World Bank and UNICEF indicates a severe and persistent child poverty crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite a global decrease in extreme child poverty over the last decade, the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa has not improved, with over half of the region’s children living below the extreme poverty line. This stagnation directly undermines progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty). The report highlights multifaceted deprivation, including lack of access to education, healthcare, and nutrition, further compounding the challenges to achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Key Findings on Child Poverty

• Global vs. Regional Trends: Globally, the number of children in extreme poverty (living on less than $3 a day) fell from 507 million in 2014 to 412 million in 2024. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa has demonstrated no improvement over the same period.
• Prevalence: Approximately one in five children worldwide lives in extreme poverty. In Sub-Saharan Africa, this figure rises to over 50% of the child population.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The report’s findings present significant challenges to the achievement of the global SDGs:

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty): The lack of progress in Sub-Saharan Africa is a direct failure to meet Target 1.2, which aims to halve the proportion of people living in poverty in all its dimensions.
2. SDG 4 (Quality Education): Widespread poverty is a primary barrier to education. The report notes that global education funding cuts could force an additional 6 million children out of school, directly contravening the goal of universal access to quality education.
3. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The report links poverty to malnutrition, as evidenced by Nigeria’s “triple burden” of undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, hindering progress on Target 2.2.
4. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Lack of access to healthcare is a key dimension of child poverty identified in the report, impacting child mortality and overall well-being.
5. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The growing gap between global progress and the stagnation in Sub-Saharan Africa highlights a critical failure to reduce inequalities between and within countries.
6. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The report implicitly connects poverty to vulnerability, with UNICEF raising awareness on the dangers of violence against children, aligning with Target 16.2.

Case Study: Nigeria

A UNICEF study in Nigeria’s Kano State provides a granular view of multidimensional poverty:

• Deprivation of Basic Services: 69.2% of children lack access to fundamental services such as education, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter.
• Monetary Poverty: Nearly 60% of children live in monetary poverty.

These statistics underscore the interconnected nature of poverty and its impact on human development, directly affecting Nigeria’s ability to meet its SDG commitments.

Contributing Factors and Related Challenges

• Education Funding: UNICEF warns that a projected U.S.$3.2 billion reduction in Official Development Assistance for education threatens to reverse progress, potentially increasing the number of out-of-school children worldwide.
• Malnutrition: The Nigerian government has identified a “triple burden” of malnutrition, where undernutrition coexists with overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, posing a complex public health challenge linked to SDG 2.
• Climate Change: In response to environmental challenges, a £19 million initiative by the UK and UNICEF aims to build climate-resilient schools and health centers in Nigeria, linking poverty reduction efforts to SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Recommendations and Calls to Action

In light of these findings, UNICEF has issued several calls to action to governments and stakeholders:

1. Increase budgetary allocations specifically for child-focused programmes to address the root causes of poverty and deprivation.
2. Leverage media and public platforms to raise awareness regarding children’s rights, the importance of school enrolment, and the prevention of violence against children.
3. Strengthen partnerships, such as the collaboration between the World Bank, UNICEF, and the UK government, to create targeted interventions aligned with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights several interconnected issues, primarily focusing on child welfare in Sub-Saharan Africa, which directly relates to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The following SDGs are addressed:

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  This is the central theme of the article. It explicitly states that “more than half of its [Sub-Saharan Africa’s] children living below the poverty line” and that “one in five children worldwide lives in extreme poverty.” The article discusses both monetary poverty (surviving on less than $3 a day) and multidimensional poverty, which includes a lack of basic services.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The article addresses this goal by highlighting the issue of malnutrition in Nigeria. It mentions the government’s alarm over a “triple burden of malnutrition, undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies,” which directly relates to ending all forms of malnutrition.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal is connected through the discussion of children’s lack of access to essential services. The article specifies that a UNICEF study in Nigeria’s Kano State found that 69.2% of children “lack access to… healthcare,” which is a fundamental component of this SDG.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article directly connects to this goal by pointing out that a significant percentage of children in Kano State (69.2%) “lack access to education.” It further emphasizes the threat to education by warning that “steep global education funding cuts could leave 6 million more children out of school by 2026.”

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The need for adequate housing and basic services, a key component of SDG 11, is addressed. The article notes that children in Kano State lack access to “shelter.” The final image of a family in a camp for displaced people further underscores the challenges related to safe and adequate housing.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 1.1: Eradicate extreme poverty

   The article directly relates to this target by focusing on “extreme child poverty” and defining it as households surviving on “less than $3 a day.” The report’s finding that Sub-Saharan Africa has seen “no improvement in the past decade” in reducing this figure highlights the challenge in meeting this target.

2. Target 1.2: Reduce poverty in all its dimensions

   The article’s reference to the UNICEF study in Nigeria, which found that “69.2% of children in Kano State lack access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter,” is a clear reference to multidimensional poverty. This target aims to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty according to national definitions, which includes such deprivations.

3. Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition

   This target is explicitly addressed when the article discusses Nigeria’s “‘triple burden’ of malnutrition, undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies.” This phrase directly aligns with the target’s goal of ending all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

4. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage

   The mention of a high percentage of children in Kano State lacking “access to… healthcare” points directly to the challenges in achieving universal health coverage, which includes access to quality essential healthcare services for all, especially vulnerable populations like children.

5. Target 4.1: Ensure free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education

   The article’s statement that millions of children could be left “out of school” due to funding cuts and that many children in Kano State “lack access to education” directly pertains to this target of ensuring all children complete their education.

6. Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services

   The finding that children in Kano State lack “shelter” is a direct connection to this target, which aims to ensure everyone has access to adequate housing.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line

  This is directly implied by the statistic that “more than half of its [Sub-Saharan Africa’s] children living below the poverty line” and the definition of extreme poverty as living on “less than $3 a day.” This is a key indicator for Target 1.1.

• Proportion of people living in poverty in all its dimensions

  The article provides a specific data point for this indicator: “69.2% of children in Kano State lack access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and shelter.” This measures the multiple deprivations that constitute multidimensional poverty, relevant to Target 1.2.

• Prevalence of malnutrition

  The reference to Nigeria’s “triple burden of malnutrition” (undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies) serves as a qualitative indicator for Target 2.2. Quantitative data on these three aspects would be the specific metrics.

• Proportion of children out of school

  The warning that “6 million more children out of school by 2026” is a direct reference to an indicator for Target 4.1. The percentage of children in Kano lacking access to education is another measure of this.

• Proportion of population with access to basic services

  The article implies this indicator by stating that a high percentage of children lack access to “healthcare” and “shelter.” Measuring the percentage of the population, particularly children, with access to these services is crucial for monitoring Targets 3.8 and 11.1.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: allafrica.com