Eradica�ng extreme poverty for all people everywhere by 2030 is a pivotal aim of the Sustainable
Development Goals. Extreme poverty, defined as surviving on less than US$3.00 per person per day at
2021 purchasing power parity, has witnessed remarkable declines over recent decades.
However, in 2025, 808 million people – or 1 in 10 people worldwide – were living in extreme poverty, an
upward revision from earlier es�mates because of the updated poverty line. If current trends con�nue, 8.9 per
cent of the world’s popula�on will s�ll live in extreme poverty by 2030.
A shocking revela�on is the resurgence of hunger levels to those last observed in 2005. Equally concerning is
the persistent increase in food prices across a larger number of countries compared to the period from 2015 to
2019. This dual challenge of poverty and food security poses a cri�cal global concern.
Why is there so much poverty?
Poverty has many dimensions, but its causes include unemployment, social exclusion, and high vulnerability of
certain popula�ons to disasters, diseases and other phenomena which prevent them from being produc�ve.
Why should I care about other people’s economic situa�on?
There are many reasons, but in short, because as human beings, our well- being is linked to each other.
Growing inequality is detrimental to economic growth and undermines social cohesion, increasing poli�cal and
social tensions and, in some circumstances, driving instability and conflicts.
Why is social protec�on so important?
Strong social protec�on systems are essen�al for mi�ga�ng the effects and preven�ng many people from
falling into poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic had both immediate and long-term economic consequences for
people across the globe – and despite the expansion of social protec�on during the COVID-19 crisis, 47.6 per
cent of the world’s popula�on – about 3.8 billion people – are en�rely unprotected, including 1.4 billion
children in 2023.
In response to the cost-of-living crisis, 105 countries and territories announced almost 350 social protec�on
measures between February 2022 and February 2023. Yet 80 per cent of these were short-term in nature, and
to achieve the Goals, countries will need to implement na�onally appropriate universal and sustainable social
protec�on systems for all.
What can I do about it?
Your ac�ve engagement in policymaking can make a difference in addressing poverty. It ensures that your
rights are promoted and that your voice is heard, that inter-genera�onal knowledge is shared, and that
innova�on and cri�cal thinking are encouraged at all ages to support transforma�onal change in people’s lives
and communi�es.
