According to calculations by the World Bank and the United Nations, approximately 692 million people respectively 9% of the world´s total population lived in extrem poverty in 2024. These people live on less than US-Dollar 2.15 per day, which equals to approximately US-Dollar 65.00 per month. The majority of these extremly poor people live in Africa (Sub-Sahara), South Asia, and Latin America.
Although the number of people living in extreme poverty has declined worldwide over the last 30 years, the corona pandemic has again caused a significant increase in extreme poverty. According to estimates by the World Bank and the United Nations, the corona pandemic has resulted in approximately 23 million additional people living in extreme poverty. Furthermore, there has been a general increase in extreme poverty in particular in Africa (Sub-Sahara).
International statistics show that in particular women and girls are strongly affected by extreme poverty. Women also account for only 35% of the global income, although, given the proportion of women in the overall population, this share should be around 50%. However, in order to truly and objectively assess poverty, it is necessary to consider not only financial criteria, but also factors such as education, health, and access to social security ("multi-dimensional poverty").
Based on the concept of multi-dimensional poverty, significantly more people live in extreme poverty than in case of a purely monetary analysis of poverty. According to this concept, approximately 1.1 billion people - among them are approximately 570 million children - lived in extreme poverty in 2024. These people have for example no or only very insufficient general and professional education, they lack adequate housing, and they have no access to toiletts and adequate washing facilities.
Due to this very bad and terrible starting position, these human beings have hardly any perspective for a better future, hardly any chance for a sustainable job feeding themselves and their families, and therefore no realistic chance for a dignified human existence.
Life Concepts & Generations
Non-profit Educational Association Switzerland
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