Child Poverty in East Asia and the Pacific: Deprivations and Disparities

Analysing the situation of children living in seven East Asia and Pacific countries with a child population over 93 million, the ‘Child Poverty in East Asia and the Pacific: Deprivations and Disparities’ study found over 30 million suffered from at least one form of severe deprivation. The range of deprivations faced include the inability to go to school, or access basic health care, safe drinking water, a sanitary toilet or adequate nutrition –more than 13 million suffered from two or more forms of severe deprivation.

The study analyses child poverty in East Asia and the Pacific emphasises that poverty affects children in vastly different ways than adults. As a result, policy makers need to look beyond family income indicators to gain a more complete picture of poverty and the deprivations children face.

The report notes that family poverty often affects children most directly through their access to shelter, food, water, sanitation, education, health and information. When a child is deprived of one or more of these essential services, their experience of poverty deepens.