UN Report: Global Poverty Rises for First Time Since 2010; China Records Fastest Reduction

Oct 13, 2026 at 12:36 PM

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Lanka Leader

 Global poverty has increased for the first time since 2010, according to a new report released by the United Nations, with 1.2 billion people worldwide now living in extreme poverty.

The study, jointly published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Oxford, reveals that the number of people suffering from extreme poverty has risen by 51.5 million compared to the previous assessment. This marks the first such increase since the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was introduced in 2010.

The report, which covers 108 countries, moves beyond income-based poverty measurement to examine deprivations in health, education, and living standards. It uses ten indicators, including nutrition, child mortality, school education, access to clean water and electricity, sanitation, and housing conditions.

According to the methodology, a family is classified as suffering from extreme poverty if its members face deprivations in at least one-third of the weighted indicators.

Nearly half of those living in poverty — 534 million people — are facing "severe" deprivations, meaning they have been deprived of at least half of the basic needs measured by the index. A further 952 million people are at risk of falling into poverty, facing significant deprivations but not yet reaching the threshold for extreme poverty classification, the UNDP said.

Children account for 617 million of those suffering from poverty — more than half of the total. More than 80 percent of the affected population lives in rural areas.

Sub-Saharan Africa reports the highest number of people living in poverty at 616 million, followed by South Asia with 393 million.

UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo described the rise in poverty as "a wake-up call for the world," warning that millions face overlapping hardships including hunger, lack of education, and lack of access to basic services.

The report attributes the increase to population growth, changes in poverty levels, and changes in the data used to measure deprivations.

Progress in Some Countries

Despite the global setback, several countries have achieved significant progress in poverty reduction. Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan have seen notable declines in both the percentage and number of people living in poverty.

However, Nigeria has seen previous gains reversed, with poverty rising again in the 2020s. Overall, 33 countries have halved their poverty index values within a period of less than 15 years.

China has been identified as the country that reduced poverty the fastest, with Vietnam and Eswatini also recording significant progress.

Meanwhile, a World Bank assessment released in September found that more than 824 million people worldwide lived on less than US$3 per day in 2024 — roughly one in every ten people globally.