The United Nations Development Programme and Oxford University have a new report on poverty. Their 2026 report counts 1.2 billion poor people. This is 51.5 million more than in the 2025 report. There are 617 million children in this group. Also, 83 per cent live in the countryside.
The report looks at health, education and living conditions, not just money. People can face several problems together, like hunger and no clean water. In some countries, the population grows faster than living conditions improve.
The UN development chief says the world must act. But progress is possible. Countries have promised to cut the share of people living in poverty by at least half before this decade ends.
