A 2026 report from the UN Development Programme and Oxford University looks at poverty in 108 countries. It counts 1.2 billion people. That is 51.5 million more than in the 2025 report. It looks at health, school, and living conditions, not just money.
Children make up more than half of the total: 617 million. Also, 83 percent live in the countryside. Part of the rise comes from population growth. Help to improve people's lives does not always keep up.
UN development chief Alexander De Croo says the world must pay attention. Countries have promised to cut the share of people in poverty by at least half before this decade ends. The report's writers believe they can reach this goal.
