Key Takeaways
- The United Nations global poverty index has increased for the first time since 2010, affecting 1.2 billion people.
- 51.5 million more individuals are now classified as living in acute poverty compared to the previous year.
- While some countries have halved their poverty rates, others have seen increases due to population growth.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported a significant rise in the global poverty index for the first time since 2010, affecting 1.2 billion people worldwide.
According to the 2026 edition of the UNDP's annual report, the number of people living in acute poverty has increased by 51.5 million compared to the previous year.
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo emphasized that this rise should serve as a 'wake-up call for the world,' highlighting the dire conditions faced by those in acute poverty.
These conditions include hunger, missed schooling, and a lack of access to clean water or electricity, which are unacceptable, according to De Croo.
Of the 108 developing countries covered by the report, data was only available for 13, making the findings somewhat limited in scope.
However, the report does provide a mixed picture, with some countries making significant progress. Thirty-three nations have halved the percentage of their people living in poverty over the past 15 years.
Notable among these are six countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as countries in Asia such as China and Vietnam.
The majority of the poorest people continue to live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, specifically the subcontinent, which is the most densely populated region on Earth.
In countries like Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan, both the poverty rate and the number of people experiencing multidimensional poverty have decreased significantly.
In Angola and Zambia, the poverty rate has declined, but population growth has more than offset this decrease, leading to an overall increase in the number of people living in poverty.
Behind these figures are 1.2 billion people facing hardships that reinforce one another: hunger, missed schooling and a lack of clean water or electricity. This is unacceptable.
Alexander De Croo, UNDP Administrator
