Environment
The number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide has risen to 1.2 billion, while the United Nations’ global poverty index has recorded an increase for the first time since its launch in 2010. In its annual 2026 report,
The number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide has risen to 1.2 billion, while the United Nations’ global poverty index has recorded an increase for the first time since its launch in 2010. In its annual 2026 report, released on Monday, the United Nations Development Program me (UNDP) reported that the number of people experiencing extreme poverty had increased by 51.5 million compared with the previous year. The report was jointly prepared by the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo described the global rise in poverty as a warning sign for the world, saying the situation should serve as a moment of serious reflection for the international community. In a statement, he said the figures represented the hardships faced by 1.2 billion people who simultaneously suffer from hunger, lack of access to education, inadequate clean water supplies, and electricity shortages. He called the situation unacceptable. According to the report, more than half of those living in extreme poverty are children who face multiple hardships because they lack access to basic necessities and essential services.
According to the UNDP, population growth is also a major factor contributing to the global increase in poverty. The report noted that updated data were available for only 13 of the 108 developing countries covered, making it important to take this limitation into account when assessing the findings. The report presents a mixed picture of global poverty. While the overall number of people affected by poverty worldwide has increased, 33 countries have managed to halve their poverty rates over the past 15 years. These include six countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Asian countries, particularly China and Vietnam, have made notable progress in reducing poverty at a relatively rapid pace.
As in the previous year, the majority of people affected by poverty continue to live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, according to the report. South Asia is one of the world's most densely populated regions, where a large proportion of the population faces a lack of access to basic services. According to the UNDP, Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan have recorded significant reductions in both their poverty rates and the number of people experiencing multidimensional poverty. In contrast, although Angola and Zambia have reduced their poverty rates, population growth has offset the impact of this progress, resulting in an increase in the overall number of people living in poverty.
The poverty index used in the report does not rely solely on income but also considers people's access to basic necessities and essential services. These indicators include inadequate housing, a lack of sanitation facilities, and limited access to electricity and clean cooking fuels, food shortages, and deprivation of education. According to the United Nations, assessing poverty through these indicators helps identify the multiple hardships people face simultaneously across different areas of their lives. The recent global increase in poverty highlights the fact that, despite ongoing efforts to eradicate poverty, hundreds of millions of people around the world continue to lack access to basic necessities and essential services.
