A new study by the UNICEF Innocenti research center reveals that high levels of economic inequality in 44 high-income countries directly worsen children's health, nutrition, and educational outcomes. Nearly one in five children in these countries lives in poverty.

According to the report, in the analyzed developed countries, the incomes of the richest 20% of households are on average more than five times higher than those of the poorest 20%. Bo Viktor Nylund, director of the research center, stressed the urgent need to increase public investment in health, nutrition, and education for children growing up in the most disadvantaged communities to limit the worst consequences of this inequality.

UNICEF experts describe the impact of financial stratification on children's physical condition as a direct link. Children in countries with the highest inequality are about 70% more likely to be overweight compared to peers in more equal societies, attributed to skipping meals and low-quality food. EU internal statistics confirm this: only 58% of children from low-income families have good health indicators, compared to 73% among the wealthiest.

A similar pattern is observed in education: countries with a large gap between rich and poor have lower overall test scores. According to UNICEF, in countries with maximum inequality, the probability that a child finishes school without basic reading and math skills is 65%, while in low-inequality countries this risk drops to 40%. Within countries, the gap is also stark: 83% of 15-year-olds from wealthy families have basic literacy and numeracy skills, compared to only 42% from low-income families.

To address the crisis, UNICEF urges governments of wealthy countries to intensify programs to reduce child poverty by strengthening social support systems, including raising minimum wages and providing child benefits. The report also highlights the importance of infrastructure development in disadvantaged areas—expanding access to subsidized housing, investing in green spaces, and recreational areas.

In education, the authors recommend eliminating socioeconomic segregation between schools, ensuring schools are resourced regardless of their student body, introducing free healthy school meals, and mandating the inclusion of children's voices in the development of these measures.

Source: podrobno.uz