The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal to eradicate extreme poverty worldwide by 2030 is facing a daunting challenge, according to a new report from the UN. While progress has been made in recent decades, the COVID-19 pandemic and growing global conflicts have set back efforts to lift hundreds of millions out of destitution.
Erasing Three Years of Progress
Prior to the pandemic, the momentum of poverty reduction was already slowing down. But by the end of 2022, the UN estimates that 8.4% of the global population - around 670 million people - could still be living in extreme poverty, defined as surviving on less than $2.15 per day. This effectively erased approximately three years' worth of gains in alleviating poverty.
The devastating impact of the pandemic, combined with the fallout from the war in Ukraine and other regional conflicts, has further hampered progress toward the UN's Goal 1: No Poverty. As the UN report states, "A surge in action and investment to enhance economic opportunities, improve education and extend social protection to all, particularly the most excluded, is crucial to delivering on the central commitment to end poverty and leave no one behind."
Uneven Progress Across Regions
The data paints a mixed picture, with some areas seeing improvements while others fall further behind. According to the UN report, Latin America and Asia saw declines in hunger, with the prevalence of undernourishment falling by 1.2% in Asia and 1% in Latin America between 2022 and 2024.
However, the situation remains dire in Africa and the Middle East, where 20% of the population faces hunger. UNICEF reports that more than 19% of children worldwide live in extreme poverty, with nearly 90% of them concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The Path Forward
What this really means is that the global community has its work cut out if it hopes to fulfill the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Governments, international organizations, and civil society groups will need to redouble their efforts to create economic opportunities, strengthen social safety nets, and invest in education and healthcare - particularly in the world's most impoverished regions.
As the UN report highlights, there have been some encouraging success stories, such as India lifting 415 million people out of multidimensional poverty over 15 years. The bigger picture here is that targeted, integrated strategies can make a real difference when it comes to tackling this global challenge. But time is running out to achieve the 2030 goal, and the road ahead remains steep.