One child in five in rich countries lives in poverty

One in five children in rich countries grows up in relative poverty, according to UNICEF. Children in Norway are faring the best, but not everything is rosy in Norway, either.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reviewed living conditions in 41 industrialized countries and concludes that 21 percent of children in these countries are growing up in relative poverty.

In the United States, which is ranked 37th in the list, almost 30 percent of children live in relative poverty, without access to enough food, or healthy or nutritious food.

– Higher income does not automatically lead to ensuring that all children get better conditions and may actually lead to increased inequalities, says Sarah Cook. Cook has supervised the report.

Failed policy

Japan, the United States and Canada are highlighted as countries where a failed social and tax policy makes it difficult to reduce children growing up in relative poverty.

– Governments in all countries must do more to ensure that the differences are reduced and that progress is being made, she says.

UNICEF has examined a number of factors that influence children’s upbringing, including parents’ finances, the access children have to healthy and nutritious food. Included in this are education and health services. Not to forget the level of risk that they are exposed to regarding abuse and mistreatment.

Norway on top

Norway tops the list, in front of Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Switzerland, but all is far from well in these countries either. More than 100,000 children lives in poverty in Norway and the number is growing, according to UNICEF Norway.