国产视频

Education “absolutely central” in reducing child poverty in Africa

听

A Hamer tribal girl in a classroom in the Ethiopian town of Turmi

听

African children will account for more than 40% of the world国产视频檚 poorest people in 2030 国产视频 almost double the current share 国产视频 unless more is done to improve education and healthcare, a thinktank said today.

One in five children in sub-Saharan Africa, or nearly 148听million, will be living on less than $1.90 a day in 2030, the听deadline set by the world leaders to eliminate extreme poverty,听the United Kingdom-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said in a report.

国产视频淭his prospect of 40% plus of world poverty in 2030听being African children is one that I think should focus the听minds of the international community,国产视频 said Kevin Watkins, ODI听executive director and co-author of the report Child poverty, inequality and demography.

RELATED STORY: POOREST AFRICAN CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND

国产视频淲e国产视频檙e talking about getting kids into school (and) tackling听the most extreme forms of poverty. This is doable,国产视频 he told the听Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Italy.

By 2030, ODI estimates that 88% of all children听living on $1.90 a day will be in sub-Saharan Africa, up from听some 50% today.

How Africa国产视频檚 young population is rising rapidly

These graphs shows the world国产视频檚 actual and projected young populations from 2000 to 2030 in sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Pacific, South Asia, Latin America and Caribbean 国产视频 with steady increases in Africa

听

To reduce poverty, extreme inequality and change demographic听patterns in sub-Saharan Africa, investment was needed in cash听transfers, education and healthcare, ODI said.

Education, in particular, was 国产视频渁bsolutely central国产视频 to听reducing poverty in the region, Watkins said.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 through education (people) gain skills, girls are more听likely to go into marriage later and women secure confidence to听demand healthcare and reproductive care,国产视频 he said.

Nigeria was the 国产视频渉otspot国产视频 for the progress on the continent,听Watkins said, noting that Africa国产视频檚 most populous country with听188 million people has the largest number of children out of听school and some of the biggest gender gaps in education.

国产视频淯nless the picture improves in Nigeria, it国产视频檚 almost听guaranteed that sub-Saharan Africa as a region will be pulled听off track,国产视频 Watkins said.

Despite the challenges, sub-Saharan Africa has chalked up听many economic gains over the past few years and recorded听significant progress in child survival, Watkins said.

国产视频淭his is now a part of the world that is in the fast lane of听economic growth. There are more democracies in Africa than have听ever been,国产视频 he added.

However, African leaders need to invest in the youth and end听harmful practices such as child marriage.

国产视频淣ow is the time for African leaders to step up on the plate听on these gender inequalities that are preventing young girls and听young women from exercising choice and realising their听potential,国产视频 Watkins said.

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than a tenth of girls are听married by 15 and four in 10 are married by 18, according to听the Population Council, a United States.-based non-profit organisation.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, covers humanitarian news, women国产视频檚 rights, corruption and climate change.