A new report released today by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals that the economic shock triggered by escalating conflict in the Middle East and disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz could force as many as 23.4 million additional children into poverty worldwide, threatening years of progress in reducing child deprivation.
In its latest briefing, “The Impact of the War in the Middle East on Children in Monetarily Poor Households,” UNICEF warns that the crisis is extending far beyond the immediate conflict zone. The disruption is driving up global energy, transport, fertilizer, and food prices, while simultaneously weakening economic growth and squeezing household incomes across both developing and developed countries.
The report estimates that under a moderate adverse scenario, 18.3 million additional children would fall into poverty when measured against national poverty lines. Under a more severe scenario, that number rises to 23.4 million, with Asia and the Pacific, alongside Africa, expected to bear the heaviest burden.
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According to UNICEF, this crisis is unfolding at a time when many countries are still struggling to recover from the economic compounding of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global cost-of-living crisis, and the war in Ukraine.
“Children are paying the price for the escalating conflict in the Middle East, including children far beyond the region,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The longer this continues, the worse the consequences will be. Rapidly rising costs are making food and education unaffordable for many families.”
She added, “For children already living in poverty, these shocks deepen deprivation and can cause harm that lasts a lifetime.”
