According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), over
650 million children are living in conditions of extreme poverty.
Releasing the report, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy
said: "Contrary to what the world might expect, the poor are
getting poorer, the number of poor is increasing, and the
disparity between rich and poor has never been greater."
The estimate is based on statistics released by the World
Bank in its latest report on World Development Indicators which
show that more than 1.3 billion people currently live on less
than $1 a day, and a further 2 billion are only marginally better
off.
UNICEF says children account for at least 50 per cent of the
total number of poor people.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
