Poverty – for many of us it’s just something we read about or hear on the news from time to time.  We may take a moment to think about those in need – but too quickly we move on to our comfortable life.

Take a moment to reflect on these stats on poverty. – But remember behind these stats are faces of REAL people!

9 important stats on poverty

1. Worldwide 600 million children are living in extreme poverty.
2. The cost of eradicating world poverty is estimated at 1 percent of global income.
3. Almost half the world — over 3 billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.
4. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.
5. 1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity.6.9 million children under five years of age died in 2011, nearly 800 every hour.
6. The highest rates of child mortality are still in sub-Saharan Africa – where 1 in 9 children dies before age 5.The number of under-five deaths worldwide has declined from more than 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011. Nearly 19,000 children under five died every day in 2011.
7. Globally, the four major killers of children under age 5 are pneumonia (18 percent), diarrhea diseases (15 percent), pre-term birth complications (12 percent) and birth asphyxia (9 percent).58 percent of deaths in children under age five are caused by infectious diseases.
8. In 1981, 52 percent of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty (defined as living on $1.25 or less a day.) Data from the World Bank released in February 2012 estimates that 22 percent of people live in extreme poverty.Country with highest number of under five deaths: India.
9. Every day, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.99 percent of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries.

Sources:

Sources: www.unicef.org, www.childinfo.org, www.crin.org, www.who.int, www.globalisses.com