Middle East conflict threatens to drive 23 million more children into poverty

“Children are paying the price for the escalating conflict in the Middle East, including children far beyond the region,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, warning, “The longer this continues, the worse the consequences will be."

The Executor Director's comments come as her organization published on Thursday a new analysis titled The Impact of the War in the Middle East on Children in Monetarily Poor Households.

Drawing on data from more than 167 countries, the report estimates that over 23 million additional children could fall into monetary poverty by the end of the year, as ongoing tensions in the Middle East and related shipping disruptions continue to have a damaging and potentially irreversible impact on children.

The report highlights how rising food and energy prices, and broader economic shocks resulting from escalating hostilities, including disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, are eroding what households can afford to buy.

The UN Children's Fund explained that children in the poorest households are disproportionately affected.

Consequently, Catherine Russell warned, "Rapidly rising costs are making food and education unaffordable for many families. For children already living in poverty, these shocks deepen deprivation and can cause harm that lasts a lifetime.”

UNICEF's report examines two possible scenarios: adverse and severe poverty.

The adverse scenario, it noted, reflects a moderate economic shock that could push an additional 18.3 million children into monetary poverty.

The severe scenario, it continued, assumes stronger, more prolonged disruptions to prices and economic activity and projects that an additional 23.4 million children could be pushed into monetary poverty if the war continues.