Introduction: why the forgotten still matter
Poverty is more than a lack of money; it is a denial of dignity, health, safety, and opportunity. The global community’s commitment to eradicating poverty—through milestones like the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals—has yielded real progress. Yet the shocks of COVID-19 and other crises, coupled with persistent inequalities, mean that many people remain trapped in poverty’s multiple forms. This article highlights the people and regions most at risk and explains why pursuing the goal of no one left behind remains essential.
Monetary poverty: progress uneven, shocks devastating
Over the past four decades, global extreme poverty rates have declined dramatically—from 47.1% in 1981 to 11.2% in 2018. However, the pandemic reversed hard-won gains: in 2020, the global extreme poverty rate rose to 11.4%, adding roughly 35 million people in extreme poverty. By 2024, the rate had fallen to 10.3%, corresponding to about 839 million people living on less than $3.20 per day. The story is more nuanced at higher poverty thresholds: fewer people live on less than $4.20 or $8.30 per day, but the pandemic still stalled progress and amplified regional disparities. The data suggest that the poorest are most vulnerable to shocks, and gains at higher poverty lines do not always translate into lasting security for the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Regional realities: Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest burden
Regional breakdowns show stark contrasts. In 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa carried the majority of the world’s extreme poor, with 46.0% living in extreme poverty, while Europe and Central Asia and North America remained under 1%. At the higher threshold of $8.30 per day, 89% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa were in poverty, despite the region housing only about 16% of the global population. This stark inequality underscores how poverty and its consequences are not distributed evenly, and how systemic factors—such as limited access to decent jobs, healthcare, and education—compound vulnerabilities.
“Left behind” nations: a stubborn list
Despite global growth, 22 low-income countries have remained consistently poor since the late 1980s. These nations have not crossed the threshold into middle-income status, even as others around them have prospered. GDP per capita in these 22 countries has stagnated for decades, illustrating how macroeconomic progress does not automatically translate into improved living standards for all.
Monetary working poverty: the paradox of employment
Working poverty—being employed but still living in poverty—highlights gaps in job quality and pay. While the global working-poverty rate has declined, it remains a persistent problem, especially in Africa. The contrast is telling: employment offers protection against poverty, but not universally. In many low- and lower-middle-income countries, a single job is not enough to escape poverty, and multiple job-holding becomes a necessity, not a choice, to survive. This is a blunt reminder that work itself must be decent, adequately paid, and supported by strong social protection systems.
Beyond money: the case for multidimensional poverty measures
Monetary poverty captures income shortfalls but does not tell the full story. People can be poor in monetary terms yet have access to education, health, and infrastructure, while others may lack those basic services despite similar income levels. National poverty lines can provide more context than international benchmarks, and combining multiple measures reveals the multidimensional nature of deprivation—education quality, health outcomes, sanitation, housing, and social protection all matter for a fair, sustainable standard of living.
Looking forward: leave no one behind in the SDGs
The SDGs call for ending poverty in all its forms and ensuring no one is left behind. The data show progress and possibilities, but they also demand renewed focus on the most vulnerable populations and regions. Achieving inclusive growth requires improving job quality, expanding social protection, investing in health and education, and implementing context-specific strategies that address both monetary and non-monetary poverty. Only then can the world move closer to a future where every person has the opportunity to live a safe, healthy, and dignified life.
