One In Four Of Region's Children Extremely Poor

(official site) October 18, 2006 -- A report by UNICEF, the United Nations children's organization, says that, despite an economic upturn in Southeastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) since the late 1990s, one in four children under the age of 15 is still living in extreme poverty.

A UNICEF report released on October 18 says the number of children under 15 living in extreme poverty has decreased from 32 million to 18 million.


The report also highlights disparities in the well-being and opportunities of children in these regions.


The share of children now living in extreme poverty ranges from 5 percent in some Southeastern European countries to 80 percent in the poorest Central Asian states.