About one billion children worldwide live in poverty, about 385 million even in extreme poverty. That’s about a hundred times the population of Berlin, Germany’s largest city. Especially in poor countries, children lack what they urgently need to live: sufficient food and drink, medical care, a roof over their heads and schooling.
But poor children are not only to be found in poor countries. Even in wealthy countries like Germany there are poor children. This is referred to as "relative poverty.
Child poverty in Germany
In Germany, too, many children live in poverty. About one in five children experience poverty. This means that there is little money for healthy food, cramped living conditions, hardly any money for education, hobbies or even vacations. Poor children often can’t participate in activities that other children do, such as going to the movies or concerts. But buying birthday presents is often difficult too. Poor children sometimes prefer to cancel, if they are invited at all.
Reasons for poverty
There are many causes of child poverty in Germany. The reason can be that the parents are unemployed or earn too little to be able to provide well for their children. There are also parents who do not know how to support their children, how to organize their life with little money.
Help from the state
Children and young people living in poverty are entitled to financial assistance in Germany. They can seek advice – even without their parents – from their city’s youth welfare office. Child and youth welfare services ensure that children and young people receive help and support.
FAQ / Frequently asked questions
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Why do all countries not help each other?
Hi Yaransko, it would be nice if countries would help each other even more. In fact, there are already many examples of such aid: Many European countries have joined together in the European Union because they know that together they are stronger than each country on its own. Poor countries receive a lot of aid from richer countries or international organizations like the United Nations. Germany and many other countries pay a lot of money for the development of poorer countries. But more could be done. The fact that this doesn’t happen is probably due to the fact that most people are more concerned about their fellow citizens than about people in distant countries. But actually, we all live together on planet Earth and should therefore feel responsible for each other.
why nimand helps
Hello S04, the children are already helped. Large aid organizations such as UNICEF help especially the poor children in the Third World. They’re doing a lot to alleviate the plight of children there, building wells so kids have water to drink and wash, providing food and medical care, and access to education. Many other aid organizations such as Terre des Hommes, Bread for the World and Kindernothilfe also help poor children around the world. But there should always be more help, because child poverty is really a huge problem. To fight child poverty in Germany, many people also get involved. For example, you provide a warm lunch table, which means that the children who go there get a warm meal for free. There are also bazaars and stores where poor people can buy essentials such as food or clothing for very little money. Everyone can do something about poverty, and even children can help. Who knows for example a poor child, can lend him perhaps times something, invite it to itself home and things, which one does not need any longer, perhaps even give away.
your further questions.
How to fight child poverty politically?&
hello lolipink, poor children come from poor families. And unfortunately there are also in Germany. Much more often than other children, poverty affects girls and boys who come from families with many children or children who live alone with their mother. The main cause of poverty in our country is high unemployment and the large number of jobs that are poorly paid. So to fight poverty among children in Germany, you need to support families. Here the state is politically challenged, trying to mitigate the worst effects of poverty through social assistance and other measures. The state also supports poor families with social benefits such as the education package. This allows parents to be supported by the state if, for example, their children want to join a club or learn a musical instrument. At the municipal level, there are also offices such as the Youth Welfare Office, which take special care of children from poor families.
Poverty in Germany is on the increase? Or improve the whole thing a bit?
Hello Are You Okay?, Unfortunately, there are indications that poverty in Germany continues to increase. This is especially true for child poverty. Single parents are disproportionately affected by poverty, and so are their children. The Corona pandemic has further exacerbated many of these problems. The state has been trying for many years to stop this development. So far, however, this has only been partially successful.
Why can not simply the countries the business with the poor make, the poor not simply well pay like in Austria also?
Hello Servus, that is a good question. Most people want to buy products as cheap as possible, so do not spend so much money. In order for companies to be able to offer cheap products, they have to save money in production. This also means that they can only pay a little money to the people who make the products. Only a few companies are willing to forego profit in exchange for fair pay for their workers. These injustices are felt especially by poor people in developing countries. The small farmers and workers there are often in a very bad way. They receive only a pittance for their hard work in the fields and factories. All this just so that we can buy coffee, cocoa, footballs, smartphones and many other things as cheaply as possible. For the people there this has dramatic consequences. To be able to survive, they also have to use their children as a labor force. Very few of these children have free time or the opportunity to attend school. As adults they will hardly get out of this vicious circle of poverty. If we pay just a little bit more for certain goods, we enable these people to have a better life and a better future. This is exactly the goal of fair trade, i.e. of fair trade. Fair trade is about people in poor countries being treated fairly. They should get a fair price for the goods they sell. In most cases, they join organizations that work with companies that support fair trade. These companies pay reasonably fair prices, but then also expect the organizations in poor countries to ensure that production is fair. No children are allowed to work or z.B. also no toxic substances are used. The basic idea is that people in poor countries should also be paid fairly for their work and products. Many people today support this fair trade and are also willing to pay a little more. But there should be much more!
How many people in total were affected by poverty worldwide in 2020?
Hi Pauline , the World Bank estimates that by 2020, as a result of the Corona pandemic, the number of extremely poor people worldwide will have risen to 715 million. Extreme poverty means that people live below subsistence level.
Can you become a sponsor for a family living in poverty??
Hello Mattis , there are some aid organizations that arrange sponsorships for children. One becomes godfather for a poor child in a country in Africa or in Asia and pays each month a certain amount of money. This money is used, for example, to pay the child’s school fees or to support a children’s home where the child can live. As a sponsor, you regularly learn how the child is doing and what progress he or she is making in school. Of course, you can also write a letter or send a parcel at Christmas. For example, Kindernothilfe arranges such sponsorships. There are also organizations that arrange sponsorships for families.
how many children have been helped/supported
Hello simon cool&, poor children are helped from many sides. Big aid organizations like UNICEF help especially the poor children in the third world. They really do a lot to alleviate the plight of the children there, building wells so the children have water to drink and wash, providing food and medical care and access to education. Other aid organizations such as Terre des Hommes, Kindernothilfe or SOS Kinderdorf also help wherever they have the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you how many children are supported in this way. But if you consider that worldwide about one billion (!) children grow up in poverty, then you understand that there are in any case far too few.
How can you earn money in poverty and go to school at the same time
Hello Lia, this is a very good question, because the answer is: both together do not work! That is why child labor is forbidden worldwide. Because children have a right to go to school and to learn something. Unfortunately, there are still far too many countries that do not adhere to it. And there is so much poverty in the world that many children actually have to work to even survive.
Hello actually help undertake the poor children
Hello 30.3, in addition to the states and international organizations and aid societies, there are also companies that support children in need. Many big companies do not do this, because help without return makes the profits smaller. This does not please the shareholders.
Do helpers actually come to support the poor children in the countries what companies are there ?
Hello Freya 5000, a lot of countries and aid organizations are trying to help. There are UN aid programs – for example the UNHCR (check the UN site), but there are also aid programs in many countries around the world that are run by governments. Then there are also aid organizations in many countries that are not state-run, which help in the countries, for example "Doctors without Borders" or the "Red Cross or also "Misereor and "Bread for the World.
Why are half the people not interested in something like this?
Hello Emma , that’s a good question, to which we unfortunately don’t have a really good answer either. Some people may think that they don’t have to be interested in the problems of children in far away countries, because there are enough problems here too. I’m sure many people have a guilty conscience when they buy a t-shirt or soccer ball made by children in poor countries. But then they think that the goods would probably be much more expensive if they had been made differently. And the joy about the low price helps them to forget their bad conscience quickly. Fortunately, there are also many people who are interested in the poor children and help to make child labor known and to do something about it.
How could it come at all so far that poverty exists??
Hello BasketL, there are different reasons for poverty. Unfortunately, not all people in the world can live in the same prosperity. The fact that we are doing so well is at the expense of many other people who live in poverty. This is of course unfair. To do something against it, however, is not at all so easy. It would only work if the rich gave away much more than they do now. Unfortunately, these attempts are often only half-hearted. The problem is that many people do not want to give up. Some say that they would share if the neighbor would do it too. Some say they would share if they knew exactly that with the money this and that would happen. What about each of us? Do you donate your pocket money to poor children or do you prefer to buy something new to wear, a book or something else you want very much from your savings?? These are all justified wishes, and we all have to weigh them up again and again.
Are there any aid projects in Germany that help the poor children in Peru?. and what are their names
Hello Noah nice&, there are many aid organizations that are committed to children in Peru and there try to do something against child poverty. SOS Children’s Village, UNICEF or Don Bosco Mondo are three examples of such organizations.
Can we as children help? Z.B. Collect donations at our school?
Hello Frida, the easiest way to support aid organizations is to donate money. Every Euro counts and it doesn’t depend on the amount of money. As a child, you can support aid organizations with actions, as you also suggest. You can find out how this can be done, for example, on the youth page of Unicef.
Who profits from it?
Hello MEGA MALTE, with child poverty there are only losers. All children in this world who are affected by poverty suffer from this situation. They are denied rights that are written in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. All countries in the world are therefore called upon to do something about child poverty.
In which countries there is child labor?
Hello Leo Lion, unfortunately in very many countries. In all the poor developing countries in Asia, Africa and South America you find child labor. Just a few examples of many are India Pakistan, Bangladesh, China or Nigeria.
How to support these children?
Hello AnonymousUser123, with child poverty one must differentiate between poor children here with us and between the needy children in developing countries. The situation there is much worse than here and many children die as a result of hunger. How one can help there, we have in our encyclopedia with the keyword "developing countries / development aid" written. To fight poverty among children in Germany, one must support the families. The parents of poor children, who are unfortunately very often unemployed, need help to quickly find a new job. Besides, you should help the children directly. So you can make sure that they at least get a decent, healthy lunch (for example at school). Here above all the politicians/inside are in demand to help the children. But also other organizations, for example church organizations, help to provide poor children with important things like clothes or books, for example by organizing second-hand flea markets.
Who helps everything in the fight against poverty?
Hello Mewtu, fortunately there are many people and organizations that try to help poor children. Large aid organizations such as UNICEF primarily help poor children in the Third World. They do a lot to alleviate the plight of children there, building wells so children have water to drink and wash, providing food and medical care, and access to education. Many people are also committed to combating child poverty in Germany. They provide, for example, a hot lunch. This means that the children who go there get a hot meal for free. Besides, there are bazaars and stores where poor people can buy essential things like food or clothes for very little money. Every single person can do something against poverty, even children can help. For example, if you know a poor child, you might be able to lend them something, invite them to your home, and maybe even give them things you no longer need.
1. Is it possible to get rid of poverty, and if so, how??
Hello Harry Potter Gimli , to get out of poverty again is very difficult. Children of poor parents usually get a poorer education and have little chance of getting well-paid jobs later on. This is how poverty is passed on from one generation to the next. The state is already doing some things to support poor families. Unemployment insurance was introduced many years ago, and poor people who don’t have enough to live on receive social benefits. The state also makes sure that everyone in Germany can at least satisfy their most important needs and that no one has to starve or freeze to death. In addition, politicians are always thinking of new measures to create more jobs. But that is not enough. One can try to educate oneself and apply for new jobs again and again. In addition, they should learn to live as frugally as possible.
Why do so few organizations build shelters for the children?
Hello prankpro444 , there are actually not so few organizations that help poor children. Big aid organizations like UNICEF help especially the poor children in the third world. Private aid services and associations such as Terre des Hommes, Bread for the World, Caritas, Kindernothilfe or SOS Children’s Villages also help poor children in poor countries around the world, and often build shelters for them when they would otherwise have to live on the streets. Unfortunately, child poverty is such a big problem worldwide that actually all children can never be helped.
I have two questions: 1. How to get rid of poverty?If, yes how? 2. Is poverty linked to climate change?
Hello Harry Potter Gimli, there is reason to believe that climate change will exacerbate poverty worldwide. Warming will make it impossible to cultivate a lot of arable land. People then have no livelihood and become impoverished. The consequences of climate change, such as floods or severe storms, also contribute to people falling into poverty. To your first question, we have already answered a very similar question today. Please read below our answers to your other questions.
How many children die of poverty and what are the most common causes??
Hello Mila N., It is not possible to say exactly. Children do not die from poverty, but from the consequences of their poverty or the poverty of their families. These are unsanitary living conditions that promote diseases like typhoid, malnutrition, child labor that further weakens the children, or diseases like AIDS that the adults get because there is not enough medicine, and then they pass it on to their children. It’s estimated that 10 million children age five or younger die each year. In more than half of these deaths, malnutrition is probably the cause.
How many children live in poverty worldwide?
Hello Lili, you can not say exactly. But there are reliable estimates of large aid organizations. They assume that worldwide almost 700 million children live in poverty.
is child poverty a disease?
Hello cookie, there are many causes for child poverty in Germany. The reason can be that the parents are unemployed or earn too little to be able to provide well for their children. There are also parents who do not know how to support their children, how to organize their lives with little money. It is not a disease, but a hard lot, for which the children cannot do anything and which they have to deal with anyway.
How many children live in poverty in Germany ?
Hi Coolo, current research estimates that around 2.8 million children in Germany are at risk of poverty.
How can we help poor children?
Hello Lara, poor children come from poor families. And unfortunately there are more and more of them in Germany as well. Much more often than other children, poverty affects girls and boys who come from families with many children or children who live alone with their mothers. The main cause of poverty in our country is high unemployment. So the parents of many poor children have no jobs at all or have jobs that pay poorly. In order to fight poverty in Germany with children, one must support thus the families. You should also help the children directly. This way you can make sure that they at least get a decent, healthy lunch (for example at school). Organizations like churches also help to provide poor children with essentials like clothes or books. Above all, it is the state that tries to mitigate the worst effects of poverty through social assistance and other measures. Please also have a look at our answers to the FAQ. There we have already answered the question what the government does against child poverty. There is a youth welfare department by the way in each city and in each district. We have a separate article on this subject in our encyclopedia, which you should also read.
I wanted to ask if it is possible to make less children live in poverty
Hello The nameless one without name, with child poverty one must differentiate between poor children here with us and between the need-suffering children in developing countries. The situation there is much worse than here and many children die of hunger. How you can help, we have in our encyclopedia at the FAQ under the keyword "developing countries/development aid" written. In order to fight poverty among children in Germany, one must support the families. The parents of poor children, who are unfortunately very often unemployed, need help to find a new job quickly. Also, you should help the children directly. So you can make sure that they get at least a decent, healthy lunch (for example, at school). Here, it is above all the politicians who are called upon to help the children. But also other organizations, especially church organizations, help to provide poor children with important things like clothes or books, for example by organizing second-hand flea markets.
How many children live in poverty in Austria? In which country is there the most child poverty??
LG Iris
Hello Iris , Experts assume that in Austria there are about 300.000 children live in poverty or are at least threatened by poverty. That is almost every seventh child in Austria. These children are much poorer than most of their schoolmates and playmates. Nevertheless, they are still better off than many children in the really poor countries of the world. It is difficult to say in which country child poverty is highest. But in Africa, in many countries, especially in the region around the Sahara and south of it, every second child is so poor that it is barely enough to survive.
Why is there child poverty in Germany? And what does the government do about it?
Hello Lisa, the main cause of poverty in our country is unemployment. The parents of many poor children have no work at all or they have jobs that are poorly paid. Much more often than other children, poverty affects girls and boys who come from families with many children, or even children who live alone with their mothers. To combat poverty among children in Germany, families must be supported. The parents of poor children, who are unfortunately very often unemployed, need help to quickly find a new job. Here the government is asked. It also supports poor families with social benefits such as the education package. This makes it possible for parents to be supported by the state if their children want to join a club or learn a musical instrument, for example. In addition, one should help the children directly. So you can make sure that they at least get a decent, healthy lunch (for example at school). Organizations, especially church organizations, help to provide poor children with important things like clothes or books, for example by organizing second-hand flea markets.
What are the consequences of child poverty in developing countries for those affected??
Hello Pala, in developing countries the child poverty has very bad consequences. Many children die as a result of poverty. The poverty there is so bad that there is often nothing to eat, and many children do not even have access to clean water. When a child gets sick, he rarely gets medical help because his parents are too poor to pay for a doctor. Because of poverty many children even have to go to work very, very hard (read our encyclopedia entry "child labor"). The hard work often has nasty health consequences for the children. Lack of education is also a consequence of poverty. Books, writing material, the way to school by bus – all this costs money, which is often not there. In addition, a child who goes to school is missing out on work at home and cannot go out to earn money. This is another reason why many parents do not let their children attend school.
How many children are affected by child poverty in Europe??
Are there also children in Europe who are malnourished and who do not have access to fresh water? Evtl. even children who can not go to school? Where is this and how many children does this affect??
Hello Fritz, in Europe about every fifth child grows up in poverty. In Germany, 12 percent of children live below the poverty line, which is still rather low compared to other European countries. Even though poverty in Europe is by no means the same as poverty in a developing country, there are children here who do not get enough to eat and rarely have a warm meal at lunchtime. Often they have to leave the house without breakfast. In Europe, however, almost every child has access to clean water, and all children must actually go to school. Some children, however, such as street children, shirk compulsory schooling. But no child in Europe should not be able to go to school because of a lack of money.
How do you measure poverty and how many children and youth are poor and why?
Hello Eric, as a rule, people who earn less than 50% of the average income in their country are called poor. But there are other criteria. For example, whether a household has enough money for heating, regular meals, sufficient clothing and other essentials.
The children’s agency UNICEF writes that nearly half of the world’s children living in poverty. After that approx. 90 million children under the age of five are malnourished, ca. 400 million children live without clean water and more than 600 million children do not have a proper roof over their heads. More than 120 million children cannot go to school
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