The issues affecting children worldwide

Choose an area to learn more about the challenges children face and evidence-based solutions that create lasting change.

Why do millions of children still go hungry?

Malnutrition and food insecurity affect children's growth, learning and survival. In 2024, 150.2 million children under five were stunted (too short for their age), 42.8 million were wasted (too thin for their height), and 35.5 million were overweight.

The picture is getting worse, not better. In 2024, over 295 million people across 53 countries faced acute hunger—an increase of almost 14 million people compared to 2023 and nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

Conflict is now the main driver of hunger in 20 of the world's 53 worst food crises. Analysis shows that 18.2 million children were born into hunger in 2024—a 19% increase compared to 2019, according to Save the Children's analysis.

Explore what causes hunger and what actually works to end it.

What stops children from getting the healthcare they need?

In 2023, an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday—deaths that were overwhelmingly preventable. This includes 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life.

These deaths aren't inevitable. They're the result of unequal access to healthcare, nutrition, and protection. A child born in sub-Saharan Africa is, on average, 18 times more likely to die before the age of five than one born in Australia and New Zealand. The risk of under-five death in the highest-mortality country is 80 times greater than in the lowest.

Vaccination remains one of the most cost-effective health interventions, yet nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine in 2024, including 14.3 million "zero-dose" children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. A quarter of the world's infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally.

Mental health is also a growing crisis for children and young people. An estimated one in seven children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 are affected by mental health conditions, with anxiety, depression, and behavioural disorders among the most common. With one-third of mental health conditions emerging before the age of 14 and half before the age of 18, early action is essential.

But here's what works: investment in primary healthcare, universal immunisation programmes, nutrition interventions, and community-based mental health services create measurable change. When health systems prioritise children—especially the most marginalised—lives are saved.

From vaccine access to mental health support, discover the health challenges children face—and how strong health systems save lives.

 More on child health and wellbeing

From life-saving vaccines to mental health support, explore how we're working to ensure every child can grow up healthy and strong

• Five vaccines that changed the world for children - The breakthrough immunisations that have saved millions of young lives

• Why the world needs a strong WHO - Funding the World Health Organization is critical to children’s futures

Why are millions of children missing out on school?

Education breaks the cycle of poverty and transforms lives. Yet barriers like conflict, poverty and discrimination keep children out of classrooms.

251 million children and youth remain out of school worldwide. The global out-of-school population has reduced by only 1% in nearly ten years, revealing that progress has stalled.

Conflict is one of the biggest barriers to education. According to Save the Children's 2024 analysis, around 103 million school-aged children—or one in three—living in 34 countries classified as conflict-affected or fragile missed out on education in 2024. This was significantly higher than the one in ten children out of school globally, underscoring the strong link between conflict and missed learning.

But it's not just conflict. Poverty, discrimination, climate disasters, and gender inequality all push children out of classrooms. High-income countries invest $8,543 per learner while low and middle-income countries manage only $55 per student.

Globally, millions of children cannot access quality education. These barriers don't just affect today—they shape entire futures.

But here's what works: investment in teachers, child-friendly learning spaces, and policies that prioritise the most marginalised children create real change.

More on education and learning

Education transforms lives and breaks the cycle of poverty. Read about the barriers children face and how we're making sure every child can access quality learning.

• Tackling mental health in refugee education - Supporting the emotional wellbeing of children who've fled conflict

How does climate change affect children?

Children are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, yet they've contributed least to causing it. In 2024, at least 242 million students in 85 countries had their schooling disrupted by extreme climate events including heatwaves, tropical cyclones, storms, floods and droughts.

Heatwaves were the predominant climate hazard shuttering schools last year, with over 118 million students affected in April alone. In May 2024, temperatures spiked to 116 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of South Asia, placing children at risk of heat stroke.

Children are uniquely vulnerable to climate impacts because their bodies are still developing. They heat up faster, sweat less efficiently, and cool down more slowly than adults. These physical differences mean climate hazards pose greater health risks to children than to adults.

Young people bear the biggest burden of environmental breakdown. Understand why children are most at risk—and what climate resilience really means.

What are children's rights—and why do they matter?

 Yet violations of children's rights have reached alarming levels. In 2024, 41,370 grave violations against children in armed conflict were verified—the highest number since monitoring began almost 30 years ago.

This marks a 25% increase compared to 2023 and the third consecutive year with alarming figures. Indiscriminate attacks, disregard for ceasefires, and deepening humanitarian crises have severely weakened the protection of children in hostilities.

But rights aren't just about protection from violence. They're about ensuring every child can grow up healthy, educated, and free from poverty and exploitation.

From ending child poverty to stopping harmful practices, explore what it means to protect children and why some children's rights are violated more than others.

More on rights and protection

Every child has fundamental rights that must be protected. Explore how we're fighting for justice, ending harmful practices, and tackling child poverty.

• How partnerships help us empower girls - Working together to create lasting change for girls worldwide

• Child poverty is about more than going without the essentials - Understanding the true impact of poverty on children's lives

• What is mass lobbying? - How ordinary people can influence politicians to protect children's rights

How do emergencies affect children?

Close to 19% of the world's children are now living in conflict zones—up from around 10% in the 1990s. That amounts to over 473 million children—nearly one in five globally—as the world experiences the highest number of conflicts since World War II.

Conflict drives approximately 80% of all humanitarian needs, disrupting access to safe water, food, health care and other essentials. In countries affected by conflict, on average over a third of the population live in poverty compared to just over 10% in non-conflict-affected countries.

Understanding how emergencies affect children differently—and what actually works in crisis response—is crucial to saving lives and protecting futures.

When conflict, natural disaster or hunger strikes, children are always most vulnerable. Learn how different crises impact young lives—and what emergency response actually looks like.

More on emergencies and crises

When conflict, disaster or hunger strikes, we're there. Read about the crises affecting children today and how we're responding on the ground.

• Hunger in Somalia - Our emergency response to one of the world's worst hunger crises