New Delhi: India is on track to meet its Sustainable Development Goal of cutting multidimensional poverty by half well before 2030, even as millions of children continue to face serious gaps in access to essential services, UNICEF said on Thursday. The findings are part of The State of the World’s Children 2025: Ending Child Poverty – Our Shared Imperative, released on World Children’s Day.
The report estimates that about 206 million children in India, nearly half of the country’s child population, are deprived of at least one of six basic services: education, health, housing, nutrition, clean water and sanitation. Of these, less than a third, or 62 million, face two or more simultaneous deprivations and require targeted support to overcome them. While more than half of India’s approximately 460 million children now have access to these fundamental services, UNICEF said the gains remain uneven across regions and communities.
“India has made strides in the reduction of poverty, a powerful progress indicator of being on track to achieve SDG 1.2 ahead of the 2030 endline,” UNICEF noted. It added that the country’s achievements have been “pivotal” in lowering global child poverty figures at a time when investment in child wellbeing has stalled in many parts of the world.
According to the National Multidimensional Poverty Index cited in the report, 248 million Indians moved out of multidimensional poverty between 2013–14 and 2022–23. Over this period, the national poverty rate fell sharply, from 29.2 per cent to 11.3 per cent. A strong expansion in social protection has played a key role. Coverage rose from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, reaching an estimated 940 million citizens.
“There is no greater return on investment than investing in children,” UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey said. She added that India’s progress shows how “further acceleration of effective programmes can help reach the last mile and India’s Vision 2047,” and that improving child wellbeing “isn’t just about resources... it’s about the collective will and leadership to prioritise children in every decision we make.”
UNICEF pointed to several government schemes that have expanded children’s access to nutrition, education, sanitation and income support. Among them are Poshan Abhiyaan, Samagra Shiksha, PM-KISAN, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission.
Experts underscored the need to preserve spending on child-focused programmes. Dr Pinaki Chakraborty of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy said protecting fiscal space dedicated to children was “essential for child wellbeing.” ORF’s Dr Nilanjan Ghosh noted that the vision for Viksit Bharat @2047 should anchor equity and sustainability. “India’s real engine of transformation lies in sustained investments in children… The economic and social returns are very high,” he said.
Despite substantial progress, the report warned of persistent inequalities. Children with disabilities, younger children and those living in crisis-affected areas remain the most vulnerable. It added that climate shocks, conflict and national debt burdens are pushing many families back into hardship.
Globally, one in five children in low and middle-income countries, or roughly 400 million, experience at least two severe deprivations in essential services. Children are also twice as likely as adults to live in extreme monetary poverty. UNICEF urged governments to strengthen child rights in national planning, broaden inclusive social protection, improve access to quality health and education, support decent work for caregivers and expand children’s role in public decision-making.