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A Hamer tribal girl in a classroom in the Ethiopian town of Turmi

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African children will account for more than 40% of the world鈥檚 poorest people in 2030 鈥� almost double the current share 鈥� unless more is done to improve education and healthcare, a thinktank said today.

One in five children in sub-Saharan Africa, or nearly 148听million, will be living on less than $1.90 a day in 2030, the听deadline set by the world leaders to eliminate extreme poverty,听the United Kingdom-based Overseas Development Institute (ODI) said in a report.

鈥淭his prospect of 40% plus of world poverty in 2030听being African children is one that I think should focus the听minds of the international community,鈥� said Kevin Watkins, ODI听executive director and co-author of the report .

鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about getting kids into school (and) tackling听the most extreme forms of poverty. This is doable,鈥� he told the听Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Italy.

By 2030, ODI estimates that 88% of all children听living on $1.90 a day will be in sub-Saharan Africa, up from听some 50% today.

How Africa鈥檚 young population is rising rapidly

These graphs shows the world鈥檚 actual and projected young populations from 2000 to 2030 in sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Pacific, South Asia, Latin America and Caribbean 鈥� with steady increases in Africa

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To reduce poverty, extreme inequality and change demographic听patterns in sub-Saharan Africa, investment was needed in cash听transfers, education and healthcare, ODI said.

Education, in particular, was 鈥渁bsolutely central鈥� to听reducing poverty in the region, Watkins said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 through education (people) gain skills, girls are more听likely to go into marriage later and women secure confidence to听demand healthcare and reproductive care,鈥� he said.

Nigeria was the 鈥渉otspot鈥� for the progress on the continent,听Watkins said, noting that Africa鈥檚 most populous country with听188 million people has the largest number of children out of听school and some of the biggest gender gaps in education.

鈥淯nless the picture improves in Nigeria, it鈥檚 almost听guaranteed that sub-Saharan Africa as a region will be pulled听off track,鈥� Watkins said.

Africa鈥檚 children will make up almost half of global poor by #2030. New report out now:
鈥� ODI (@ODIdev)

Despite the challenges, sub-Saharan Africa has chalked up听many economic gains over the past few years and recorded听significant progress in child survival, Watkins said.

鈥淭his is now a part of the world that is in the fast lane of听economic growth. There are more democracies in Africa than have听ever been,鈥� he added.

However, African leaders need to invest in the youth and end听harmful practices such as child marriage.

鈥淣ow is the time for African leaders to step up on the plate听on these gender inequalities that are preventing young girls and听young women from exercising choice and realising their听potential,鈥� Watkins said.

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than a tenth of girls are听married by 15 and four in 10 are married by 18, according to听the Population Council, a United States.-based non-profit organisation.

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