Striking report from the World Bank: Poverty, child nutrition and clean water raise alarm

The World Bank's current data on economies affected by conflict and fragility revealed a picture that is far behind the global average in many indicators, from working life to poverty.

According to 2025 data, only 23 percent of employees in these economies are in a paid or salaried job.

This rate is at 47 percent in all economies supported by the World Bank.

The low rate of salaried workers does not mean that the majority of the population is unemployed. A significant portion of employees work on their own account or in family businesses. However, regular wages and income security may be more limited in such jobs.

THE RATE OF SALARIED EMPLOYEES REMAINED AT 23 PERCENT

There are also significant differences according to income level between economies affected by conflict and fragility.

In the IBRD group, which covers middle-income fragile economies, the proportion of wage or salaried workers reaches up to 61 percent.

In lower-income economies covered by IDA, this rate remains at only 19 percent.

This difference shows that working life is significantly differentiated according to income level in countries affected by the crisis.

POVERTY RATE IS ABOUT FOUR TIMES THE WORLD AVERAGE

According to 2024 data, the rate of people living below 3 dollars per day according to purchasing power parity was calculated as 38.9 percent in economies affected by conflict and fragility.

Worldwide, the same rate is at 10.1 percent.

The rate, which was 48.7 percent in crisis economies in 2001, decreased to 38.9 percent in 2024.

Worldwide, the poverty rate dropped from 35.3 percent to 10.1 percent in the same period.

FOUR IN FIVE PEOPLE LIVE UNDER $8.30

The picture becomes even more dire when considering a higher poverty threshold of $8.30 per day.

In economies affected by conflict and fragility, 81.1 percent of the population lives below this limit.

Worldwide, the rate is 46.2 percent.

Thus, in crisis economies, approximately four out of every five people live on less than $8.30 a day.

ONE IN THREE CHILDREN FACES GROWTH DELAY

One of the most severe consequences of economic fragility is seen in children's nutrition.

In economies supported by the World Bank, the rate of growth retardation in children under five years old increased from 24.5 percent in 2020 to 25.3 percent in 2024.

In economies affected by conflict and fragility, approximately one in three children suffer from growth retardation.

99 percent of the approximately 150 million children suffering from growth retardation worldwide are in economies supported by the World Bank.

THE RATE IS OVER 47 PERCENT IN NIGER, PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND YEMEN

Country-by-country data show that the problem of child nutrition is much more severe in some economies.

Growth retardation is seen in 48.3 percent of children under five in Niger, 47.6 percent in Papua New Guinea and 47.4 percent in Yemen.

The total number of children with growth retardation in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia reaches 27 million.

ACCESS TO BASIC WATER AND SANITATION IS LIMITED

There are also significant differences in access to basic drinking water services.

According to 2024 data, while 90 percent of the population in economies supported by the World Bank could access basic drinking water services, this rate remained at 71 percent in economies affected by conflict and fragility.

The proportion of those who have access to basic sanitation services was recorded as 47 percent, and the proportion of the population with soap and water and hand washing facilities at home was recorded as 39 percent.

In a small portion of middle-income fragile economies, access to water, sanitation and handwashing services exceeds 96 percent.

NUMBER OF FORCED DISPLACEMENTS 61.9 MILLION

According to World Bank data, the number of people forcibly displaced due to conflict and instability decreased from 69.7 million in 2024 to 61.9 million in 2025.

However, the current number is approximately 3.7 times the 16.8 million people in 2010.

Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine were among the countries where the long-term increase stood out.