According to a UNCEF report, 35.6% of children in Israel are poor, ranking in fourth place among the 10 “poorest” developed nations regarding children. The report regarding Israel refers to so-called single parent homes, adding that in homes with two parents, the level of poverty among children has decreased. The increase in poverty is attributed to the government cutting monthly child allowance payments.

Leading the list is Greece (40.5%), following by Latvia (38.2%), and Spain (36.3%). Israel is in fourth place followed by Mexico (34.3%), the USA (32.2%), Lithuania (31.1%), Romania (30.6%), Italy (30.4%) and Turkey (30.2%).

The ten least poor developed nations regarding the children are Norway (5.3%), Finland (8.8%), Denmark (10.2%), Slovakia (11.1%), Sweden (12.1%), Czech Republic (12.8%), Australia (13%), Slovenia (13.4%), Holland (13.9%) and Austria (14.2%).

According to the UN’s children’s agency report pertaining to 2012, the level of poverty among Israeli children has risen by a half of a percent since 2008. The increase is minimal compared to the other countries on the list. The report lists Chile as the nation most successful in cutting poverty among its children, down 7.9%.

The report cites the economic crisis that impacted developed nations in recent years was felt by 2.6 million children who found themselves under the poverty line. An estimated 76.5 million children, residents of developed nations, are living below the poverty level. The level of poverty among children has risen in 23 of 41 developed nations since 2008.

In fact the news should not come as a surprise to welfare agencies in Israel since the last Bituach Leumi report on poverty stated there are 1,754,700 Israeli poor, which includes 817,200 children.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)