'Wake-up call for the world' as UN global poverty index rises for first time since 2010

A United Nations global poverty index has risen for the first time since its creation in 2010, bringing the number of people affected to 1.2 billion, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported Monday. In the 2026 edition of their annual report, the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative research center counted 51.5 million more people living in “acute” poverty compared to the previous year. UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo said the increase in poverty should be a “wake-up call for the world.” “Behind these figures are 1.2 billion people facing hardships…