Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Independent studies by UNICEF and UNESCO reveal that economic inequality significantly shapes children's wellbeing and educational prospects worldwide. In 44 OECD and high-income countries surveyed, income disparities persist, with the top 20 percent earning more than five times the income of the bottom 20 percent. This gap contributes to poorer physical health and educational outcomes for children in more unequal societies, according to UNICEF. For example, children in the most unequal countries are 1.7 times more likely to be overweight than peers in more equal countries, a condition linked to unhealthy diets and missed meals.
Educational attainment also reflects these inequalities. Children in the most unequal contexts face a 65 percent chance of leaving school without basic proficiency in reading and mathematics, compared to 40 percent in more equal countries. Within countries, 15-year-olds from wealthier households are almost twice as likely to meet basic proficiency standards as those from poorer households. UNICEF recommends that governments enhance social protection, target investments in disadvantaged areas, upgrade school resources, and provide nutritious meals in schools to address these issues.
Meanwhile, UNESCO's report on higher education notes that, despite enrolment more than doubling from around 100 million in 2000 to 269 million in 2024, access remains uneven by region. Approximately 80 percent of young people in Western Europe and North America attend higher education institutions, while rates drop to 30 percent in South and West Asia and just 9 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. Completion rates also lag behind enrolment increases, with the global graduation ratio rising only modestly from 22 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2024.
These findings indicate that, while growing demand for higher education plays a role in development, persistent inequalities undermine equitable access and successful completion worldwide.