A troubling issue quietly persists in Sri Lanka: the multidimensional poverty many children face.
In this context, multidimensional poverty encompasses financial hardships and inadequate access to essential services like health care, education and clean water, which profoundly affect a child’s well-being.
These children often come from marginalized communities where social and economic disparities persist.
Understanding and addressing multidimensional child poverty in Sri Lanka is a moral imperative essential for the nation’s long-term development, ensuring that future generations of children can realize their full potential.
5 Facts about Multidimensional Child Poverty in Sri Lanka
- The Multidimensional Poverty Index Report. The Ministry of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation, in association with UNICEF and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Index (OPHI), pioneered the nation’s first National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and Child MPI for Sri Lanka. The 2021 report titled “Multidimensional Poverty in Sri Lanka” highlights the following: four out of every 10 (42.2%) children under five are multidimensionally poor, about 33.4 % of children aged 0–4 are malnourished and stunted,16.4 % of children are multidimensionally poor and deprived in early child development and 46.6% of children aged 0–11 and 47.5 % of 4-year-olds are poor due to deficient nutrition and are not attending pre-school. The Child MPI, however, is indiscriminate in Sri Lanka as there is no significant difference between boys and girls.
- Education Challenges. Many children living in multidimensional poverty in Sri Lanka face barriers to accessing quality education. Limited access to schools, lack of learning materials and high dropout rates contribute to this challenge. A report titled “Investing in the Future: A Universal Benefit for Sri Lanka’s Children,” released by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has unveiled the challenging circumstances endured by children and their families throughout the island. It also highlights the insufficiency of the existing social security programs. Fifty percent of boys and 40% of girls drop out of school before they turn 18, with many opting to secure a job to supplement their family’s diminishing income. In 2022/23, 492 children have dropped out of school, with the crisis only increasing annually.
- Malnutrition and Wastage. Sri Lanka ranks 9th among the countries with the highest annual wastage. This wastage affects 15% of the children aged below 5. This data correlates to the widespread malnutrition and hunger Sri Lankan children face. A 2023 survey by Save The Children revealed that among the surveyed households, approximately 50% acknowledged reducing their children’s food consumption, while 27% indicated that adults were forgoing meals to ensure their children were fed. An overwhelming 90% of households expressed their inability to provide nutritious meals for their children.
- Vulnerability to Exploitation. Children facing multidimensional poverty are at a higher risk of exploitation, including child labor and child marriage. These practices can deprive them of their childhood and hinder their future prospects. According to the data from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), approximately 103,704 children were engaged in labor in Sri Lanka in 2016, representing a significant decline from the half-million children reported a decade earlier. Presently, 39,007 children continue to be ensnared in perilous exploitative situations. The Girls Not Brides organization reports that the child marriage ratio stands at 10% by age 18 and 1% by age 15.
- Poverty and Socio-Economic Groups (SEGs). Child poverty and impoverishment in Sri Lanka have a direct link with SEGs. In 2015, the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka highlighted that among the 682,000 impoverished children below 18 years of age, the highest proportions reside in households led by “Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery Laborers” (23.3%), followed by those in households headed by “Non-agricultural Laborers and Similar Workers” (16.4%), “Skilled Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery Workers” (16.0%) and “Those unable to work or too old” (13.3%). These four occupational groups account for nearly 70% of all impoverished children under 18. Additionally, 12.7% of these children come from households led by “Craft & related trade workers, Plant and Machinery workers.”
The Future
The Ocean Stars Trust (OST) was established in 2005 by Dilanee Bunter following the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, with a vision of a Sri Lanka where every child has equal opportunities.
In its 2022–2023 annual report, the Ocean Stars Trust highlights that it enabled 847 children in Sir Lanka to receive preschool education and introduced breakfast feeding schemes across 15 preschools, benefiting 400 children per day. In addition, the organization enabled sponsorship schemes for 172 disadvantaged children and supported 30 preschools in Sri Lanka.
The fight against child poverty in Sri Lanka demands unwavering dedication from the government, NGOs and society. By prioritizing investments in education, health care and social support, Sri Lanka can break the cycle of multidimensional poverty, offering brighter futures to the nation’s children and ensuring a prosperous tomorrow for all.
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