KUALA LUMPUR: The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has revealed that 95 per cent of children polled in its 'Living on the Edge' study in Kuala Lumpur were living in relative poverty.
The report, released today, also found that an alarming 40 per cent of children lived in households below the poverty line.
"This underscores the urgent need for interventions to alleviate their plight and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty," said the survey.
The 'Living on the Edge' study is a continuation of the Families on the Edge project by the Unicef on the impact of the pandemic on women and children in low-income families in KL.
The most recent edition was conducted between October and November last year, with data collected from 755 low-income households across 16 public housing projects in the city.
Among its key findings, the study found that the prevalence of poverty still persisted among low-income households in Kuala Lumpur post-Covid-19, particularly among women, children, and those with disabilities.
It found that although there had been improvements in the labour market and earnings, poverty continued to loom large, disproportionately impacting women, the disabled, and children.
It said median monthly household earnings had recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and the overall unemployment rates had seen a considerable decline.
"As of Oct 2023, the absolute poverty rate among households is 41 per cent, a slight improvement from its peak of 45 per cent in March 2021."
However, the poverty rate among female-headed households was higher than the average at 59 per cent, despite a slight decrease from 62 per cent in March 2021.
The absolute poverty of households headed by a person with disability was the highest among all, at 67 per cent.
The report said hardcore poverty still persisted at eight percent, with the highest being among households headed by a disabled person, at 17 per cent.
Meanwhile, Unicef found that the escalation in food prices remained as a pressing concern, exacerbating financial strain for households and amplifying the struggle to meet basic needs.
Eight out of 10 households, the survey said, found themselves grappling with inadequate income levels to sustainably cover essential expenses, surpassing the figure of seven out of 10 reported during the peak of the pandemic.
"The pervasive impact of the soaring cost of living, particularly food prices, casts a long shadow over the economic stability of communities, with nearly all households (90 per cent) feeling the pinch.
"Female-headed households (74 per cent) and households headed by a person with disability (92 per cent) find that their current income is insufficient.
"To cope with the escalating expenses, families undertake multiple jobs, cut back on spending, and even reduce their food intake.
"Consequently, their children, who are already facing health challenges, are also eating less, with one out of two eating less than three meals a day," the report added.