Nearly one in seven children in Belgium lives below the poverty threshold, according to a report comparing child welfare indicators across high-income countries published Tuesday by UNICEF’s Innocenti research center, Belga News Agency reported.
The report said 14.4% of children in Belgium live in households earning less than 60% of the country’s median income, placing Belgium 11th among 41 countries included in the study.
UNICEF said economic disparities were linked to weaker educational performance and poorer physical health outcomes among children.
Belgium ranked seventh in the category of children’s physical health, supported by a relatively low child mortality rate, although the report noted that around 20% of children in the country are overweight.
The report also showed Belgium among the better-performing countries on income inequality.
According to the findings, the income of the richest 20% of households was 3.57 times higher than that of the poorest 20%, placing Belgium fifth on that measure.
Belgium ranked lower in other indicators, including youth suicide rates, where it placed 24th.
The report also pointed to disparities in academic performance between income groups, saying 91% of children from high-income households reach basic proficiency in reading and mathematics, compared with 45% among children from the lowest-income families.
UNICEF Belgium called for maintaining child support measures and raising minimum wages, while also urging action to reduce educational inequality and increase access to social housing.
The organization additionally called for disadvantaged areas to be made more child-friendly and for stronger engagement with families.
The Netherlands, Denmark, and France topped the international comparison.
Belgium was excluded from the overall ranking because of insufficient data related to mental health.
