A league table of relative child poverty, 35 economically advanced countries, UNICEF 2012
![](https://cichprofile.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2.4.2_league_table_october_26_version_2-768x522.png)
*Relative child poverty rate is the % of children living in households with equivalent income lower than 50% of the national median.
Source: CICH Graphic using data adapted from UNICEF. Measuring Child Poverty, 2012. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc10_eng.pdf – accessed July 15, 2017.
In 2012, Canada ranked 24th among developed countries when it comes to child poverty. Canada’s relative child poverty rate is 2.2 percentage points over the 34-country average of 11.1%.1
The Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden – have the lowest rates of child poverty, with 7% or less of children living in poor households. The relationship between social spending and poverty rates has become more obvious over time. As such, it is no surprise that the leading countries boast strong traditions of wealth redistribution.1
The U.S. has the second highest rate of child poverty.
1UNICEF. Measuring Child Poverty, 2012. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc10_eng.pdf– accessed July 15, 2017.