UN Report Finds 1.1 Billion in Asia-Pacific Poverty
The United Nations report, launched in Bangkok, measures poverty beyond income and covers the Asia and Pacific region.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Employment
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A United Nations report released by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) found that more than 1.1 billion people in Asia and the Pacific lived in poverty in 2026, including 310 million in extreme poverty. The report was launched in Bangkok on 11 November.
Why it matters
The report notes that a further 1.2 billion people in the region are not poor but are vulnerable to falling back into poverty. It identifies climate change, demographic change, digital transformation and recurring economic shocks as factors changing the nature of poverty and vulnerability across the region.
The report counts 1.1 billion people in poverty and 310 million in extreme poverty across Asia and the Pacific in 2026, with a further 1.2 billion people classed as vulnerable to falling into poverty. The figures do not indicate how they compare with prior years, and the committee's review of progress has not yet produced conclusions.
The players
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
A regional commission of the United Nations that promotes economic and social development across Asia and the Pacific and released the poverty report.
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, who leads the commission's work on the region's development agenda.
The details
The report measures poverty beyond income, including deprivation in education, health, nutrition, housing and access to essential services. It notes that governments have introduced social schemes to help people escape poverty and withstand economic uncertainty, and lists universal health coverage among effective measures.
Timeline
2026: Poverty figures of 1.1 billion and 310 million recorded for Asia and the Pacific.
Last three decades: The number of poor people across the region fell markedly.
11 November 2026: Report launched in Bangkok on the opening day of the ninth session of the Committee on Social Development.
Market Landscape
The report arrives as the Committee on Social Development begins its ninth session in Bangkok, where delegates will review progress on regional commitments. Its findings on vulnerability and multidimensional poverty set the baseline for the policy options on poverty eradication and social protection the committee will consider.
The report shows that 1.2 billion people in the region who are not classed as poor remain at risk of falling into poverty if economic shocks occur. Access to education, health care, nutrition, housing and essential services is part of how poverty is measured, so gaps in those services directly affect household wellbeing.
The takeaway
Poverty measured beyond income shows that health, education and housing access matter as much as earnings in determining whether a household can stay out of hardship. Tracking those services alongside wages gives a fuller picture of who is at risk.
What happens next
The Committee on Social Development is expected to review progress and consider ways to speed up action on regional commitments during its ninth session in Bangkok.
Further reading
For broader context on job conditions and income security, see Employment.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SolomonTimes.
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