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According to a recently released UNICEF study, Switzerland has one of the lowest levels of child poverty in the industrialized world, with about 6.8 percent of young Swiss living in poverty. The United Nations Children’s Fund ranked Switzerland fifth out of the 24 wealthiest nations around the globe, with Denmark ranking even higher.

The UN agency estimates that there are up to 50 million children in rich countries growing up in relative poverty. About 28 percent of young people in Mexico live in poverty, and around 22 percent in the United States do also, although the rate of child poverty in America is falling.

According to UNICEF, both countries spend less than five percent of their GDP on government support for families. This is in stark contrast to the Nordic countries at the top of the list, which continue to have generous public spending on social benefits for families.

The head of UNICEF Switzerland said that the figures refuted the assumption that poverty was falling in the most developed nations. The regional director for UNICEF added that higher government spending on family and social benefits is clearly associated with a lower level of child poverty.

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