Our Mission

Half the children in low- and middle-income countries are unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10. These children are considered learning poor. Learning poor refers to children at the end of primary school who read at below the minimum proficiency level and children out of school who are assumed to not read proficiently. About 10 percent of children are out of school, and another 40 percent are not learning while in school. Learning poverty rates exceed 50 percent in four regions. Learn More in the 2020 SDG Atlas.

Almost all commodity prices recovered in the third quarter following steep declines earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Crude oil prices have doubled since their April low, supported by sharp oil supply cuts, but prices remain one-third lower than pre-pandemic.  Metal prices recovered rapidly in response to a faster-than-expected pick up of China’s industrial activity. Some food prices have also risen. Looking ahead, oil prices are expected to increase gradually from current levels and average $44 per barrel in 2021, up from an estimated $41 per barrel this year, as a slow recovery in demand is matched by an easing in supply restraint. Metal and agricultural prices are projected to see modest gains in 2021. The main risk to price forecasts is the duration of the pandemic, including the risk of an intensifying second wave in the Northern Hemisphere. Explore Data

For almost 25 years, extreme poverty was steadily declining. Now, for the first time in a generation, the quest to end poverty has suffered its worst setback. This setback is largely due to major challenges — COVID 19, conflict, and climate change — facing all countries, but in particular those with large poor populations. The increase in extreme poverty from 2019 to 2020 is projected to be larger than any time since the World Bank started tracking poverty globally in a consistent manner. While COVID-19 is a new obstacle, conflicts and climate change have been increasing extreme poverty for years in parts of the world. Explore Data