25/05/2019
Overview of the situation for children
Zambia is a country of young people, with the majority of the population under the age of 18 (53.4 per cent). The estimated median age is 16.7 years (2015), which is one of the lowest in the region and globally.
Many of these children are affected by both monetary and non-monetary POVERTY - an estimated 54.5 per cent of the population lives below the national poverty line. In rural Zambia, up to 65 per cent of children suffer from at least three deprivations or more (lacking access to nutrition, education, health, water, sanitation, adequate housing).
Gender inequality, household poverty and the expansion of peri-urban populations are some of the systematic challenges to realizing the rights of children. The situation is further compounded by high population growth, with a fertility rate of 5.7 children per woman leading to an annual population growth rate of 3.2 per cent
