Rafael Ramírez Mesec, UNICEF Representative in Argentina, stated: “The results of this new wave reveal fragile progress in poverty reduction, but also challenges that must be addressed as a priority on the public agenda to consolidate and accelerate that trend.”
Improvements in the ability of households to cover specific expenses for children and adolescence are also highlighted, such as the purchase of books, school supplies, clothing and footwear, and access to excursions, educational outings, and transportation.
The latest official data showed a poverty rate reaching 31.6% of the population, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC), the lowest since 2018.
Regarding child poverty, during the first half of 2025, 46.1% of children lived in poverty and 10.2% in extreme poverty (EPH-INDEC). These figures show a significant improvement, with child poverty decreasing by 21 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024 and extreme poverty by 17 points.
Debt is Growing
The United Nations agency indicated that debt grew by 8 points and rose to 31%. The growth in debt with the formal banking system, through credit cards and personal loans, is particularly noted. If households that had to borrow money from apps, virtual wallets, shops, or family are also considered, the debt level rises to 45%.
Access to Food
A similar pattern is observed with access to food, which has recovered compared to 2024. The figure reached 30% of households, compared to 52% in 2024. Depending on the social sector, the indicator varies: 45% in households with AUH (Universal Child Allowance) and 37% in single-parent female-headed households.
“These data reflect the impact of the slowdown in inflation along with the prioritization of income protection policies for low-resource households through the AUH and the Food Allowance. Poverty in the most vulnerable households fell from 48% to 31% in August,” detailed a report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The data comes from the “9th Wave of the Rapid Survey” conducted by UNICEF, which shows an improvement in the socioeconomic conditions and income of households where girls and boys live, particularly in the most vulnerable sectors.
Thus, the proportion of households with insufficient income fell by 35% year-on-year and stands at 31%, affecting more than 2 million households where 4.3 million children live.
Regarding access to basic services, improvements are observed: the number of households that cannot see a doctor or dentist due to a lack of resources decreased by 8 points, as did those who have to stop buying medications (from 23% to 15%).
“The Rapid Survey of households with girls, boys, and adolescents, which UNICEF has been conducting since 2020, is a key tool to understand the evolution of living conditions for childhood and adolescence in the country. The challenge, within a framework of fiscal consolidation, lies in sustaining these efforts,” stated Sebastián Waisgrais, Social Inclusion and Monitoring Specialist at UNICEF in Argentina.
