International Children's Day

More than half the world's children are at risk of poverty, conflict and discrimination against girls, according to a report by Save the Children.

The charity's second End of Childhood index says one billion children live in countries rife with poverty, about 240 million in countries affected by conflict, and 575 million girls live in countries where discrimination against women is common with 153 million facing all three threats.

"Because of who they are and where they live, these children risk being robbed of their childhoods and future potential," the report says.

At the bottom of the index is Niger, along with Mali and the Central African Republic - with eight of the bottom ten nations in west or central Africa.

Save the Children also point out that despite their dominance in economics and military might, the US (36th), Russia (37th) and China (40th) all trail countries in Western Europe.

A Save the Children report said one in six children now live in a conflict zone, while in 2016 another report by the charity said one girl under 15 is married every seven seconds.

The charity says 20 people are displaced every minute due to conflict or persecution.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-44307402