UNICEF: More than 400 million children lacking both two meals and safe sanitation

Unicef has said that more than 400 million children lack access to two basic meals and sanitation every day.

The organization is marking World Children's Day, by appealing to African governments to children's right to grow and thrive.

It adds that governments are cutting down on foreign assistance.

It projects that these budget cuts could have as many as 6-million children out of school by next year.

Unicef's report on the state of the world's children found that 417 million children are deprived of at least two essential basic needs, critical for their development and well-being.

The report says the highest rates of multi-dimensional poverty exists in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also found that access to sanitation was the most widely neglected basic need, with 65- percent of low-income household children lacking access to a toilet.

The report also assesses monetary poverty, stating that 19-percent of children live in extreme monetary poverty. 

Unicef's Louis DuBois said "The situation is especially severe in Africa where children face the highest levels of hardship. Across the continent many children are missing out on the support they need to stay healthy".

Unicef, on Wednesday urged all governments to prioritise giving decent work to care-givers to strengthen the economic security of children.