a record low.60 These effects, however, ceased as soon as the temporary expansion of the CTC was discontinued. In January 2022, the drop in child poverty was reversed – in fact, the share of children in poverty reached its highest level since 2020.61 Hence, much of the progress on child poverty recorded in the United States was due to temporary measures. A key lesson is that permanent and comprehensive social protection is necessary to protect children during and after crises. What can countries do to eradicate child poverty? In 2015, the United Nations stated that “eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions. is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development”.62 It set ambitious targets under the Agenda for Sustainable Development, one of which was to halve poverty, including child poverty, by 2030, to which all governments, including those covered in this Report Card, have committed. 65 Within this context, the analysis in this report suggests that some progress has been made in countries that are members of the OECD and/or the EU. There were over 6 million fewer children in relative income poverty in this group of countries in 2019–2021 than in 2012–2014. On the other hand, there were still around 69 million children in poverty in 2019–2021, so reducing child poverty remains a huge challenge. In response to this challenge, there is now ample evidence of effective strategies that governments can adopt. The following are four areas for action.63 1. Expanding child-sensitive social protection Social protection is essential for eradicating poverty – both in its monetary and nonmonetary forms. Through redistributing incomes, it is also a key element of reducing inequality. The countries included in this Report Card have made commitments, for example by ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to ensuring that all children can benefit from social protection. The cases of several countries discussed above provide practical examples of the power of a comprehensive social protection system to contribute to the goal of eradicating child poverty and to protect children during periods of shocks and crises. For child benefits to make a real difference, they should provide adequate sums. It is also vital that the level of benefits is adjusted over time, through regular adjustments that reflect changes in the cost of living. This is of particular importance to low-income households, who spend a large proportion of their income on basic needs and are therefore vulnerable to price increases, as illustrated in Box 3. 2. Improving and ensuring access to essential services Alongside financial support to households with children, the multidimensional nature of child poverty requires a second strand of policy to ensure that all children have access to basic services, beyond the household, that are essential for their well-being and development. 47 Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth Innocenti Report Card 18