In Ethiopia children are the hardest hit by poverty. It affects the ability of society at all levels to fulfill its obligations to children. Almost all of the manifestations of unmet child rights in Ethiopia, e.g. such as high infant and child mortality, widespread malnutrition, high incidence of communicable disease, low school enrolment, high number of children in situations of special risk, have poverty as a key underlying root. The effects of poverty cause life long damage to children's minds and bodies, making it more likely that they pass on poverty to their own children, thereby perpetuating the poverty cycle.

This Child Situation Analysis conducted by Save the Children  is a snapshot of the situation of children in Ethiopia in 2004 and is designed to be an iterative document which can be updated at any time.