Although millions of children worldwide have been lifted out of poverty, progress has been uneven, with children in sub-Saharan Africa facing the highest levels of mortality, poor nutrition, child marriage and illiteracy, UNICEF said in its flagship "State of the World's Children" report released on Tuesday.

By 2030, nearly half of children, 69 million, who are predicted to die before reaching the age of five would live in the region, according to the report.

Sub-Saharan Africa is also expected to be home to 9 out of 10 of the 167 million children living in extreme poverty by 2030, living under $1.90 per person a day, the U.N.'s children's agency said.

Source: Reuters