Assessment of socio-economic and demographic factors on child poverty: a case study of Northern Zone of Tanzania

Despite sustained national and international efforts, child poverty remains a persistent challenge in developing countries specifically Tanzania. Growing up in poverty can affect personal future wellbeing and negatively affect persons' life opportunities. This study examines the socio-economic and demographic determinants of child poverty among children aged 7–17 years in the Northern Zone of Tanzania. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 504 children selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure in Moshi District Council and Moshi Municipal Council. The multidimensional poverty outcome variable was constructed using average indexing, whereby the three dimensions were aggregated into a continuous composite index for each child. Fixed cut-off thresholds were then applied to this composite index to segment the population into three progressive, rank-ordered categories: Very Poor (high deprivation/low average scores), Poor (moderate average scores), and Not Poor (low deprivation/high average scores). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and an ordered logistic regression model were employed to examine variations in child poverty status. The results indicate that age of the child, household size, household structure, and employment status of the household head are significant predictors of child poverty. Older children and those residing in two-parent and non-agricultural households were less likely to experience poverty, while children from large households and households with unemployed heads faced substantially higher risks. The findings underscore the importance of livelihood diversification, household-level economic stability, and family planning interventions in reducing child poverty. The study contributes to the literature by incorporating children's self-reported experiences of deprivation into the analysis of multidimensional child poverty.