Ottawa, Nov 25 (IANS): More than 1.3 million Canadian children, or 17.7 per cent, live in poverty, according to an annual report issued by Campaign 2000.

That is a pretty significant number of kids who are suffering from the harm and effects of missing meals, not having the right kinds of clothes and parents working really long hours.

Using the latest data available from 2019, the Campaign 2000 report issued on Wednesday paints a stark picture of income, health, social inequalities and deepening levels of child and family poverty.

It shows data that suggest poverty reduction has declined and in some parts of Canada, poverty has increased. In fact, children are living in deeper poverty, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report finds disproportionately higher rates of child poverty among communities marginalised by systemic barriers.

The highest child poverty rate in Canada is in Nunavut territory, at 34.4 per cent. Manitoba province, with a rate of 28.4 per cent, is the highest of any province.

The report urges the Canadian government to take bolder and more decisive action to protect children.

The report is based on the most recently available tax data, which is from 2019.