This essay will focus on the comparison of child poverty in the UK and Bangladesh in relation to the effects on a child's education. I chose to compare the UK and Bangladesh because, reading about child poverty in Bangladesh, I was amazed at the difference between 'childhood' in these two distinct worlds. Poverty is divided into two categories: “absolute” poverty and “relative” poverty. Bell (2013) considers absolute poverty as a term used to indicate a level of poverty in relation to the standard of living that remains the same even if society becomes richer. Access to drinking water, sanitation and basic needs are all examples of absolute poverty. No one in the UK should be in absolute poverty because of the welfare system in place. Relative poverty is generally linked to income: a person may have the ability to meet their basic needs, but not financially enough to participate in various other activities. Child poverty is a situation characterized by an insufficiently low standard of living due to insufficient resources in the households in which they live. UNICEF (2007) states that the long-term impact of poverty impacts on children's progress, development, education and employability. The Department for Work and Pensions (2013) The Labor Party government highlights that children living in households with less than 60% of the UK's average income could be in poverty. The UK is described as one of the richest countries in the world, but levels of child poverty remain high. Fisher (2013) showed research that children described as living in poverty are much less likely to succeed in school and, by age 14, may be 2 years behind others. Research suggests that these children from poorer backgrounds...... middle of paper...... included in both gender classes throughout the program. The government has put this into practice to increase children's aspirations to continue their education and obtain better paid and skilled jobs. While poverty is a major factor in the quality and equity of education, other factors such as “cultural poverty” pose problems. As there are no public benefits in Bangladesh, boys are expected to provide financial support to their parents, while girls' work is devoted to household chores. Bangladeshi society is heavily controlled by men. Hossain (2006) states that in some cases, less privileged families prioritize the education of their sons over their daughters, as the latter will have better job prospects and bring more income to the family . In addition to financial factors, some parents refrain from sending their daughters to school due to socio-cultural norms and practices.