Image by: Kasun Chamara from Pixabay
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) (University of Oxford) have published a report measuring multidimensional poverty. According to them, 25 countries halved their Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in four- to twelve-year periods. This is great news which also demonstrates that halving poverty within 15 years (SDG target 1.2) is possible.
In India, 415 million people exited poverty between 2005 and 2021. In China, 69 million left poverty in just four years from 2010 to 2014. Other countries which halved their multidimensional poverty rates include Cambodia, Congo, Honduras, Morocco, Serbia, and Vietnam. Additionally, the countries with data for 2021 to 2022 demonstrate that poverty reduction momentum “may have persisted during the pandemic,” according to a UNDP press release.
However, 1.1 billion out of 6.1 billion people across 110 countries still live in acute multidimensional poverty, according to the report with over 80% of poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa (534 million) and South Asia (389 million). Almost two-thirds of all poor people (730 million) reside in middle-income countries (MICs). And although low-income countries (LICs) make up only 10% of the population covered by the MPI, they are home to 35% of all poor people.
Still lots to do.
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.