The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) have recently published the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2023. The MPI provides a detailed measure of “interlinked deprivations in health, education and standard of living” that directly influence a person’s quality of life.
Key Highlights of the Global MPI
An alarming 1.1 billion people globally, representing 18% of the total population across 110 countries, are living in acute multidimensional poverty. The highest concentration of poor people is found in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, accounting for nearly five out of every six poor people worldwide. It is concerning to note that children under 18 years old constitute almost half of the MPI-poor people, adhering to a poverty rate of 27.7%.
Poverty Scenario in India
In India, more than 230 million people still live in poverty. A shocking 18.7% of the population falls under the category of “vulnerability”, which describes those individuals who face deprivations in 20 – 33.3% of all weighted indicators.
India’s Progress in Reducing Poverty
Over the past 15 years, India has made significant strides in reducing multidimensional poverty, with its global MPI value halved during this period. An estimated 415 million Indians escaped poverty between 2005 and 2021, resulting in a considerable drop in poverty incidence from 55.1% in 2005/06 to 16.4% in 2019/2021.
Improvement Across Deprivation Indicators
India demonstrated significant progress across all three deprivation indicators: health, education, and standard of living. Improvements were witnessed across all regions and socio-economic groups, with the poorest states and groups experiencing the fastest pace of progress.
Recommendations for More Effective Poverty Reduction
The report recommends the adoption of context-specific multidimensional poverty indices that align with national definitions of poverty. While the global MPI offers standardised metrics, national definitions provide an in-depth understanding unique to each country’s context.
About the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index
Launched in 2010 by the OPHI and the UNDP’s Human Development Report Office, the MPI measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing nations. It tracks deprivations in health, education, and standard of living, considering both the incidence and intensity of poverty. Individuals deprived of one-third or more of the weighted indicators are considered multidimensionally poor, with those deprived of half or more classified as living in extreme multidimensional poverty.
UPSC Civil Services Exam Questions and Answers
Prelims Question from 2012 asked: “The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP support covers which of the following?
1) Deprivation of education, health, assets and services at household level
2) Purchasing power parity at national level
3) Extent of budget deficit and GDP growth rate at national level
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)”
A mains question from 2016 asked: “Despite consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive.”
Last Modified: February 22, 2024