Measuring Poverty in a Multidimensional Perspective: A Review of Literature

Recent pioneer papers of Sen (1981, 1985, 1992) have emphasized that poverty is a multidimensional issue. Hence, it should be seen in relation to the lack of important "basic needs" or "basic capabilities." This recommendation has motivated many researchers to focus on the way multidimensional aspect of poverty should be measured and aggregated. This survey synthesizes the contribution of the main approaches to measuring poverty in its various dimensions to better understand the theoretical framework and the limitations of each. This should help one choose which approach to adopt based on the circumstances and the constraints of the study to be conducted.