Multidimensional Poverty Index

The MPI assesses the nature and intensity of poverty at the individual level, with poor people being those who are multiply deprived and the extent of their poverty being measured by the extent of their deprivations. The MPI creates a vivid picture of people living in poverty within and across countries, regions and the world. It is the first international measure of its kind, and offers an essential complement to income poverty measures because it measures deprivations directly. The MPI can be used as an analytical tool to identify the most vulnerable people, show aspects in which they are deprived and help to reveal the interconnections among deprivations. This enables policy makers to target resources and design policies more effectively. OPHI has just concluded a first ever estimate and analyses of global multidimensional poverty in 104 developing nations across the world, and is releasing these results in advance of the Report. Other dimensions such as work, safety, and empowerment could be incorporated into the MPI in the future as data become available. This brief summarises key findings of the new index and shows how the measure can be used by governments, development agencies, and other institutions to help eradicate acute poverty. Key Findings