Focus: GS-II Social Justice
Why in news?
India had the biggest reduction in the number of multidimensionally poor people estimated at over 270 million during the 2005-15 period.
Details
- The data, released by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), showed 65 of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.
- Four countries —Armenia, Nicaragua, North Macedonia and India halved their global MPIT value and did so in 5.5–10.5 years.
- Among the 1.3 billion people still living in multidimensional poverty today, more than 80% are deprived in at least five of the ten indicators used to measure health, education and living standards in the global MPI.
Children are the worst affected
- The data also reveals the burden of multidimensional poverty disproportionately falls on children. Half of the 1.3 billion poor have not yet turned 18.
- Children show higher rates of multidimensional poverty: half of multidimensionally poor people (644 million) are children under age 18.
- One in three children is poor compared with one in six adults.
Impact
- The impact of Covid-19 may slow down efforts to reduce multidimensional poverty.
- While data are not yet available to measure the rise of global poverty after the pandemic, simulations suggest that, if unaddressed, progress across 70 developing countries could be set back by 3–10 years.
MPIT – Multidimensional Poverty Index
- MPIT is the Multidimensional Poverty Index estimate that is based on harmonized indicator definitions for strict comparability over time.
- It is a measure that looks beyond income to include access to safe water, education, electricity, food and six other indicators.
-Source: Times of India
