UNDP report reveals Pakistan’s higher multidimensional poverty rate

Key Takeaways

38.3% of Pakistan’s population faces multidimensional poverty, compared to 16.4% in India and 14.9% in Bangladesh.
The MPI assesses overlapping disadvantages in areas such as nutrition, education, and living standards.
Children account for more than half of those affected by multidimensional poverty.

According to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), more than one-third of Pakistan’s population faces overlapping deprivations in health, education, and living standards. The report, released on Monday, highlights that 38.3% of Pakistanis are multidimensionally poor, a higher rate than in India (16.4%) and Bangladesh (14.9%).

The MPI, which differs from conventional income-based measures, evaluates multiple aspects of poverty, including nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and household assets. This comprehensive assessment paints a more nuanced picture of poverty, revealing that the intensity of deprivation among those classified as multidimensionally poor in Pakistan stands at 51.7%. An additional 12.9% of the population is considered vulnerable to multidimensional poverty, indicating a significant risk of falling into acute deprivation.

The report also documents a concerning global trend, noting that the number of people living in multidimensional poverty has risen for the first time in 15 years, reaching 1.2 billion. This increase is 51.5 million higher than the previous update, with children accounting for more than half of those affected. The global findings underscore the scale of the challenge facing governments, particularly in providing essential services to disadvantaged communities.

In South Asia, which accounts for a substantial share of global deprivation, the UNDP’s regional figures place the multidimensional poverty rate at approximately 19.3%, with another 18.4% of the population vulnerable to such poverty. Health, education, and living standards contribute significantly to regional multidimensional poverty, with health accounting for about 29.9%, education for 33.7%, and living standards for 36.3%. These factors reinforce one another, trapping families in poverty and making it difficult for them to improve their circumstances.

UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues, stating, 'The rise in poverty should be a wake-up call for the world. Behind these figures are 1.2 billion people facing hardships that reinforce one another: hunger, missed schooling, and a lack of clean water or electricity. This is unacceptable.'

The report further highlights that children account for more than half of those affected by multidimensional poverty, with 617 million living in such conditions. Additionally, 83% of the total live in rural areas, indicating the rural-urban divide in poverty levels. The persistent barriers to education, despite broader development gains, are particularly concerning, as 150 million poor people live in households where a school-aged child is not attending school.

The MPI’s findings underscore the complexity of poverty, revealing that it is not merely a shortage of income but also inadequate nutrition, missed schooling, and a lack of clean water or electricity. These overlapping disadvantages can trap families in a cycle of poverty, making it difficult for them to break free.

The global findings and regional figures from the UNDP’s report provide a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge facing governments in Pakistan and across South Asia. Addressing multidimensional poverty requires a comprehensive approach that tackles the root causes of deprivation in multiple areas of life.