A United Nations(UN) report stated that India saw the most people moving out of multidimensional poverty. About 273 million Indians moved out of poverty between 2005-6 and 2015-16. India has recorded the largest reduction in the number of people living in this category.
As per the data released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 65 out of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.
Multidimensional poverty covers the various disadvantages experienced by poor people in daily life – such as poor health, lack of education, inadequacy in living standards, poor quality of work, risk of violence, and living in areas that are hazardous to the environment. Out of these 65 countries, 50 also reduced the number of people living in poverty.
“The largest reduction was in India, where approximately 273 million people moved out of multidimensional poverty over 10 years,” the report said.
The report states that four countries – Armenia (2010–2015/2015) 2016, India (2005/2005) 2014-15 / 2016), Nicaragua (2001–2011 / 2011) 2012) and North Macedonia (2005/2005) 2014) halved its Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Fourteen countries reduced multidimensional poverty in all their subnational regions: Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guyana, India, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nicaragua, Nepal and Rwanda. However, it was believed that the progress made on the poverty front could adversely be affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“COVID-19 is having a profound impact on the development landscape. But this data – from before the pandemic – is a message of hope. Past success stories on how to tackle the many ways people experience poverty in their daily lives, can show how to build back better and improve the lives of millions,” Director of OPHI at the University of Oxford Sabina Alkire said.
Pedro Conçeicão, Director of the Human Development Report Office at UNDP said, “COVID-19 is the latest crisis to hit the globe, and climate change all but guarantees more will follow soon. Each will affect the poor in multiple ways. More than ever, we need to work on tackling poverty – and vulnerability to poverty – in all its forms.”
The report also said that 10 countries account for 60 percent of unvaccinated children, and 40 percent of children unvaccinated for DTP3 live in just four countries: Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
