Addressing Multidimensional Poverty in a post-COVID-19 world

While data is not yet available to measure the rise of global multidimensional poverty after the pandemic, OPHI and UNDP made simulations for 70 countries in the developing world. Simulations based on the anticipated impacts of the virus on just two components of the global MPI –nutrition and school attendance– suggests how much impact the crisis could have unless it is addressed.

In three scenarios of varying deterioration in which 10, 25 and 50% of people who are multidimensionally poor or vulnerable become undernourished, and half of primary school aged children no longer attend school, poverty levels could be set back 8 to 10 years. But even if we look only at the impact on nutrition, if anticipated increases in undernutrition are not prevented or swiftly reversed, the setback could range between 3–6 years.

 

 

Source: Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2020 – Charting Pathways out of Multidimensional Poverty: Achieving the SDGs, UNDP and OPHI.