Addressing multidimensional poverty

It is crucial to measure multidimensional poverty, especially in the Arab region which faces a number of severe challenges especially on money metric poverty.

ESCWA aims to enhance the capacity of member countries to monitor and evaluate progress on SDG 1 “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.”

Our approach

ESCWA poverty team of economic and technical experts has undertaken to continuously monitor a group of multidimensional poverty indicators and propose how their reduction could be attained.

We are also spearheading the regional development of multidimensional poverty measures, through a Multidimensional Poverty Index Assist Tool portal, which will be disseminated to member countries and partner organizations.

Project phases include national assessments, cross-country and intertemporal assessments, and a counterfactual simulation facility.

Our partners

UNICEF, League of Arab States, UNDESA, ECLAC, OPHI, UNDP.

Our activities

We are developing a portal to help measure multidimensional poverty, and more specifically to calculate Multidimensional Poverty Indices (MPI). It will enable policy makers to construct an appropriate national MPI using advanced diagnostics, with higher ownership, transparency, accountability and reduced cost. A related user manual is also being produced.

Additionally, ESCWA has organized different Expert Group Meetings (EGMs), workshops and trainings, and published reports, papers and country studies.