One billion people are multidimensionally poor: UNDP
No fewer than 1.3 billion people are multidimensionally poor across 109 countries, while differences in multidimensional poverty among ethnic groups are consistently high, according to the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released on Thursday.
MPI, produced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, also found that in nine specific ethnic groups surveyed, more than 90 per cent of the population was trapped in poverty.
According to the report, across the 109 countries studied, 1.3 billion people are multidimensionally poor.
“About half of them, or 644 million, are children under age 18; and nearly 85 per cent live in Sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia. More than 67 per cent live in middle-income countries,” the report disclosed. “Living in multidimensional poverty can mean very different things.’’
The report further stated that around one billion people, for example, were exposed to health risks due to solid cooking fuels, another billion live with inadequate sanitation, and another billion have substandard housing.
It stated that around 788 million lived in a household with at least one undernourished person, and about 568 million lacked improved drinking water within a 30-minute roundtrip walk.
UNDP administrator Achim Steiner said, ”This is a reminder of the need for a complete picture of how people are being affected by poverty, who they are, and where they live.”
The report noted that even though multidimensional poverty remained high, some countries showed signs of progress, at least until the beginning of the pandemic.
“Of the 80 nations and five billion people for which there is data over time, 70 reduced their Multidimensional Poverty Index in at least one period. The fastest changes happened in Sierra Leone and Togo,” it noted.
The director of OPHI at the University of Oxford, Sabina Alkire, stressed the need to fix the structural inequalities that oppress and hinder progress.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
NationWide
Nigeria’s Gbenga Agboola named vice chairman, U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Africa Business Centre
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Africa Business Centre said Flutterwave’s commitment to strengthening U.S.-Africa ties was the catalyst for Mr Agboola’s appointment.
NationWide
Nigerians must support Tinubu as he ‘works hard’ to address country’s challenges: Governor Ododo
The governor said Mr Tinubu was aware of the strategic implications of any breach of security in Kogi as a gateway state to the North and the South.
Education
We are open to public scrutiny, NELFUND tells Nigerians
The managing director said that NELFUND, under his watch, would not deviate from its sole mandate of giving as many loans as possible to Nigerians in need of them.
Showbiz
Veteran Nollywood actor Ogunjimi is dead
Legendary Yoruba Nollywood actor Ganiyu Oyeyemi, also known as Ogunjimi, has died.
NationWide
FG moves to finalise national intellectual property policy
The NCC boss said the policy would be a blueprint for a more efficient, modern, responsive legal and administrative framework to leverage creative and innovative potential.
States
Three killed, two injured in Kano building collapse: NEMA
Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA Kano territorial coordinator, confirmed the incident and casualty figures to journalists on Friday in Kano.