LocationsBelarus Is Developing a National Multidimensional Poverty Index
December 16, 2024
Poverty is the defining development challenge of our time demanding coordinated action from all countries. The eradication of extreme poverty stands as the first of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is a key global priority for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $2.15 USD per day.
Belarus is among the countries that eradicated extreme poverty, as measured by the international poverty line, before the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development began. In 2023, 3.6% of the population lived below the national poverty line, which is below the 4% target set for 2030. Further efforts focus on reducing regional income disparities and enhancing the quality of life.
What is multidimensional poverty?
Traditionally, poverty has been measured solely through financial indicators, such as income and purchasing power. Multidimensional poverty, however, provides a more comprehensive perspective, capturing a wider range of deprivations that individuals may face simultaneously. These include limited access to essential services like education, healthcare, clean water, and electricity, as well as other critical aspects of quality of life.
Today, 1.1 billion people are multidimensionally poor, accounting for over 13% of the global population.
Multidimensional poverty index
To comprehensively assess poverty levels and enhance strategies for its eradication, UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) developed the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). This tool complements the international extreme poverty line by considering three additional dimensions of poverty - health, education, and standard of living. Those are measured through 10 corresponding indicators, such as malnutrition, child mortality, school attendance, as well as access to electricity, clean drinking water, and sanitation. Additionally, the MPI evaluates the availability of basic household items, such as radio, TV, and telephone.
The global MPI primarily targets the world’s poorest countries and does not always account for differences in higher-income regions. Therefore, some states create national MPIs instead, tailoring the methodology to the local needs.
In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, several countries have already introduced or are in the process of developing national MPIs. Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova have adopted national MPIs, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are working on pilot methodologies for their calculation.
National MPI in Belarus
In 2023, Belarus started developing the national MPI. First, UNDP and the National Statistics Committee (Belstat) reviewed best international practices, selected key indicators, and prepared their recommendations. A Scoping Study on Measuring Multidimensional Poverty in Eastern Europe and Central Asia suggests a set of 20 indicators for developing national MPIs in the region. The list of indicators in each specific country will be unique based economic, social and other characteristics. In Belarus, 11 indicators for measuring multidimensional poverty were selected, including access to vocational education, adverse environmental factors at the place of residence, employment, savings, debts, and internet access.
To explore international practices, UNDP facilitated the participation of Belstat's representatives in the High-Level Regional Workshop on Multidimensional Poverty Measurement in Istanbul and the Group of Experts Meeting on Measuring Poverty and Inequality in Geneva in 2023.
Results in 2024
Based on UNDP proposals, in 2024, Belstat developed the national MPI methodology and conducted test calculations that demonstrated a relatively low level of multidimensional poverty in Belarus. In 2023, 2.4% of the country's population was multidimensionally poor, which corresponds to the general trend of absolute poverty reduction in the country.
In August 2024, UNDP assisted Belstat in presenting the methodological approaches to calculating the national MPIs at the Meeting of the Multidimensional Poverty Peer Network in Tashkent. In November 2024, the findings were discussed at the meeting of the Intersectoral Group for Monitoring and Evaluating the SDGs of the Council for Sustainable Development.
Next steps
The next stage for Belarus is the development and application of the official methodology for calculating the national MPI, which will contribute to the implementation of more effective socio-economic policies aimed at reducing poverty and improving the quality of life.
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