More than one-third of Pakistan’s population faces overlapping deprivations in health, education and living standards, according to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
According to a report published in Dawn, Figures released by the UNDP show that 38.3 per cent of Pakistan’s population lives in multidimensional poverty, compared with 16.4pc in India and 14.9pc in Bangladesh. However, the estimates are based on household surveys conducted in different years and do not represent a direct comparison of poverty levels for the same period.
The report found that the intensity of deprivation among Pakistanis classified as multidimensionally poor stands at 51.7pc. Meanwhile, another 12.9pc of the population remains vulnerable to multidimensional poverty.
Unlike income-based measures, the MPI assesses overlapping disadvantages in several areas, including nutrition, child mortality, education, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing and household assets.
The report also highlighted a concerning global trend, with the number of people living in multidimensional poverty rising for the first time in 15 years to reach 1.2 billion.
Children account for more than half of those affected, with 617 million living in multidimensional poverty. Around 83pc of the affected population lives in rural areas, where access to essential services remains a major challenge.
South Asia accounts for a significant share of global deprivation. According to the report, the region contributes at least one-third of global deprivations in nutrition, housing and years of schooling.
The region is also home to 150 million poor people living in households where a school-aged child is not attending school, highlighting persistent barriers to education.
The UNDP estimates South Asia’s multidimensional poverty rate at approximately 19.3pc, while another 18.4pc of the population remains vulnerable to such poverty. Living standards account for 36.3pc of regional multidimensional poverty, followed by education at 33.7pc and health at 29.9pc.
The findings underline how inadequate healthcare, limited educational opportunities and poor living conditions can reinforce one another, trapping families in poverty and making it harder for them to improve their circumstances.
“The rise in poverty should be a wake-up call for the world,” UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo said, adding that 1.2 billion people were facing interconnected hardships, including hunger, missed schooling and a lack of clean water or electricity.
