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UNDP Report Reveals Over 38 Percent of Pakistan Lives in Multidimensional Poverty
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News18•13-10-2026, 15:00
UNDP Report Reveals Over 38 Percent of Pakistan Lives in Multidimensional Poverty
- •A recent UNDP report reveals that 38.3 percent of Pakistan’s population suffers from overlapping disadvantages in healthcare, education, and living conditions.
- •The intensity of deprivation among Pakistan’s multidimensionally poor population stands at 51.7 percent, with another 12.9 percent classified as vulnerable.
- •The Multidimensional Poverty Index examines interconnected issues like malnutrition, poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and lack of electricity rather than just income.
- •Globally, the number of multidimensionally poor people has risen to 1.2 billion, marking an increase for the first time in 15 years.
- •Children make up more than half of those affected globally, and 83 percent of the impacted population lives in rural areas.
Key Questions Answered
According to the United Nations Development Programme’s Multidimensional Poverty Index, 38.3 per cent of Pakistan's population suffers from overlapping disadvantages in healthcare, education, and living conditions.
Pakistan's multidimensional poverty rate stands at 38.3 per cent, which is significantly higher than Bangladesh's rate of 14.9 per cent, though the estimates are based on household surveys conducted in different years.
Unlike income-based metrics, the MPI examines interconnected disadvantages including malnutrition, child mortality, limited schooling, poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, inadequate housing, and restricted access to electricity and household assets.
