DISPARITIES in multidimensional poverty among ethnic groups are consistently high across many countries, a new analysis on global multidimensional poverty has found.
In nine ethnic groups more than 90 per cent of the population is trapped in poverty, it added.
The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, measures poverty by considering various deprivations experienced by people in their daily lives, including poor health, insufficient education and a low standard of living.
This report examined the level and composition of multidimensional poverty across 109 countries covering 5.9 billion people and presents an ethnicity/race/caste disaggregation for 41 countries with available information.
Dr Sabina Alkire, director of OPHI, said: "Achieving a future where all people enjoy core capabilities they value and have reason to value requires the global community to fix the structural inequalities that oppress and hinder progress. Disaggregating multidimensional poverty data by ethnicity, race, caste and exploring gendered and intra-household patterns unmasks disparities and forms a vital guide to policymakers to leave no one behind in the last decade for action."
Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator, said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has eroded development progress around the world, and we are still grappling to understand its full impacts.
"This year's Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) reminds us of the need for a complete picture of how people are being affected by poverty, who they are and where they live, if we are to build forward better from this crisis and design effective responses that leave no one behind."
