Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2025 Report Released

Posted 18 Oct 2025

2 min read

Article Summary

The report highlights 1.1 billion people in multidimensional poverty, with India reducing its poverty rate to 16.4%. Key challenges include climate vulnerability and lack of basic services.

Key Highlights of the Report

Global Headcount: Of 6.3 billion people across 109 countries, 1.1 billion (18.3%) live in acute multidimensional poverty.
- 43.6% face severe poverty with deprivation in half or more MPI indicators.
- 83.2% live in sub-Saharan Africa (565 million) and South Asia (390 million).
Multidimensional Poverty in India: It has fallen to 16.4% (2019–2021) from 55.1% (2005-06), lifting approximately 414 million people out of poverty.
Common Deprivations: Lack of clean cooking fuel, inadequate housing, and poor sanitation.
Double Burden of poverty and climate hazards: Over 80% live in climate hazard-prone regions.
- South Asia has the highest number of poor in climate hazard areas.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS):22 SIDS have a higher collective poverty rate (23.5%) than the developing world average (18.3%).
- Sea-level rise by up to 70 cm by 2080–2099 due to global emissions in countries like Belize, Comoros, and Samoa pose a critical and escalating threat.

About Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

Released by: United Nations Development Programe (UNDP) and Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) annually since 2010.
Methodology: The index is based on 3 dimensions with 10 indicators (refer infographic)

Parameters of Key Indicators

Health:
- Nutrition: Any person under 70 years of age for whom there is nutritional information is undernourished.
- Child Mortality: A child under 18 has died in the household in the five-year period preceding the survey.
Education:
- Years of Schooling: No eligible household member has completed six years of schooling.
- School Attendance: Any school-aged child is not attending school up to the age at which he/she would complete class 8.
Living Standard: Access to clean energy, sanitation, drinking water, etc.