International Research Journal of Education and Technology

In the past, poverty estimation was mainly based on income as the only indicator. The human poverty index is defined as the percentage of people in a population who are deprived in at least one of the three dimensions of poverty - longevity, knowledge, and standard of living. This means that even if a person has a decent income, they can still be considered impoverished if they lack access to education or healthcare. The HPI also takes into account the severity of deprivation, meaning that those who are deprived in multiple dimensions are considered to be more impoverished than those who are only deprived in one. The MPI, based on the AF methodology, captures overlapping poverty in health, education and living standards. The MPI complements income poverty measurement by directly measuring and comparing deprivations. The MPI measures the type and intensity of poverty on an individual level. Poor people are defined as people who are multiply deprived, and the level of their poverty is measured by the level of their deprivation. The MPI gives a clear view of people living poverty in different countries, regions and around the world. As the first international measure, the MPI is an important complement to income poverty measurement because it directly measures deprivations. It can be used as a tool for analysis, highlighting the most vulnerable, showing the areas where they are deprived and helping to connect the dots between deprivations. This can help policy makers to better target resources and better design policies. Government of India has acknowledged the significance of the global MPI under the mandate of the Global Indices for Reform and Action (GIRG) initiative.