NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – As of 2026, the overall count of people experiencing multidimensional poverty worldwide has marked its first increase since the measurement was introduced in 2010. The 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index reports that 1.2 billion individuals are living under severe deprivation across 108 nations. This number accounts for 18.9% of the 6.3 billion individuals included in the study. Compared to the previous update, this total has grown by 51.5 million people. The index evaluates hardship across health, education, and living standards, rather than relying solely on income measurements.
In recent assessments, the United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, presented the latest findings. The research considers 10 key indicators such as nutrition, child mortality, education levels, school attendance, and cooking fuel. It also assesses sanitation, access to drinking water, electricity, housing quality, and household possessions. When an individual’s weighted deprivations reach at least one-third of the total, they are categorized as multidimensionally poor. This approach captures various simultaneous hardships impacting households.
Children represent over half of the population identified as multidimensionally poor globally. Approximately 617 million children are affected, comprising 51.5% of the total. Nearly one-third of children included in the index experience multiple forms of deprivation. Rural communities face a far greater burden than urban areas, with about 83% of all multidimensionally poor individuals residing in rural regions. These figures underline ongoing disparities in access to essential services, education, and living conditions across numerous countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa reports the highest share
The region of Sub-Saharan Africa is home to roughly 616 million people living in multidimensional poverty, surpassing any other area. This constitutes 51.4% of the region’s population included in the index. The 2026 report incorporates fresh survey data from 13 countries and offers subnational estimates for 1,360 regions in 100 nations. Changes in population figures, especially in countries lacking recent household surveys, influenced the results. In 95 such countries, demographic updates added 15.8 million individuals to the poverty count.
National patterns differ considerably among countries with comparable historical data. For example, Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan experienced reductions in both their multidimensional poverty rates and the number of affected people. Angola and Zambia also decreased the proportion of residents living in multidimensional poverty; however, population growth led to an overall increase in their total numbers. Conversely, Nigeria saw rises in both its poverty rate and affected population after previously making progress. These variations reveal that global figures can mask significant national differences.
Several nations maintain ongoing declines in poverty levels
Historical data over time highlights notable progress in reducing multidimensional poverty in multiple regions. Among 89 countries with trend information, 33 managed to halve their MPI values within 15 years. Six of these countries are situated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eswatini reduced its multidimensional poverty rate from 38.7% to 8.0%. China achieved the fastest decline among nations with available data, dropping from 9.5% to 4.2% between 2010 and 2014. Additionally, Viet Nam managed to halve its MPI value over a span of seven years.
The figure of 1.2 billion differs from global estimates based solely on income-based extreme poverty. Multidimensional poverty encompasses multiple disadvantages that individuals may simultaneously face, such as poor education, inadequate nutrition, unsafe sanitation, and limited access to electricity or clean water. This broader measurement offers a more comprehensive view of deprivation beyond income thresholds. The 2026 findings emphasize that children, rural populations, and Sub-Saharan Africa are at the forefront of the latest global increase in poverty.