NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The latest assessment reveals that global multidimensional poverty has risen for the first time since the measure’s inception in 2010. The 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index indicates that 1.2 billion individuals are living in severe deprivation across 108 nations. This figure accounts for 18.9% of the 6.3 billion people included in the study. Compared to the previous update, this total has increased by 51.5 million. The index assesses hardships in health, education, and living standards, rather than focusing solely on income levels.
The United Nations Development Programme collaborated with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative to produce this report. Researchers analyze 10 indicators encompassing nutrition, child mortality, education, school attendance, and cooking fuel. Sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and household assets are also evaluated. When the combined weighted deprivations in these areas reach at least one-third of the total, individuals are classified as experiencing multidimensional poverty. This methodology captures multiple overlapping hardships within households.
Children represent over half of the population identified as multidimensionally poor globally. Approximately 617 million children live under these conditions, which constitutes 51.5% of the total affected population. Nearly one-third of children covered by the index face multidimensional poverty, with rural communities bearing a significantly higher burden than urban areas. About 83% of all those living in multidimensional deprivation reside in rural zones. These statistics highlight enduring disparities in essential services, educational access, and living conditions across numerous countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa Shows the Largest Share
In terms of regional distribution, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of people living with multidimensional poverty, totaling around 616 million. This represents 51.4% of the region’s population included in the index. The 2026 edition incorporates new survey data from 13 countries and offers subnational estimates for 1,360 regions across 100 nations. The results are also affected by updated population figures in countries lacking recent household surveys. In 95 such nations, demographic updates have added 15.8 million individuals to the poverty count.
National trends demonstrate significant variation 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 their share of residents living under multidimensional poverty; however, population growth meant their total numbers still rose. Conversely, Nigeria saw increases in both its poverty rate and the affected population after previous improvements. These findings reveal that global figures can mask diverse national patterns.
Persistent Reductions in Poverty Seen in Several Nations
Long-term data indicate notable declines in multidimensional poverty across various regions. Out of 89 countries with trend data, 33 have reduced their MPI values by half within 15 years. Six of these are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eswatini notably decreased its multidimensional poverty rate from 38.7% to 8.0%. China achieved the fastest reduction among countries with available data, dropping from 9.5% to 4.2% between 2010 and 2014. Viet Nam also managed to halve its MPI value within seven years.
The figure of 1.2 billion individuals differs from estimates based solely on income-based extreme poverty. Multidimensional poverty considers various disadvantages that can occur simultaneously, such as poor nutrition, inadequate schooling, unsafe sanitation, and limited access to electricity or clean water. As a result, this measure offers a broader view of deprivation than income thresholds alone. The 2026 results emphasize children, rural populations, and Sub-Saharan Africa as central to the recent global increase in poverty.