Global Multidimensional Poverty Index: Number of poor rises for the first time in 16 years

The 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, prepared in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Oxford, has been published. While it was determined that approximately 1 billion 198 million people live in multidimensional poverty across the 108 countries examined, it was reported that the number of poor globally has increased for the first time since 2010.

The Scope of Multidimensional Poverty

In the 108 countries examined, approximately 1 billion 198 million people, representing 18.9 percent of the population, live under conditions of multidimensional poverty.

Poverty measurements are not solely based on income levels; deprivations in health, education, and living standards are also addressed in detail.

The First Increase in 16 Years

The number of poor people worldwide increased by 51.5 million compared to the previous year, marking a first since the index was established in 2010.

Although poverty rates did not rise in every country, and while rates dropped in some regions, the total number of poor trended upward due to population growth.

Distribution of Poverty by Country

According to the research data, multidimensional poverty rates increased in five countries: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, and Nigeria.

While the largest increase in the number of poor was recorded in Nigeria, both indicators and the impoverished population decreased in Egypt, Nepal, and Tajikistan.

Children and Vulnerable Groups

Some 617 million of those experiencing multidimensional poverty, in other words 51.5 percent, consist of children under the age of 18.

Additionally, 534 million of the 1.2 billion people in poverty live under severe conditions, while 952 million people remain in a position vulnerable to multidimensional poverty.

Rural Areas and Regional Status

Multidimensional poverty is much more prevalent in rural areas compared to cities, with 998 million of the poor residing in rural regions.

On a regional basis, Sub-Saharan Africa ranks first with 616 million poor, while this figure is calculated at 393 million in South Asia.