The Statistical Institute of Belize published the latest findings of Belize’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in December 2024, based on the September 2024 Labour Force Survey. The report found that an estimated 22.1 percent of the population were multidimensionally poor, representing a 4.4 percentage point decline since September 2023. The Statistical Institute of Belize updates multidimensional poverty estimates annually as part of the September round of the Labour Force Survey.

• Statistical Institute of Belize (2024). Multidimensional Poverty in Belize, September 2024

The Statistical Institute of Belize presented the findings of the Belize’s first Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in March 2023. This study, which was based on data from the September 2021 Labour Force Survey, was carried out with technical and financial support from the UNICEF, UNDP, OPHI and the Caribbean Development Bank. The MPI was developed as a tool to support the government's Medium-Term Development Plan.

• Watch the presentation from March 2023 

• Statistical Institute of Belize (2023). Multidimensional Poverty in Belize, 2021 Factsheet 

The Statistical Institute of Belize released an update of the national MPI in March 2024, based on results from the September 2023 Labour Force Survey. 

• Statistical Institute of Belize (2024). Multidimensional Poverty in Belize, September 2023

Poverty Cut-Off: A household is considered poor if they are deprived in 25% or more of the 17 weighted indicators.  

The annual global MPI produced by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative in partnership with the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme is an internationally comparable index of acute multidimensional poverty and includes Country Briefings summarising poverty statistics for each country.   

Visit the most recent Global MPI Country Briefing for Belize based on MICS year 2015–2016.  

Official institution responsible for statistics  

• Statistical Institute of Belize 

Events  

• 8 March 2023 | Launch of 2021 results in 2023 by the Statistical Institute of Belize
• 20 September 2023 | Intervention by Mr Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management at UNGA 78.
• 30 April 2025 | Presentation by Diana Castillo-Trejo, Director General, Statistical Institute of Belize at the MPPN Webinar

Press Releases/News:  

• 8 March 2023 | Multidimensional Poverty Index to Complement Monetary Poverty Measurement in Belize

• 10 November 2023 | Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) host training for the Multidimensional Poverty Index | Statistical Institute of Belize 

VNR

• July 2024 | Belize 2024 Voluntary National Review on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development pp. 23,69