The Second Malawi Multidimensional Poverty Index Report presents the results of the second national Multidimensional Poverty Index for Malawi based on 2019/2020 IHS5 data (Integrated Household Survey). Building on the results from the first Report, this analysis includes changes in the levels and composition of multidimensional poverty in Malawi. This report assesses Malawi’s progress on SDG Target 1.2 (reducing at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all dimensions) and the implementation of commitments in Malawi 2063 First Implementation Plan (MIP-1).

This report was produced by the National Statistical Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, with support from UNDP and OPHI. 

• Citation: NSO Malawi and MFEA (2022). The Second Malawi Multidimensional Poverty Index Report, National Statistical Office of Malawi; Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Malawi.
• Brochure: The Second Malawi National Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022 

The Malawi MPI was first launched as an official measure of multidimensional poverty in 2021. The Malawi Multidimensional Poverty Index Report presents the results of the first national Multidimensional Poverty Index for Malawi. The Malawi MPI was developed to monitor the key simultaneous disadvantages that affect people living in multidimensional poverty in Malawi, and to identify social progress made towards the Malawi 2063 national vision and target 1.2 of the SDGs. 

This report was produced by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the University of Malawi (Economics Department), the Centre for Social Research, the National Planning Commission and the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, with technical support from OPHI. 

The first Malawi MPI is based on data from the Fourth Integrated Household Survey (IHS4) 2016/17. This report offers a baseline for findings on multidimensional poverty.

• Citation: National Statistical Office (2021). Malawi Multidimensional Poverty Index Report. National Statistical Office, Malawi.
• Brochure: Malawi Multidimensional Poverty Index Report 2021

Poverty Cut-Off: A household is considered poor if they are deprived in 38% or more of the 13 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 Malawi based on MICS year 2019-2020.   

Official institution responsible for statistics  

• National Statistics Office of Malawi

Events

• 15 February 2021 | Intervention by Jameson Ndawala, Director, Demography and Social Media Statistics, Malawi National Statistical Office at UNSC 52 Side Event
• 15 Feb 2022 | Intervention by Lizzie Chikoti, Chief Statistician, National Statistical Office, Malawi at UNSC 53

VNRs  

• Malawi 2020 Voluntary National Review Report for Sustainable Development Goals. (p38; p94)