This report was produced by UNDP Sierra Leone and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in collaboration with Statistics Sierra Leone and OPHI. The report is based on data from the 2019 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and includes results for changes over time between 2017 and 2019. 

• Citation: UNDP Sierra Leone et al. (2023). Multidimensional Poverty in Sierra Leone. 

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and Statistics Sierra Leone launched the Sierra Leone National MPI in 2019. The National MPI  2019 was based on data from the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey database. The MPI report was prepared with support from the UNDP and OPHI. The purpose of the report is to monitor the reduction of multidimensional poverty, help guide the implementation of social policies and provide critical baselines for the implementation of the Medium-term National Development Plan.

• Citation: Statistics Sierra Leone & OPHI & UNDP (2019). Sierra Leone Multidimensional Poverty Index 2019.

In the same year Sierra Leone also published a report on Multidimensional Child Poverty using a different set of weights indicators and based on data from MICS 2010 and 2017.

• Citation: Statistics Sierra Leone & UNICEF (2019). Multidimensional Child Poverty in Sierra Leone 2019 

Poverty Cut-Off for the National MPI: A person is considered poor if they are deprived in 40% or more of the 14 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. OPHI publishes Country Briefings summarising poverty statistics of the global MPI for each country.     

Visit the most recent Global MPI Country Briefing for Sierra Leone based on DHS year 2019.   

Official institution responsible for statistics  

• Statistics Sierra Leone

Additional materials

• Multidimensional-Child-Poverty-Infographic_2019.pdf (statistics.sl)
• District-Development-Factsheet-2019.pdf (statistics.sl)
• Local Multidimensional Poverty Index (LMPI) for Sierra Leone 2023

Events  

• 17 July 2019 | Nabeela Tunis, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Sierra Leone at Launch of the Global MPI 2019 
• 25 September 2018 | Intervention by H.E. Nabeela Tunis, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Sierra Leone at Side Event UNGA 73

Dimensions articles  

• December 2019 | Sierra Leone Launches a National MPI | MPPN

Press Releases/News  

• 16 July 2020 | Progress against the multiple dimensions of poverty was made before the pandemic – but now it is at risk 
• 29 July 2020 | Keeping Poverty Reduction Front and Center by Juan Manuel Santos & Sabina Alkire - Project Syndicate (project-syndicate.org)

VNRs   

• Advanced Draft Report on Adaptation of the Goals in Sierra Leone, July 2016