OPHI team members contribute to new UNICEF child poverty book

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This brief, focusing on Bangladesh, moves away from standard income poverty assessments and explores multidimensional poverty in this IsDB Member Country. It brings to light multidimensional poverty as experienced at the national and subnational levels, providing a basis by which IsDB country programmes and government policies can be crafted.

The brief highlights the nuances of countries’ multidimensional poverty situations through a systematic analytical framework, bringing out, for example, variations across sub-regions, between urban and rural populations, and across age groups. This brief also tracks and highlights success stories, such as in Sylhet, which made exemplary progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Citation: OPHI and IsDBI (2021). ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty in Bangladesh using the global MPI’, IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 5, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and IsDBI (Islamic Development Bank Institute), Oxford, UK.

Download IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 5 (2021), ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty in Bangladesh using the global MPI’.

This brief, focusing on the Asia region, moves away from standard income poverty assessments and explores multidimensional poverty in seven IsDB Member Countries for which data are available. It brings to light multidimensional poverty as experienced at the national and subnational levels, providing a basis by which IsDB country programmes and government policies can be crafted.

The brief highlights the nuances of countries’ multidimensional poverty situations through a systematic analytical framework, bringing out, for example, variations across sub-regions, between urban and rural populations, and across age groups. This brief also tracks and highlights success stories, such as in Bangladesh, which made exemplary progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Citation: OPHI and IsDBI (2021). ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in Asia using the global MPI’, IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 4, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and IsDBI (Islamic Development Bank Institute), Oxford, UK.

Download IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 4 (2021), ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in Asia using the global MPI’.

This brief, focusing on the Africa and Latin America regions, moves away from standard income poverty assessments and explores multidimensional poverty in 20 IsDB Member Countries for which data are available. It brings to light multidimensional poverty as experienced at the national and subnational levels, providing a basis by which IsDB country programmes and government policies can be crafted.

The brief highlights the nuances of countries’ multidimensional poverty situations through a systematic analytical framework, bringing out, for example, variations across sub-regions, between urban and rural populations, and across age groups. This brief also tracks and highlights success stories, such as in Sierra Leone, which made exemplary progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Citation: OPHI and IsDBI (2021). ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in the Africa and Latin America regions using the global MPI’, IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 3, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and IsDBI (Islamic Development Bank Institute), Oxford, UK.

Download IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 3 (2021), ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in the Africa and Latin America regions using the global MPI’.

This brief, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe regions, moves away from standard income poverty assessments and explores multidimensional poverty of 15 IsDB Member Countries for which data are available. It brings to light multidimensional poverty as experienced at the national and subnational levels, providing a basis by which IsDB country programmes and government policies can be crafted.

The brief highlights the nuances of countries’ multidimensional poverty situations through a systematic analytical framework, bringing out, for example, variations across sub-regions, between urban and rural populations, and across age groups. This brief also tracks and highlights success stories, such as in Mauritania, which made exemplary progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Citation: OPHI and IsDBI (2021). ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in MENA and Europe using the global MPI’, IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 2, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and IsDBI (Islamic Development Bank Institute), Oxford, UK.

Download IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 2 (2021), ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries in MENA and Europe using the global MPI’.

This brief moves away from standard income poverty assessments and explores multidimensional poverty in 42 IsDB Member Countries for which data are available. It brings to light multidimensional poverty as experienced at the national and subnational levels, providing a basis by which IsDB country programmes and government policies can be crafted.

The brief highlights the nuances of countries’ multidimensional poverty situations through a systematic analytical framework, bringing out, for example, variations across sub-regions, between urban and rural populations, and across age groups. This brief also tracks and highlights success stories, such as in Bangladesh, Gambia, Mauritania, and Sierra Leone, which made exemplary progress in reducing multidimensional poverty.

Citation: OPHI and IsDBI (2021). ‘Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries using the global MPI’, IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 1. Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and IsDBI (Islamic Development Bank Institute), Oxford, UK.

Download IsDBI–OPHI Brief No. 1 (2021) ”Exploring multidimensional poverty across IsDB Member Countries using the global MPI’.

OPHI Summer School 2021: Multidimensional Poverty Measurement and Analysis

Organised by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, held from 9th to 21st August 2021.

*** This year, the OPHI Summer School was organised online. ***

The Summer School was aimed at those who were working on, or actively interested in gaining skills in multidimensional poverty measurement, particularly professional staff of national offices of statistics and government ministries that deal with poverty reduction, professionals from international development institutions, academics, and doctoral students. The Summer School was led by OPHI Director Sabina Alkire and the OPHI team, including researchers and academics with extensive experience of developing Multidimensional Poverty Indices (MPIs), and policy evaluation.

The purpose of this intensive Summer School was to provide a technical introduction, to multidimensional poverty measurement using the Alkire-Foster method, and to share examples of its practical applications. Upon completing the course, students had gained the skills required to construct and analyse a multidimensional poverty measure and to describe its policy relevance and usefulness for analytical purposes. Drawing on Amartya Sen’s capability approach and empirical examples of national and global Multidimensional Poverty Indices, the conceptual and empirical motivation for measuring multidimensional poverty was presented, as well as the full suite of measurement tools.

The following topics was covered:

■      Unidimensional poverty measures;
■      Multidimensional poverty measures and methodologies;
■      The Alkire-Foster methodology of multidimensional poverty measurement;
■      Measurement design – purpose, unit of measure, dimensions, indicators, cut-offs and weights;
■      Estimation of multidimensional poverty and interpretation of the results;
■      Subgroup decomposition and dimensional break-down;
■      Multidimensional poverty changes over time;
■      Interpretation and analysis of multidimensional poverty.

Course format

The Summer School consisted of two weeks of instruction and working group sessions, taught in English. Each participant needed access to a computer or laptop with Stata, and a stable and good internet connection to be part of the programme. Throughout the Summer School, participants were actively involved in discussions worked through problem sets in small groups (5 participants). They had the opportunity to attend live lectures and Q&A sessions with OPHI director Sabina Alkire, Professor James Foster, and OPHI researchers.

Dates and location

The course ran from Monday 9^th August 2021 to Saturday 21^st August 2021, online. Live lectures and working groups took place from Monday to Saturday, between 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm (BST).

We also offered a non-compulsory exam. Passing the exam provided a course certificate acknowledging participation and completion of the OPHI Summer School.

Costs

The course fees were as follows:
£600 GBP (students and developing country researchers)
£1,400 GBP (developing country professionals)
£2,000 GBP (developed country professionals)

In addition, participants needed to purchase their own Stata licence if they do not already have access to it.

Course Application Information

Audience	The Summer School was aimed at those who are working on, or actively interested in gaining skills in, multidimensional poverty measurement, particularly professional staff of national offices of statistics and government ministries that deal with poverty reduction, professionals from international development institutions, academics, and doctoral students. Applicants who were currently pursuing work on measurement were also welcome. Other applicants having a demonstrated research interest in empirical analysis in these topics were considered on the basis of their experience and our capacity.
Prerequisites	– A demonstrable knowledge of Stata was an essential pre-requisite for attending the course. This was assessed as part of the application process. In addition, every participant needed to have Stata installed on their laptop. The software was not be provided by the Summer School. – A strong knowledge in quantitative methods and a strong interest in poverty measurement and analysis were highly desirable. – The Summer School was delivered through English so a high level of English language ability was necessary. – The Summer School was delivered online via Canvas and Zoom. Participants needed the following internet and system requirements to run these platforms: Canvas system requirements Zoom system requirements Internet speed test
Financial Support	Limited financial support was available. Competition for any financial support was very strong. However, well-qualified and committed applicants with financial needs were strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants were also highly encouraged to seek support from their local governments and institutions. We were happy to provide support letters for these funding applications to accepted candidates.
Application Form	To apply, this online application form was completed, which required you to submit a current curriculum vitae, sample Stata .do file, and a sample of written work. The application deadline for the Summer School 2020 was 30 June 2021. The application process was competitive and slots were limited; applicants were evaluated on the basis of the information provided in their application.
Questions?	More information at ophi-summerschool@qeh.ox.ac.uk

In the week following OPHI’s 2021 Summer School, we offered OPHI’s inaugural Executive Education Leaders Programme: Using the MPI as a Policy Tool. This five-day online course  provided top-level policymakers experience and evidence-based insights into how to use a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to guide successful poverty reduction. Through lectures, panels, and working groups, conducted by senior expert practitioners, the course leveraged candid discussions and high-level networking with fellow policymakers from around the world to share the successes and challenges of leading multidimensional poverty reduction.

Policy challenges to reducing poverty in Nigeria
Start Date: 17 Nov 2021
End Date: 17 Nov 2021
Location: Seminar Room 3, ODID
With: various speakers

Brief Description: 1.15–2.45pm Seminar Room 3 Oxford Department of International Development, 3 Mansfield Road, OX1 3TB The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) is optimistic it can establish a system where 100 million people will have been supported to exit extreme poverty by … Continue reading →

MPPN Annual Meeting 2021
Start Date: 04 Oct 2021
End Date: 05 Oct 2021
Location: Zoom
With: Government of Chile and participants of the MPPN

Brief Description: After postponing the 8th Annual Meeting in Santiago, Chile in 2020 due to the global pandemic, the government of Chile and its Ministry of Social Development and Family Affairs hosted the meeting on 4th and 5th October online, with the … Continue reading →

Envisioning a More Equitable Future: Using Multidimensional Poverty Indices as a Policy Tool (UNGA 76)
Start Date: 23 Sep 2021
End Date: 23 Sep 2021
Location: Zoom
With: TBC

Brief Description: Hosted by the Multidimensional Poverty Peer Network (MPPN). This high-level side event at the 76th UN General Assembly will convene global leaders with a demonstrable commitment to tackling the multidimensional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of people … Continue reading →

Using the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for preparedness, response and recovery to health emergencies, including COVID-19
Start Date: 13 Apr 2021
End Date: 13 Apr 2021
Location: Zoom
With: Oliver Morgan, Director, Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment, WHO et al.

Brief Description: Webinar on 13th April 2021, on Zoom. Oliver Morgan, Director, Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment, WHO Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) Atal Khan Gardiwal, Field Operations Director, National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA), Afghanistan … Continue reading →

High-Level Side-Event at 52nd Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC)
Start Date: 25 Feb 2021
End Date: 25 Feb 2021
Location: zoom
With: Risenga Maluleke, Statistician General of South Africa

Brief Description: The Multidimensional Poverty Peer Network (MPPN) held a high-level Side-Event at the 52nd session of the UN Statistical Commission on Thursday, 25th February 2021 at 9.00am, New York time, on Zoom. Open to all, the event ‘Multidimensional Poverty Indices: An SDG Indicator, an Official Statistic, and a … Continue reading →

2020

OPHI Update March 2020 – Note on the COVID-19 pandemic
OPHI Update July 2020
OPHI Update December 2020

IsDBI–OPHI Briefs series
Table of Contents

The India National Multidimensional Poverty Index: Baseline Report 2021 presents National, State/Union Territories and district results using data from the 2015/16 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4). The data provides a starting point from which to measure the effectiveness of multi-sectoral policies in poverty reduction and for tracking progress towards target 1.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The next report will analyse the 2019/20 NFHS-5 microdata, in order to identify reductions and trends since 2015/6. The Report has been developed by NITI Aayog in consultation with 12 Line Ministries and in partnership with State governments, OPHI and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The India National MPI builds on the 10 indicators of the global MPI to add metrics on maternal health and bank account under the dimensions of health and standard of living, respectively. The results and findings of the baseline edition of India’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index are available for policy makers and administrators in States and districts, researchers and scholars, businesses and NGOs, and the wider public, so that many can use precise data to confront poverty.

Citation: NITI Aayog (2021). India National Multidimensional Poverty Index: Baseline Report. NITI Aayog, Government of India, New Delhi.

Download India National Multidimensional Poverty Index: Baseline Report 2021

OPHI team members contribute to new UNICEF child poverty book

A chapter by OPHI researchers on child poverty has appeared in a new UNICEF book “Child Poverty and Inequality: New Perspectives”. The chapter by Sabina Alkire, OPHI Director, and José Manuel Roche, OPHI Research Officer, explains how the Alkire Foster method of multidimensional measurement can be used to create multidimensional measures of child poverty. The chapter explains some of the advantages of moving beyond income and consumption measures of child poverty and the policy-relevance of using a multidimensional lens on deprivation in childhood.

The book also contains chapters by Sir Richard Jolly, Alberto Minujin, Deepa Narayan, Naila Kabeer, Nicola Jones, Andy Sumner, Armando Barrientos, Nora Lustig, Paul Collier, Giovanni Andrea Cornia, and many others. For more information:

Read the latest work by Sabina Alkire and José Manuel Roche on child poverty measurement using the Alkire Foster method (this is an updated and in-depth version of the work that appears in the book):

OPHI Working Paper 45 ‘Beyond Headcount: Measures that Reflect the Breadth and Components of Child Poverty’

Visit the UNICEF site to read the book in full:
- ‘Child Poverty and Inequality: New Perspectives’ by Isabel Ortiz, Louise Moreira Daniels, Sólrún Engilbertsdóttir (Eds)