Samoa Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022

This report presents Samoa’s national Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) which is based on the Alkire-Foster method and uses the latest survey data from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2018.

Samoa’s MPI comprises 12 indicators within three dimensions: health, education and employment and living standards.

The health dimension covers three indicators (access to health care and facilities, food security and main source of drinking water), the education and employment dimension covers four indicators (school attendance, years of schooling, youth NEET and school lag) and the living standards dimension covers five indicators (asset ownership, cooking fuel, housing, sanitation and internet connection). Each of the three dimensions were given an equal relative importance of 33.3%, with each indicator weighted equally within each dimension.

The report is intended to complement monetary measures and support policy analysts and policy makers in accelerating poverty reduction with evidence-based information on poverty at the national and regional level. The statistical information and analysis from this report can be used to target poor people and vulnerable groups, guide resource allocation so that it can have the biggest impact and coordinate multisectoral policies and approaches. The MPI was designed to mirror the vision of Samoa’s Pathway for the Development of Samoa (PDS) FY 2021/22 – FY 2025/26 which seeks to foster social harmony, safety, and freedom for all.

Citation: SBS (2022). Samoa: Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Report. Samoa Bureau of Statistics, Apia.