Estimating Multidimensional Poverty And Regional Inequalities Across Punjab, Pakistan: A Comparative Study Using AF-Method

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19235898

Abstract

Poverty is increasingly coming to acceptance that it has a multidimensional nature and is not limited to the loss of income but also to the simultaneous deprivation of health, education and status of living. The study investigated variations in multidimensional poverty across communities in Punjab, Pakistan. The Alkire–Foster methodology was used to calculate the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). The study was drawn on the 2018 Punjab Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) which used ten indicators grouped under three main dimensions: education, health, and living standards. Households were considered multidimensionally poor if deprived in one-third or more of the weighted indicators, allowing assessment of both the headcount (incidence) and the depth (intensity) of poverty by region. The results indicate great disparities in poverty outcomes across districts and communities in Punjab as there exist wide variations in deprivation patterns in indicators such as education attainment, sanitation, housing conditions or access to basic services. The results indicate that although Punjab fares rationally better in terms of national measures of poverty vis-a-vis other provinces, large intra-provincial disparities continue to exist. These disparities are especially pronounced in rural and southern districts where there is structural constraints and limited provision of services which compound multidimensional deprivation. The finding is that effective policy interventions specifically targeting education, infrastructure and social protection are a critical part of addressing regional inequality in terms of poverty outcomes. The results add to the growing literature of empirical studies of multidimensional poverty and offer evidence-based inputs for regional poverty reduction strategies in Pakistan.