The Missing Dimensions of Poverty Data: An Introduction

OPHI Working Papers from Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to draw attention to ‘missing dimensions’ of poverty data – dimensions that are of value to poor people, but for which we have scant or no data. Amartya Sen frames development as the process of expanding the freedoms that people value and have reason to value. Although the most widely-known measure of human development includes income, longevity, and education, many have argued that people’s values, and consequently multidimensional poverty, extends beyond these domains. In order to advance these multiple areas, it is at times necessary to conduct empirical studies using individual or household-level data on multiple dimensions of poverty. A critical barrier for international analyses of multidimensional poverty is that few or no high-quality indicators are available across countries in key domains that are deeply important to poor people and of potentially critical instrumental importance.

New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev
Date: Written 2007-12

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