Sulawesi - GIS

Poverty has traditionally been measured as a lack of income - but this is far too narrow a definition. Human poverty is a far more current concept that captures the many dimensions of poverty that exist in both poor and rich countries. The HPI-1 (Human Poverty Index for developing countries) measures deprivations in the same three aspects of human development as the HDI (longevity, life expectancy, and a decent standard of living). HPI-2 (Human Poverty Index for industrialized countries) includes, in addition to these dimensions, social exclusion.

HPI-1 (developing countries): deprivations in longevity are measured by the percentage of newborns not expected to survive to age 40. Deprivations in knowledge are measured by the percentage of adults who are illiterate. Deprivations in a decent standard of living are measured by three variables: the percentage of people without access to safe water, the percentage of people without access to health services, and the percentage of moderately and severely underweight children below the age of five.

Use of the Human Poverty Index

The HPI is used:

To focus attention on the most deprived people in a country, not on average national achievement.

1. The Human Poverty Indices focus directly on the number of people living in deprivation - presenting a very different picture from average national achievement. It also moves the focus of poverty debates away from concern about income poverty alone.

2. To highlight the presence of human poverty in every single country. High income per person is no guarantee of a poverty-free country. Even among the richest industrial countries, there is human poverty.

3. To guide national planning for poverty alleviation. Many National Human Development Reports now break down the HPI by district level or language group to identify the areas or social groups within the country most deprived in terms of human poverty. The results can be dramatic, creating national debate and helping to reshape policies.

Source

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