Poverty Assessment

Poverty has long been a controversial term to define and assess. Ideological, political, and methodological tensions make it extremely challenging to reach a consensus on the most appropriate way to assess poverty in a given society. Poverty is commonly described in monetary terms as a lack of adequate income to meet basic needs. However, several scholars argue that poverty cannot be viewed through such a narrow lens, but must instead be viewed through a much broader lens that captures the multidimensional nature of poverty. Proponents of the multidimensional perspective maintain that poverty is more than just a lack of adequate income and is rather a complex, multifaceted, and socially constructed phenomenon. The underlying definition of poverty thus shapes the ensuing measure of poverty. Different measures ...