Multidimensional Poverty in the Ancash Region: An Approximation Using the Alkire-Foster Method and Its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 10

The measurement of poverty in Peru has been traditionally approached through the measurement of monetary poverty, with multidimensional poverty indices being scarce at the regional level. The purpose of this article is to construct the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) for the Ancash region, distinguishing between the coastal and highland areas, and to identify deprivations for men and women, following the methodology of Alkire and Foster, using data from the 2019 National Household Survey. There is evidence that the multidimensional poverty rate for a given poverty line differs significantly between the region as a whole and the coastal and highland areas. Increasing the involvement of central and local governments in reducing deprivation would reduce the MPI. The MPI for the Ancash region was constructed using the Alkire and Foster methodology. Estimates for a poverty line of 33% indicate that the MPI for the Ancash region is 0.359, with an incidence of multidimensional poverty at 68.31% and an average deprivation rate of 52.62%. This study underscores the need for targeted policies to address multidimensional poverty, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals 1 (SDG 1), which aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, and 10 (SDG 10), which aims to reduce inequality within and among countries.