ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL2.GPID/2026/Background paper.1
Country: Republic of Yemen
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Gender Justice, Population and Inclusive Development
Focus Area: Inclusive development
Initiatives: Monitoring money-metric poverty, Addressing multidimensional poverty
SDGs: Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Keywords: Economic indicators, Health indicators, Measurement, Poverty, Rural areas, Social indicators, Statistical methodology, Urban areas, Yemen
Identifying the destitute and severely poor among the multidimensionally poor
May 2026
Poverty in the Arab region extends beyond income deprivation and requires a multidimensional approach that reflects the region’s diverse development contexts. The Arab Multidimensional Poverty Index was designed to measure moderate deprivations in middle-income countries, while least developed and conflict-affected countries continue to rely on the global Multidimensional Poverty Index. This divergence in measurement approaches has resulted in a methodological gap.
The present paper proposes a unified framework that integrates definitions of destitution and severe poverty into the Arab Multidimensional Poverty Index. Applying this methodology to Yemen, it is estimated that 76.4 per cent of the population is living in multidimensionally poverty, 34.4 per cent in destitution, and 14.4 per cent experienced severe poverty in 2023. Subnational analysis highlights stark rural-urban disparities.
Related content
Inclusive development
Poverty in the Arab region extends beyond income deprivation and requires a multidimensional approach that reflects the region’s diverse development contexts. The Arab Multidimensional Poverty Index was designed to measure moderate deprivations in middle-income countries, while least developed and conflict-affected countries continue to rely on the global Multidimensional Poverty Index. This divergence in measurement approaches has resulted in a methodological gap.
The present paper proposes a unified framework that integrates definitions of destitution and severe poverty into the Arab Multidimensional Poverty Index. Applying this methodology to Yemen, it is estimated that 76.4 per cent of the population is living in multidimensionally poverty, 34.4 per cent in destitution, and 14.4 per cent experienced severe poverty in 2023. Subnational analysis highlights stark rural-urban disparities.
