National Planning Commission Director General, Obeth Kandjoze, on Thursday launched the Namibia Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report for 2021 in Windhoek.
The report, which was conceptualised and constructed using data collected by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), represents multidimensional poverty measurements and analysis for Namibia at national and regional levels and looks at characteristics such as age groups, sex of the head of the household, household size and main spoken language.
Various speakers during the launch emphasised how the MPI will assist in providing data to monitor progress towards the National Development Plans and Sustainable Development Goals’ policy interventions, aimed at eradicating poverty by aiding policy-makers during their decision-making processes.
Delivering his keynote address, Kandjoze said the MPI report will aid the National Planning Commission in directing the course of national development.
“MPI can be a useful tool to monitor progress on Vision 2030, National Development Plans as well as on Sustainable Development Goals,” said Kandjoze.
He added that the report can also inform the design and assessment of different development policies, the alignment of programs, policies and budgets, motivation of coordination between ministries as well as the coordination between national and subnational governments to strengthen transparency and accountability.
Kandjoze in addition said the findings of the report verify findings of many studies and research about rural and urban divide by stating that 25 per cent of the total urban population in the country is multi-dimensionally poor, while 59 per cent of the total rural population is also multi-dimensionally poor.
Speaking at the same event and detailing how the MPI supports the SGD Agenda in the context of ‘leave no one behind’, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Namibia Sen Pang said the release of the Namibian MPI is timely, stating that the child poverty analysis detailed in the report presents evidence to enforce strategies in not only ending child poverty, but stopping the cycle of poverty.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
