© AFP Photo/Rodger Bosch
The current international poverty line of $1.25 per day used by the World Bank is "too low" and "artificial," say researchers from Bristol University, adding that the total number of poor people worldwide would increase by 30 percent in future.
The World Bank's
"estimates are flawed" as the organization hasn't used
"different poverty measures" and only explores one angle of the problem - financial, says the study, called
"The mis-measurement of extreme global poverty: A case study in the Pacific Islands," published in
Journal of Sociology."There is considerable controversy surrounding the 'dollar a day' measure used to monitor progress against the Millennium Development Goals," adds the research, which was carried out together with specialists at the Australian National University, UNICEF Pacific and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
"Thus, the tighter definition of poverty used by the World Bank tends to lead to a better-looking poverty trend, because the poverty line is too low the trend it reports is too rosy," adds the study.
The paper urges the World Bank to examine
"non-monetary forms of disadvantage and deprivation for families, adults and children." Researchers looked deeper at those living on the Pacific island state of Vanuatu by taking into account shelter, sanitization, water, information, nutrition, health and education to build up a more comprehensive picture of poverty, deprivation and inequality.
Comment: For more insight on how humanity as a whole has contributed to the climate situation, read Comets and the Horns of Moses by Laura Knight-Jadczyk.