Multidimensional Poverty Measures: Lessons from the Application of the MPI in Italy

Several interesting methodologies are currently applied to assess multidimensional poverty around the world. Among these methods, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed from the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative in 2010, has particular strengths in capturing multidimensional poverty described by simultaneous deprivations. The method has been widely applied to developing countries whilst its application to developed countries is still very limited. This paper, following the approach of Alkire Foster [1] and the work of Nicolai Suppa [2] applied to Germany, offers a first comparison for Italy, between the ISTAT monetary measure [3] of poverty and an ad hoc multidimensional poverty index (MPI).