Tunis:The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported an increase in the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for the first time since its inception in 2010. The number of people experiencing multidimensional poverty has risen by 51.5 million, bringing the total to approximately 1.2 billion.

According to Qatar News Agency, the UNDP's report highlights that this increase is a significant wake-up call, with the affected population facing interconnected hardships such as hunger, missed schooling, and lack of access to clean water or electricity. UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo expressed concern over the situation, emphasizing that more than half of those living in extreme poverty are children.

The report also notes that part of the increase, affecting around 15.4 million people, is due to population growth. Despite this rise, 33 out of 89 countries with available data have managed to halve their MPI values in less than 15 years, including six sub-Saharan African countries.