UN Global Poverty Index Rises for First Time, Hits 1.2 Billion People
By Joyce Sunny, FOREIGN DESK –Â The number of people living in acute poverty worldwide has risen by 51.5 million, bringing the total to 1.2 billion for the first time since the global poverty index was introduced in 2010, according to a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The 2026 edition of the annual report, produced by the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, marks the first increase in the global poverty index since its creation.
The report highlights a worsening global poverty situation, with millions more people struggling to meet basic needs.
Acute poverty is measured using multiple indicators, including access to education, healthcare, housing, sanitation, electricity and other essential services, rather than income alone.
The findings underscore the continuing challenge of reducing poverty amid economic pressures, conflict and other factors that undermine living conditions in vulnerable communities.
The report also raises concerns about progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty in all its forms by 2030.
The latest figures reinforce calls for stronger social protection systems, improved access to essential services and targeted interventions to lift vulnerable populations out of poverty.
