7.3.8. Human Poverty Index or HPI

HPI is an index, which focuses solely on amount of poverty in a country. This index has been developed by United Nations. For HPI, deprivations in longevity are measured by the probability at birth of not surviving to age 40; deprivations in knowledge are measured by the percentage of adults who are illiterate; deprivations in a decent standard of living are measured by two variables: the percentage of people not having sustainable access to an improved water source and the percentage of children below the age of five who are underweight.

HPI focuses attention on the most deprived people and deprivations in basic human capabilities in a country, not on average national achievement. The human poverty indices focus directly on the number of people living in deprivation presenting a very different picture from average national achievement. It also moves the focus of poverty debates away from concern about income poverty alone.