Multidimensional Poverty in Sudan: An Empirical Analysis for the Case of Gezira State, 2021

Abstract

Poverty remains the most pressing socio-economic issue among all states in Sudan. Poverty is a multi–faceted phenomenon. This paper is set to investigate the persistence of multidimensional poverty among households of Gezira state, following the approach proposed by Alkire-Santos model made up of 10 components has been built and used as a means of analyzing the data, The education and health dimensions are based on two indicators while the standard of living dimension is based on six indicators. The research relies on primary data aided by structured questionnaire compiled by Central Bureau of Statistics staff, field work cover three localities, where around 57% of the households in the state live in these localities. A total of 756 households randomly selected make up for data source upon which the research rests, the analysis of poverty decomposed by urban and rural location. The results indicated that 15.89% of the population under the study area are experience a multidimensional poverty, with deprivation at least a third of the dimensions of health, education and standard of living, present analysis shows decompositions reveal considerable disparity in MPI, rural areas present high levels of MPI than urban one, and the deprivation seem to be concentrated in all dimensions. The standard of living dimension considered the main contributor to poverty in Janoob Al Gezira and El Hasaheisa localities, El Managil locality presents the highest incidence of the MPI due to poor health dimension. Janoob Al Gezira Locality faced severe deprivations in health of children as child mortality is widely spread among the poor population in urban area and low level of education was to be found. The paper concludes with policy implications based on the findings that will help government to identify the poor and where the poor people are live.