Overview
- The UNDP and Oxford MPI update published on Oct. 12, 2026 reports 1.2 billion people in acute multidimensional poverty, an increase of 51.5 million on a like‑for‑like basis compared with the prior update.
- Children make up about 617 million of those counted and roughly 83 percent of people in multidimensional poverty live in rural areas, concentrating deprivation in places with weak access to services.
- The report highlights that revised population estimates and fast demographic growth account for a large share of the aggregate rise while only 13 of 108 covered countries supplied new household survey data for this round.
- Country-level trends differ: some nations such as China, Viet Nam, Egypt, Nepal and Tajikistan show sharp declines in multidimensional poverty, while population growth offset rate gains in Angola and Zambia and Nigeria has seen reversals.
- UNDP called the finding a 'wake-up call' and the report says meeting SDG targets will require scaled multisector action—expanding nutrition, education, health, water and electricity services and stronger social protection where demographic pressure is greatest.