Analysis of Multidimensional Poverty in Iranian Rural Communities

Poverty is still one of the main challenges facing humankind with a more rural nature in developing countries. The importance of addressing the issue of poverty and deprivation is to the extent that the United Nations considers its reduction as the first goal of Sustainable Development Goals. The approach of researchers and politicians to poverty has now shifted from one-dimensional to multi-dimensional. This means that poverty is no longer seen as a purely economic issue, instead, various dimensions including education, health, and welfare are now considered for poverty. Accordingly, recognition of poverty and coping with it requires a holistic and systematic understanding of it. The current study has attempted to go beyond the household level and study poverty (at county, province and country levels) by utilizing the concept of MPI while localizing its various indices with the aim of assisting policy-making and planning to reduce poverty. In this regard, the 2016 census data of 20000 rural households were used. According to the findings of this study, the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) of Iran is 0.349. Education, health, and living standards (welfare) had the highest contribution in MPI, respectively. The intensity and incidence of poverty among rural households are 0.558 and 0.628, respectively. Poverty in Iran is affected not only by economic and social factors but also by spatial and climatic factors. Consequently, given the extent and complexity of the relationships among the factors affecting and being affected by poverty, any planning and policymaking to alleviate poverty requires an intelligent holistic and systematic approach to poverty.