Jamaica Launches First‑Ever Multidimensional Poverty Index with Support from the Caribbean Development Bank

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB / the Bank) in collaboration with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), officially launched the country’s first ever Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) – a landmark tool that will transform how poverty is measured, understood, and addressed across the island.

The MPI provides a comprehensive picture of poverty by capturing not only what households earn and consume but also what they lack across dimensions including health, education, housing, access to services, employment security, and overall wellbeing. It complements traditional monetary poverty assessments and strengthens Jamaica’s ability to implement targeted, evidence based social and economic policies aligned with Vision 2030 Jamaica and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Development of the MPI was made possible through grant financing from CDB’s Special Fund Resources (SFR) and technical support from the Bank’s Enhanced Country Poverty Assessment (eCPA) Programme. The process drew on extensive collaboration among national stakeholders, technical experts, and development partners. Through this initiative,  Jamaica is positioned as a regional leader in adopting multidimensional approaches to poverty reduction.

Mr. Elbert Ellis, Portfolio Manager, Social Sector Division, CDB, emphasised the significance of the moment stating, “Today’s launch is an important step forward in how Jamaica prepares interventions to address poverty. The Multidimensional Poverty Index offers a more holistic, inclusive framework for understanding interconnected deprivations, transforming poverty data into actionable intelligence.”

He noted that the MPI will also enhance the country’s capacity to design gender responsive policies, as the tool enables sex disaggregated analysis and highlights the different ways women, men, girls, and boys experience poverty.

Mr. Ellis also commended Jamaica for its strong leadership and stakeholder engagement throughout the process and added that the MPI, “stands as a strong example of how CDB’s eCPA translates into country owned, policy relevant outcomes.”

Dr. Wayne Henry, Director General, PIOJ, also underscored the importance of the MPI and the value it brings to Jamaica’s development planning explaining, “From inadequate housing and sanitation to being unemployed or excluded from school, the Multidimensional Poverty Index captures these challenges and helps us to make better policy and programme decisions to eradicate them. It enhances our toolkit for planning and sharpens our ability to track development progress.”

The launch comes as Jamaica continues to strengthen resilience in the wake of recent climaterelated shocks, including the impacts of Hurricane Melissa. The MPI will play a critical role in ensuring that recovery and reconstruction efforts respond effectively to the needs of vulnerable populations.

The Caribbean Development Bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Jamaica as it integrates the MPI into national policymaking and strengthens its social protection, human capital development, and climate resilience frameworks.