Poverty is a global problem that affects millions of people around the world. However, some ethnic groups are more vulnerable and disadvantaged than others due to historical, social, political, and economic factors. According to a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, disparities in multidimensional poverty among ethnic groups are consistently high across many countries and in nine ethnic groups more than 90 percent of the population is trapped in poverty.
Multidimensional poverty is a measure of poverty that considers various deprivations experienced by people in their daily lives, such as poor health, insufficient education, and a low standard of living. The report examines the level and composition of multidimensional poverty across 109 countries covering 5.9 billion people and presents an ethnicity/race/caste disaggregation for 41 countries with available information.
Top 10 Poorest Ethnic Groups in the World
In this article, we will explore the top 10 poorest ethnic groups in the world based on their multidimensional poverty index (MPI) values and discuss some of the challenges they face and some of the possible solutions to reduce their poverty.
1. Peulh/Fulani (Mali)
The Peulh/Fulani are a nomadic pastoralist group that live in several countries in West Africa, including Mali, where they constitute about 14 percent of the population. They have an MPI value of 0.647, which means that 64.7 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived [^3^][3]. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Peulh/Fulani face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
2. San/Bushmen (Namibia)
The San/Bushmen are an indigenous group that lives in several countries in Southern Africa, including Namibia, where they constitute about 2 percent of the population. They have an MPI value of 0.636, which means that 63.6 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived [^3^][3]. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived of are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The San/Bushmen face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as loss of land and natural resources, displacement, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include recognizing and protecting their land rights and traditional knowledge, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, enhancing their access to education and health care, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
3. Batwa/Pygmy (Rwanda)
The Batwa/Pygmy are an indigenous group that lives in several countries in Central Africa, including Rwanda, where they constitute about 0.3 percent of the population. They have an MPI value of 0.622, which means that 62.2 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Batwa/Pygmy face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as loss of land and natural resources, displacement, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include recognizing and protecting their land rights and traditional knowledge, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, enhancing their access to education and health care, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
4. Indigenous (Bolivia)
The Indigenous peoples are a diverse group that comprises about 44 percent of the population in Bolivia. They have an MPI value of 0.506, which means that 50.6 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets. The Indigenous peoples face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure . Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
5. Roma (Serbia)
The Roma are a minority group that lives in several countries in Europe, including Serbia, where they constitute about 2 percent of the population. They have an MPI value of 0.498, which means that 49.8 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Roma face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as discrimination, exclusion, stigma, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include enhancing their access to education and health care, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, promoting social inclusion and integration, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
6. Indigenous (Guatemala)
The Indigenous peoples are a diverse group that comprise about 40 percent of the population in Guatemala. They have an MPI value of 0.483, which means that 48.3 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived of are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Indigenous peoples face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
7. Afro-descendants (Colombia)
The Afro-descendants are a minority group that live in several countries in Latin America, including Colombia, where they constitute about 10 percent of the population . They have an MPI value of 0.475, which means that 47.5 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived [^1^][3]. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Afro-descendants face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as discrimination, exclusion, violence, displacement, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include enhancing their access to education and health care, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, promoting social inclusion and integration, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
8. Indigenous (Mexico)
The Indigenous peoples are a diverse group that comprises about 15 percent of the population in Mexico. They have an MPI value of 0.462, which means that 46.2 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived [^1^][3]. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets.
The Indigenous peoples face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
9. Indigenous (Peru)
The indigenous peoples are a diverse group that comprise about 26 percent of the population in Peru . They have an MPI value of 0.449, which means that 44.9 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived [^1^][3]. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets. The indigenous peoples face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
10. Indigenous (Nepal)
The Indigenous peoples are a diverse group that comprises about 36 percent of the population in Nepal. They have an MPI value of 0.445, which means that 44.5 percent of their weighted indicators are deprived. Some of the indicators that they are most deprived in are nutrition, child mortality, school attendance, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, and assets. The Indigenous peoples face several challenges that contribute to their poverty, such as conflict, insecurity, climate change, land degradation, discrimination, marginalization, and lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Some of the possible solutions to improve their situation include promoting peacebuilding and dialogue among different communities, enhancing their resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts, supporting their livelihoods and income generation, and ensuring their participation and representation in decision-making processes.
Conclusion
Poverty is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that affects different ethnic groups in different ways. The top 10 poorest ethnic groups in the world face various challenges that prevent them from achieving their full potential and well-being. However, there are also possible solutions that can help them overcome their poverty and improve their situation. These solutions require the collaboration and cooperation of different actors, such as governments, civil society, international organizations, the private sector, and the ethnic groups themselves. By addressing the root causes and drivers of poverty among ethnic groups, we can create a more inclusive and equitable world for everyone.
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