Multidimensional poverty: an analysis based on the functionings, dimensions and weights attributed by the families of the Ilha das Onças - Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Aiming to assess the multidimensional poverty of Ilha das Onças - Metropolitan Region of Belem, Pará, Brazil, we use Sen’s Capabilities Approach, with the objective of defining the dimensions and functionings indicated as priorities by the studied population itself. We build a multidimensional poverty indexes (MPIs) adjusted according to the needs of the local population, using Alkire and Santos (2010) methodology. Field research was carried out during November and December 2018 interviewing 80 families. Four versions of the MPI were calculated. From the original version from Alkire and Santos (2010) to a version adjusted by the proposed dimensions and their respective weights attributed by the interviewees consulted in the field work, which we refer to as the MPIisle. The results show that the inclusion of what people consider important, to be or to do, reveals deprivations not generally considered by indexes constructed from exogenously determined weights, as in synthetic indexes.

Keywords

• multidimensional poverty, territorial dynamics, living conditions in the Amazon.