Monetary Poverty affected 29.0% of the population in 2023

During the year 2023, the monetary poverty affected 29.0% of the population of the country and increased in 1.5 percentage points compared to the year 2022 (27.5%). In the urban area was of 26.4%, increasing in 2.3 percentage points compared to the last year; meanwhile, in the rural area was of 39.8%, decreased in 1.3 percentage points. The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) by submitting the document Peru: Evolution of the Monetary Poverty 2014-2023, prepared with the results of the National Household Survey (ENAHO), stated that the population in condition of poverty reached 9 million 780 thousand persons, a figure greater in 596 thousand persons, compared to the year 2022 (9 million 184 thousand persons). 

 

Likewise, it informed that the population in situation of extreme poverty, during the year 2023, was of 5.7% that affected 1 million 922 thousand persons, it means, 249 thousand persons, it means, in the year 2023, was of 5.7% that affected 1 million 922 thousand persons, it means, 249 thousand persons more than in the year 2022 (1 million 673 thousand persons). 

 

The actual revenue per inhabitant reduced in 1.0% between the years 2022 and 2023 (from S/ 1,160 to S/ 1,148 Soles). The actual revenue per inhabitant in the rest urban area decreased in 3.0% by going from S/ 1,241 to S/ 1,204. Nevertheless, in Lima Metropolitan area and in the Constitutional Province of Callao grew in 0.7% (from S/ 1,323 to S/1,332), followed by the rural area in 0.3% by increasing from S/ 699 to S/ 700.

 

The monthly actual expenditure per inhabitant reduced in 0.7%, by going from S/ 872 in 2022 to S/ 866 in 2023. In Lima Metropolitan area and Constitutional Province of Callao, the monthly actual expenditure per capita reduced in 0.4% (from S/ 972 to S/ 968), for the year 2022 and 2023, followed by the rest urban area in 1.8% by decreasing from S/ 935 to S/ 917.  Nevertheless, it increased in the rural area in 1.4% by going from S/ 561 to S/ 569.

The INEI explained that the poverty line, is the monetary equivalent to the cost of a basic food and non-food basket that for the year 2023, totalized S/ 446 by month per inhabitant. Therefore, for a family with four members would correspond an amount of S/ 1784.

 

The measurement of monetary poverty and extreme poverty is performed through the indicator of the expense because this variable approximates to the quantification of the living standards based on which the persons and households consume, purchase, acquire products and/or services. For the year 2023, the basic food basket is of S/ 251 and for a family of four member is of S/1 004.

 

From the total of 110 main products which make up the basic food basket, 95 registered n increase of prices, seven reduced prices and eight did not showed variation. Among the products that registered a greater variation of prices among 2022 and 2023, outstood the tomato (30.0%), onion (27.3%), chicken eggs in bulk (24.1%) and lemon (21.4%), at national level.

The departments that showed a greater incidence of poverty, during the year 2023, Cajamarca (44.5%), Loreto (43.5%), Pasco (41.7%) and Puno (41.6%). On the other hand, the departments that registered lower incidence were Ica (6.9%), Moquegua (13.1%), Arequipa (13.9%), Madre de Dios (16.6%) and Lambayeque (17.9%).

 

During the year 2023, extreme poverty affected 5.7% of the population a higher figure in 0.7 percentage point compared with the year 2022 (5.0%). Therefore, the population in extreme poverty increased in 249 thousand 400 persons, among the years 2022 and 2023, it means, 1 million 673 thousand persons and 1 million 922 thousand persons. 

 

During the year 2023, the access to the integrated package of basic services that includes water, sewerage, electricity, mobile phone and Internet, is not available for 83.5% of the population of the department of Puno. The same happens with the departments of Ucayali (83.1%), Loreto (82.8%) and Huancavelica (81.1%). In the other hand, this percentage is lower in the Constitutional Province of Callao (23.7%), Lima Metropolitan area (27.5%), Moquegua (32.7%) and Ica (39.7%).

During the year 2023, of the total population, 31.4% is in risk of poverty as a result of any change of the conditions of the economy. Nevertheless, this figure is lower compared to the registered in the year 2022 (32.3%).

 

In order to measure the multidimensional nature of Poverty, in accordance with the Supreme Decree Nº002-2023-MIDIS that declares of national priority the preparation and approving of the official measure of multidimensional poverty in a complementary manner to the measurement of monetary poverty within the framework of the implementation of the  National Policy for Development and Social Inclusion (PNDIS) as of 2030, was constructed a Control Panel of 08 basic dimensions of well-being and 29 indicators that represents shortages that limit quality of life of the population. 

From the total of 29 indicators of the control panel, 13 increased their levels of shortage, among these, it grew in 4.2 percentage points the urban population that was victim of some criminal offence, reaching 27.1%; in the education dimension increased the students of second grade of high-school that not reached the expected learning objectives in Reading and Mathematics, reaching 81.6% and 88.7%, respectively. In the dimension of basic services, increased in 1.6 percentage points the population without water managed in a safe way, being this one 73.7%. On the other hand, among the shortages that decreased, there is the population of 6 years old and over that do not use the Internet with 22.9%, decreasing in 4.4 percentage points; and the population of 15 years old and older with high blood pressure decreased 3.2 percentage points, reaching 13.0%.

In the poverty measurement, the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics is accompanied by the Advisory Commission, created through Supreme Resolution Nº 097-2010-PCM. The Commission has among their functions: evaluate, supervise and validate the National Household Survey (ENAHO), referred to the measurement methodology of the poverty indicators, assuring the comparability and proposal of modifications and/or new measurements of poverty.

The Advisory Commission is integrated by the representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS), National Center of Food and Nutrition (CENAN), Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP), Concertation Board for Fight Against Poverty, Economic and Social Research (CIES), Group of Analysis for Development (GRADE), Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP), Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) and University of Pacific (UP); International Organisms such as  the World Bank (BM), Inter-American Development Bank (BID), Institute of Research for Development  (IRD) of the French Government, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); as well as independent experts of technical well-known trajectory.

The INEI, within the framework of its dissemination and transparency of statistical information that preparers policy,  makes available to general citizens the following information: New Release, Document Peru: Evolution of Monetary Poverty 2014-2023, Database of free Access, Methodological Documents, Presentation of Monetary Poverty 2014-2023 and the Declaration of the Advisory Commission on Monetary Poverty Measurement, public may Access to this information entering the INEI website, link

:https://www.gob.pe/institucion/inei/informes-publicaciones/5558432-cifras-de-pobreza-2023