The Perils of Poverty Statistics  

We often hear a lot about unreliable statistics. But the problem isn't exclusive to domestic issues. This Aid Watch blog from New York University's Development Research Institute muses on the pitfalls of applying various indicators to measure poverty . Since the days of Rowntree, measuring poverty has never been simple, and bilateral and multinational donors need to continually keep refining their measures. But that doesn't make working towards targeted aims like the Millennium Development Goals any less worthwhile. And some figures are beyond dispute: the UK's commitment to a development spend of o.7% of GDP for example. As the PM stressed last month, the UK “has led the world and will continue to lead the world on protecting our planet and securing justice for its poor”....