In 2022, the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval) revealed that the percentage of poor people in Mexico is 36.3 percent, while the University of Oxford indicates that moderate poverty has decreased in the country, but extreme poverty has increased.
According to Coneval, poverty is calculated through a combination of income and multidimensional measurements, which evaluate access to social rights such as education, nutrition, and housing. Despite the reduction in moderate poverty, it is observed that the decrease is smaller when focusing on the poorest.
The contradiction between the poverty measurements of Oxford and Coneval is due to the different methodologies used. While Oxford shows an increase from 4.1 to 5 percent in poverty between 2020 and 2022, Coneval records a decrease from 43.9 to 36.3 percent in the same period.
The University of Oxford applies a stricter measurement of poverty than Coneval, which has led to divergent results, showing that the government has managed to reduce moderate poverty but has overlooked the poorest, resulting in an increase in extreme poverty in Mexico.
In comparison with other countries, Mexico has a lower poverty rate according to the Oxford measurement, but there are several countries, especially in Africa, with much higher poverty indices. Coneval estimates a reduction in extreme poverty, but the discrepancy persists.
The University of Oxford evaluates poverty through 10 indicators related to health, education, and standard of living, while Coneval focuses on more specific measurements. Coneval's independence in measuring poverty stands out as a positive aspect to ensure an accurate evaluation.
It is crucial that the current government focuses on implementing effective strategies to reduce extreme poverty and provide support to the most vulnerable sectors of society. Data shows that the poverty situation in Mexico remains a challenge, requiring differentiated approaches to address the needs of all segments of the population.
