Targeting the poorest in developing countries: components of multidimensional deprivation in Luxor, Egypt

Abstract

Whereas human deprivation has become a major policy issue in both developing and developed nations, the operational concept of ‘deprivation’ that is usually deployed within the literature of social studies is still problematic. The present study scrutinizes the appropriate insight to conceptualize deprivation operationally in the context of Egypt. It employs a multiple deprivation index (MDI) composed of five-dimensional constituent with eight indicators that (in combination) arguably represent acute deprivation. Suggested dimensions have special importance to the Egyptian society and are an appropriate focus for public policy. In addition, all indicators that are used here can be updated regularly, and so re-formed as the basis for a dynamic index. Moreover, such indicators are related to three of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The justification for these indicators is adequately presented in the MDGs literature.

The study does also shed light on the relationship between MDI headcount and average intensity of deprivation. This is very important because it suggests that localities can follow different pathways to reduce multidimensional deprivation. However, MDIs were decomposed by villages to capture the deprivation differences between geographic settings in Luxor. The average MDI of Luxor governorate is 0.026, which is approximately equal to MDI of Egypt 2006. Nevertheless, deprivation in knowledge is the biggest contributor to overall deprivation (33.7%). While moderate level is the dominant feature of the MDI picture, the most multidimensionally deprived areas are all in the northern part of Luxor. Therefore, the greatest intensity of MDI in those regions may be attributed to knowledge deprivation.

Keywords:

• disadvantaged areas
• Egypt
• human development
• Millennium Development Goals
• poverty

Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank Dr. Max Haller, Department of Sociology, University of Graz, Austria, for his constructive suggestions.