CommunicationPublished on 19 May 2023

USD 2.15 a day: can poverty be reduced to a number?

The World Bank's definition of extreme absolute poverty is ubiquitous in international cooperation and has shaped public perception of global poverty. Last year the international poverty line (IPL) was raised from USD 1.90 to USD 2.15 a day, but the indicator and its value continue to generate debate.

On the World Bank's poverty scale, the landlocked East African country of Burundi is among the countries with the lowest income globally. — © Eva Haeberle/laif

Poverty has declined over the last 30 years even when higher poverty lines or social indicators were included.

Isabel Günther, professor of development economics, ETH Zurich