The approach to poverty and the lack of data on which the MPI is based show its inability to replace objective approaches used by international bodies and its inadequacy in comparison with the HCP's index, Lahlimi said at a press conference themed "Indices of Multidimensional Poverty: impact and limits".

    Unlike the MPI, which includes 10 indicators related to health, education and standard of living, the HCP's cost of living index has 17 indicators comprising healthy diet and housing conditions, he said.

    The HCP's index includes also vocational integration of household members and job openings for young people, social equality and gender mainstreaming, he added.

    The MPI, as published in the OPHI's report entitled "Acute Multidimensional Poverty: A new index for developing countries", does not encompass all socio-economic priorities among which those bolstering the person's ability to protect itself against poverty, he noted.

    The scientific approach devised by the OPHI is based on old information from year 2000 to 2008, the official said.