More than 12 million Peruvians do not have access to education, health and housing

There are 12.1 million Peruvians who do not have access to education, health care and quality housing at the end of 2022, according to ComexPerú.

The accumulation of these deprivations is measured within multidimensional poverty and covers 35.8% of the population. Although there was a setback compared to the 38.9% seen in 2021, the indicator reflects that it is higher by 2.8 million people compared to the monetary poor — that is, they do not have enough income to cover the basic basket —, that reached 9.1 million Peruvians.

According to ComexPerú, in the last decade, poverty due to the lack of medical establishments or the absence of health insurance at home fell from 69% to 36.5%, the pandemic being the key to closing this gap.

However, in education — minors not enrolled or behind for at least two years in a home headed by someone with incomplete high school — and housing — having floor material or if the home cooks with coal, firewood or kerosene — the progress of the last 10 years “is minimum.”

Another problem is that more than a third of Peruvians do not live in spaces that meet the appropriate conditions for a home to be taken into account to study multidimensional poverty.

“To reduce multidimensional poverty, quality public services are required or to expand their coverage, that is, it is the responsibility of the Government to reduce multidimensional poverty through better management of the public budget”considered the guild.

14 regions increased their multidimensional poverty rate

ComexPerú adds that multidimensional poverty worsened in 14 regions, since its ratio exceeded the national average last year.

Loreto, for example, has 58.6% of its population affected by lack of housing, health, and education. They are followed by Huánuco with 57% and Ucayali with 49.8%.

Besides, Monetary poverty is exceeded in most departmentsexcept in Pasco (38.6% multidimensional poverty and 40.1% monetary poverty), Lima (24.6% multidimensional poverty and 26.5% monetary poverty) and Callao (22.7% multidimensional poverty and 30.8 % monetary poverty).