Poverty and Inequality in Myanmar: 2005 to 2017

Are the people of Myanmar becoming economically better off over time, and if so, to what extent? To assess changes in standards of living, measures of average levels of consumption per person provide a useful start, but a poor ending. The distribution of consumption across the population is also important. Do the poor benefit, in absolute (inflation-adjusted) terms, when average consumption grows? If so, do they benefit relative to their wealthier neighbours, or are the gains from growth concentrated disproportionately among the rich? Answers to these two very different questions can be provided by measures of absolute poverty incidence and inequality, respectively. These statistical measures are highly relevant for the design of economic and social protection policies when the objective is the achievement of inclusive economic growth. Not surprisingly, indicators of poverty incidence and inequality feature prominently in the international Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These indicators are therefore important for monitoring progress in the achievement, or otherwise, of the SDGs.