Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative- OPHI 2017-2021

OPHI (Oxford Poverty Human & Development Initiative) is an economic research centre within the Oxford Department of International Development at the University of Oxford. It was founded in 2007 and they are the creator of MPI (Multidimensional Poverty Index) both on national and global level. Their vision is to reduce poverty through innovative research as well as technical support and training on multidimensional poverty measurements. In 2013, they initiated the MPPN (Multidimensional Poverty Peer Network) which is a network consisting of today 53 nations and 16 organisations, where OPHI is functioning as the secretariat. The network is run by its members. OPHI's Global MPI can be broken down by indicator to demonstrate how the structure of multidimensional poverty differs across regions and different groups. This is for example useful to make an impact on country's policy. Thanks to its work, several countries have created national poverty reduction programmes and making better lives for multidimensional poor people. OPHI's vision is to spread the knowledge of multidimensional poverty and in that way affect countries policies to reduce poverty in its all dimensions. The proposals mission is to strengthen the work on multidimensional poverty and sustainable development in countries worldwide in accordance with agenda 2030 and the different SDG goals. This intervention which is a project support will fund OPHI's four core areas: 1. Building National MPI 2. The Global MPI, the SDG's and the 2030 Agenda3. Policy and communication. It is important not only to build national and global MPI, but a part of the work is also to promote the use of the measurement and develop better informed policies that are effective to reduce poverty. OPHI organises annually meetings of the MPPN network where countries can share knowledge with each other. This activity among others, are important because it leads to other countries understanding multidimensional poverty and taking a multidimensional approach to poverty measurement.4. Applied research. It is important for OPHI to continue to be innovative, and to develop practical research on multidimensional poverty measurements. Current research topics are: child poverty, gender equality and empowerment, environment and natural resources, violence and security and impact evaluation. With this intervention Sida will be funding OPHI's above areas including the MPPN network with 20 MSEK in four years (2017-2020). Sida's assessment is that OPHI's project proposal is well in line with Sida´s result strategy for global action on socially sustainable development 2014-2017, which aims to contribute to healthier lives and lifestyles, as well as a socially sustainable and equitable development. The intervention has activities that are expected to contribute to improved basic health and improved access to education. To reduce poverty, it is important with knowledge development and reliable statistics, and this is a big part of OPHI's work. Their work is normative and have an impact on country’s policy development. As mentioned above, one of OPHI's area is research where they intend to develop indicators for child poverty, gender equality and empowerment, environment and natural resources, violence and security and impact evaluation. The interventions are in this way also considered to be of relevance for the strategy for special initiatives for Human rights and Democratisation 2014-2017, and the result strategy for global action on environmentally and climate- friendly sustainable development 2014-2017, as well as for Sida´s present and/or planned bilateral result strategies. Given Sida's own work with multidimensional poverty, Sida has proposed to OPHI to consider including also aspects such as power and voice and human security in their MPI.