International Measurements of Womens Poverty and Capability Approach

Abstract

This paper attempts to evaluate international poverty measurements using the capability approach developed by Nobel Prize winning economist and philosopher Amartya Sen. Capabilities measurements of poverty are better suited to measure deprivation than other approaches currently utilized, such as the World Bank one-dollar-a-day threshold measure. The capability approach focuses on the real opportunities or freedom for well-being and questions measurements that use income, resources, or level of satisfaction to evaluate poverty. A minimum level of capabilities can be used as a threshold to measure poverty. Human Development Index and other indexes reported in the Human Development Report embrace the capability framework but fall short to live up to its standards, especially when applied to measuring the capability deprivation of women. The paper concludes with some of the alternatives to solve for some of limitations in the Human Development Report. [From Introduction]