WILLEMSTAD – Poverty in Curaçao is no longer just a matter of income. New figures released today by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reveal that a growing share of the population is experiencing deprivation across multiple critical areas of life, including health, education and living conditions.
The findings are presented in the report “Multidimensional Poverty in Curaçao: A Comparative MPI Assessment for 2011, 2017 and 2023,” which is available for download on the CBS website.
The study uses the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), a measurement tool that goes beyond income to assess whether individuals and households experience deficits in various essential aspects of daily life. These are elements considered necessary for living a dignified and stable life.
According to CBS, looking at poverty through a broader lens makes visible problems that often remain hidden when only income levels are examined.
What the Multidimensional Poverty Index Measures
The MPI evaluates poverty across four main pillars:
• Health
• Education
• Livelihood
• Living conditions
Each pillar includes multiple indicators. These range from school attendance and quality of employment to access to clean water, electricity and availability of ICT resources. Each indicator is assigned a specific weight, expressed as a percentage, contributing to the overall MPI score.
The final MPI score represents the extent to which households are considered multidimensionally poor. The index only has meaning when compared with scores calculated using the same indicators and weight distribution. The rule is simple: the higher the MPI score, the greater the share of households classified as multidimensionally poor.
Poverty Increased Compared to 2011
The share of the population identified as multidimensionally poor has changed over time:
• 2011: 5.4%
• 2017: 9.4%
• 2023: 7.9%
Although 2023 shows improvement compared to the peak recorded in 2017, the level of multidimensional poverty remains significantly higher than in 2011.
This means that more households today are dealing with overlapping disadvantages than they were more than a decade ago.
Persistent Deprivation Across Multiple Life Areas
Residents identified as multidimensionally poor experience deficits in roughly one-third of the measured life domains.
The intensity of deprivation has remained relatively stable:
• 2011: 30.5%
• 2017: 30.3%
• 2023: 31.2%
This indicates that while the number of affected households fluctuates, the severity of deprivation for those who are poor has not substantially changed.
MPI Score Remains Elevated
The overall MPI score evolved as follows:
• 2011: 1.6
• 2017: 2.9
• 2023: 2.5
After a sharp rise in 2017, the score declined in 2023 but remains well above the 2011 level. This confirms that multidimensional poverty is more widespread today than it was 12 years ago.
In practical terms, this means that more households are simultaneously facing multiple forms of deprivation.
Changing Drivers of Poverty
The main contributors to multidimensional poverty have shifted over time.
In 2011 and 2017, the quality of employment was the most significant factor. This reflects structural labor market challenges, including job security and income stability.
In 2023, physical functioning and health became the dominant factor contributing to multidimensional poverty. This shift suggests that health limitations are increasingly affecting individuals’ ability to participate fully in economic and social life.
Across all three measured years, ICT deprivation has consistently remained one of the top contributing factors. Limited access to digital resources is now recognized as a structural barrier to education, employment and social participation.
Stark Geographic Differences
The MPI varies significantly across different geozones and neighborhoods.
The geozones with the highest MPI scores in 2023 are:
- Paradijs
- Scharloo
- Wishi
- Otrobanda
- Westpunt
Paradijs and Wishi contribute most to overall island-wide poverty due to their relatively large populations.
At the neighborhood level, the highest MPI scores were recorded in:
- Vers
- Wishi
- Rif near Otrobanda
- Seru Otrobanda
- De Savaan
However, larger neighborhoods such as Brievengat, Ser’i Papaya and Suffisant contribute more to total poverty figures because of their population size.
These geographic disparities highlight the uneven distribution of vulnerability across the island.
Income Poverty Down, Multidimensional Poverty Up
One of the most striking conclusions of the report is that fewer people in 2023 are considered poor based solely on income compared to 2011 and 2017. Yet, more people are experiencing multidimensional poverty.
In other words, stable income does not necessarily mean stability in other life domains.
An increasing number of households are at heightened risk of poverty and experience ordinary or even extreme deprivation, despite not falling below traditional income poverty lines.
Implications for Policy
The findings underscore the need for policies that go beyond income support.
Targeted measures must address:
• Health access and physical functioning
• Education participation and outcomes
• Job quality and labor security
• Digital inclusion
• Infrastructure access
CBS emphasizes that poverty is not one-dimensional. Effective policy must address overlapping disadvantages simultaneously.
The report provides a data-driven foundation for social and economic planning and calls for a broader strategy to combat poverty in Curaçao.
As the island continues to navigate economic recovery and structural reform, the MPI findings serve as a reminder that economic growth alone does not automatically translate into improved living conditions for all.