In 2016, the Solomon Islands included a module on multi-dimensional deprivation in their Demographic and Health survey. The aim was to ascertain what the population considered to be the necessities of life for all people of the Solomon Islands. Items considered essential by a majority of respondents were defined as ‘socially perceived necessities’. The survey found that there is widespread consensus in the population about the importance of these items to the lives of people in the Solomon Islands today.
Respondents were further asked if they lacked these items and if so whether this was because they couldn’t afford them.
Respondents who reported lacking these necessities because they could not afford them were considered deprived. The percentages lacking these essential items because they cannot afford them can be seen in the table below.
Solomon Islands percentage can't afford necessities
| Items considered to be essential | Lack, can't afford |
|---|---|
| Enough money to purchases goods (household) | 76% |
| Outdoor lesiure equipment (children) | 68% |
| Enough money to replace broken furniture (household) | 68% |
| Having own means of transport (household) | 64% |
| Money for hospital visits for family and friends (adult) | 54% |
| Get with family and friends for drink or meal (adult) | 51% |
| Have all prescribed medicines (household) | 48% |
| Presents once a year (adult) | 48% |
| New, properly fitting shoes (children) | 48% |
| Make regular savings for emergencies (household) | 48% |
| One meal with meat or fish daily (children) | 45% |
| Participation in school trips (children) | 44% |
| Two pairs of properly fitting shoes (adults) | 43% |
| Replace worn out clothes (adults) | 37% |
| Some new, not second-hand clothes (children) | 33% |
| A suitable place to study or do homework (children) | 33% |
| Small amount of money to spend each week (adult) | 31% |
| Celebrations on special occasions (children) | 30% |
| School unifrom and equiment (children) | 21% |
| Enoguh beds for every child (children) | 17% |
| Clothes forsocial or family occasions (adult) | 14% |
| Three meals a day (children) | 9% |
| Two meals a day (adults) | 3% |
Source: Solomon Islands Demographic and Health Survey, 2016
In this analysis, deprivation scores were summed to form a scale, with separate scales developed using items for children and adults. This approach makes it possible to operationalise a measure of multidimensional poverty for children and adults of all ages, according to national definitions, as required by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely Target 1.2.2.
See ‘Multidimensional Poverty in the Solomon Islands According to National Definitions’ (pdf), Briefing Paper to PSSC-SPC, V. Konifelenisi Fifita, H. Najera, D. Gordon, S. Nandy, February 2017.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Poverty-in-the-Solomon-Islands_briefing-paper_2017.pdf | 1.09 MB |
PSE:UK is a major collaboration between the University of Bristol, Heriot-Watt University, The Open University, Queen's University Belfast, University of Glasgow and the University of York working with the National Centre for Social Research and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. ESRC Grant RES-060-25-0052.
