Monetary poverty in Peru increased 1.6% in 2022, compared to the previous year, and reached up to 27.5% of Peruvians, equivalent to 9.18 million people, reported this Thursday the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI).
The document “Peru: Evolution of Monetary Poverty 2011-2022”prepared by INEI, specified that the number of poor people in the Andean country increased by 628,000 people last year, which also implied a 7.3% increase compared to 2019, the year before the start of the pandemic.
The measurement was made using a indicator of monthly spending, which in 2022 amounted to 825 soles (US$222 or €206.7) per person, 0.7% higher than the level of spending in 2021, of 820 soles, although less than 10% compared to 2019, which was 917 Suns.
However, the income they were reduced by 9.2% compared to 2019, and recovered by 1.4% in 2022, compared to 2021, to settle at an average of 1,089 soles per month ($289 or €272.9).
He report of the INEI explained that monetary poverty affected 41.1% of the Peruvian population in rural areas and 24.1% in urban areas, with an increase of 9.5% in this area compared to 2019.
The hardest hit regions of the country are the Andean cajamarcaHuánuco, Puno, Ayacucho and Pasco, with more than 40% of monetary poverty among its population.
On the other hand, those with a lower incidence of poverty They are the southern Ica, Moquegua, Madre de Dios, Arequipa and the northern Lambayeque.
The study detailed that 36.2% of the population had a caloric deficit in their diet in 2022 and that 42.4% of minors, from 6 to 35 months of age, suffer from anemia.
Likewise, 31.2% of the population presented some problem of healthbut did not receive medical attention, in addition to the fact that 4.8% have some disability.
With respect to primary educationminors from 6 to 11 years of age presented a rate of non-attendance to schools of 6.9%, while 33.6% presented school delays.
By looking at the conditions of the householdsit was reported that 6% of the population lived overcrowded and 22.3% lived in houses with dirt floors, that is, in an unfinished construction.
About the conditions of work, the employed population older than 14 years presented an underemployment rate of 45.9%, while 64.9% of employed workers were not affiliated to any pension system.