DETERMINANTS OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY IN GEDEO ZONE SOUTHERN, ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT Poverty is multifaceted and a global issue, affecting the world‘s population. For this reason, the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals recognize the significance of poverty eradication as a top priority. Poverty remains a global challenge, but it disproportionately affects Sub-Saharan Africa, including countries like Ethiopia. In line with its vision for 2030, Ethiopia has made poverty eradication a fundamental goal. To achieve this objective, it is crucial to assess the relationship between some indicators of the socioeconomic status of the household and identify these factors. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between some indicators of the socioeconomic status of the household and its multidimensional determinants in the Gedeo zone at the household level. The data for this study used primary data collected from a sample of 400 households. The data analysis employed descriptive, Spearman correlation matrix, and econometric techniques. Specifically, a logistic regression model was used to examine the factors contributing to multidimensional poverty. To describe the relationship between some indicators of the socioeconomic status of the household, I used the Spearman correlation matrix. Based on the Spearman correlation matrix the relationship between some indicators of the socioeconomic status of the household showed a positive relationship, age, and marital status (0.2013), education and access to market information(0.4846), family size and dependency ratio (0.7811), family size and access to credit (0.0439), dependency ratio and family size (0.7915), dependency ratio and saving(0.0412), house ownership and credit (0.0322), social safety net and employment status (0.1282) income and education (0.0795) income and saving (0.0892), saving and social capital (iddir) (0.0468), employment and working hour (0.0921), employment and credit (0.6897), household size and employment (0.0703), (savings) and credit (0.0072), additional income and working hours (0.1178), additional income and employment (0.0848). Whereas, age and education (-0.2761), age and additional income (-0.0828), education and marital status (-0.1203), education and social capital (-0.0101), distance and education (- 0.2231) showed a relationship between some indicators of the socioeconomic status of the household were showed negative relationship) the research area. The logistic regression analysis results indicate that multidimensional poverty is statistically and significantly influenced by the marital status of households, access to market information, additional income, traditional savings, productive safety net, and employment status of the households. The implications of these findings emphasize the need for policy interventions that prioritize significant contributing factors to effectively reduce multidimensional poverty. A comprehensive approach that encompasses education, access to basic services, and economic empowerment can positively impact poverty reduction efforts in Ethiopia