According to Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach, poverty is not merely a lack of income or resources, but the deprivation of essential freedoms that allow individuals to live a life they value. These essential freedoms include:
- Access to Education – The ability to acquire knowledge and skills.
- Healthcare – Ensuring physical and mental well-being.
- Economic Opportunities – Access to employment, financial resources, and entrepreneurship.
- Political and Social Participation – Freedom to participate in decision-making processes and community life.
- Security and Dignity – Protection from exploitation, discrimination, and social exclusion.
This approach emphasizes that poverty is multidimensional, affecting both material and non-material aspects of life. It is not enough to provide income; people must have the capability to convert resources into meaningful opportunities.
Implications for Development
- Holistic Policy Design
Development strategies must focus on enhancing capabilities, not just economic growth. This includes improving education, healthcare, and social security. - Empowerment of Marginalized Groups
Policies should prioritize women, marginalized communities, and rural populations, ensuring access to freedoms that enable social and economic mobility. - Reducing Social Inequalities
Addressing structural barriers—like caste, gender, and regional disparities—is essential for equitable development. - Integration with Employment and Poverty Alleviation
Providing jobs and income must be complemented with skills training, health access, and political inclusion to truly reduce poverty. - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Alignment
Sen’s capability approach aligns with SDGs like No Poverty (SDG 1), Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), focusing on human-centric development.
Conclusion
Poverty, when viewed through Sen’s capability lens, is about the freedom to live a dignified and meaningful life, not just economic insufficiency. Effective development policies must enhance individual capabilities, empower marginalized groups, and reduce inequalities to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth.
