Perceived Ability to Meet Basic Needs

The indicator measures the percentage of supported households that reported being able to meet all or most of their basic needs. It is based on the respondents’ subjective perceptions (as opposed to other indicators based on measuring household access to food and income).

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with the heads of a representative sample of the target households:

   

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: I would like to ask you about your household’s ability to meet its most basic needs, such as those related to securing food, paying for housing costs, hygiene items and other things that your household sees as its most essential needs. In your opinion, to what extent is your household able to meet these most essential needs? Would you say that it is able to meet all of the needs, most of the needs, only some of the needs or only very few of these needs?

A1 Select one of the following:

1) all needs

2) most needs

3) some needs

4) very few of the needs

5) no response / does not know

 

To calculate the indicator’s value, divide the number of respondents reporting that their household can meet “all” or “most” of its needs by the total number of respondents (exclude those who did not respond or did not know). Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

Disaggregate the data by 1) size of the household and 2) whether the household is single-headed or not.

1) Also report separately on the percentage of respondents who reported that they are able to meet 1) all of their basic needs; 2) most of their basic needs; 3) some of their basic needs; and 4) very few of their basic needs.