Dominican republic poverty falls below target
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In the Dominican Republic, poverty reached an average of 14.58% during the first half of 2026.
Vice President Raquel Peña announced the figure, which is below the government’s goal of 15% for 2028, during an event commemorating the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Peña stated that poverty should not be seen as unavoidable, but as a condition that can be overcome through collaboration between the government, society, and families.
The country saw a decrease in monetary poverty between the first and second quarters of the year, dropping from 15.4% to 13.75%. Officials at Supérate, the Directorate of Social Development, connected this reduction to increased employment and wages that outpaced inflation, as well as expanded social programs. Mayra Jiménez, director general of Supérate, noted that poverty levels reached 17% of the population in 2025, a milestone in the country’s efforts.
Julia Sánchez, the UN Resident Coordinator in the Dominican Republic, praised the downward trend and emphasized the importance of social policies to ensure inclusive progress. The Dominican Republic also reduced the prevalence of undernourishment to less than 2.5%, leading to its removal from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Hunger Map.
