Living standard index provides a new tool to assist relief efforts

Data from unconventional sources, such as figures on living standards, provide a new way to evaluate poverty across China, according to a report on Monday by the United Nations Development Program China.

The report's release marked the International Day for Eradication of Poverty and China's third National Poverty Day.

The Living Standard Index, developed by UNDP using data from Baidu, measured poverty by combining eight indicators to evaluate services provided in 2,284 counties in China. The evaluation looked at access to piped water, sanitary toilets, indoor kitchens, living services, financial services and roads, as well as mobile internet coverage and night-time light intensity.