This paper aims to review and analyse the mechanisms through which the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) quantifies progress vis-à-vis poverty
and socio-economic development. Drawing on analytic literature and international
experience, this paper details specific reforms that the ASEAN Socio-Cultural
Community could consider adopting to holistically capture the specific vulnerabilities
faced by the ASEAN region and more accurately measure progress in implementing the
ASEAN post-2015 vision. These recommendations most significantly include revising
the formulation of the purchasing power parity poverty line, harmonising data
collection efforts and introducing an ASEAN panel survey, and leveraging the
comparatively rich availability of household data among member states to create an
ASEAN-specific multidimensional poverty index.