2026 Fordham Pope Francis Global Poverty Report

Fordham’s graduate program in International Policy Economy and Development (IPED) Foreign Aid and Development class presents 2026 updates to the “Fordham’s Pope Francis Global Poverty Report.” In response to Pope Francis’ 2015 address to the UN General Assembly, the faculty and students of IPED devised a unique and innovative measure of integral human development that looks not only at material poverty but also spiritual poverty. In contrast to other measures, the Fordham Francis Index (FFI) is more pro-poor and pro-freedom, emphasizing basic human needs and civil liberties.