Poverty is a complex phenomenon. Despite years of poverty research, there is no single, universally agreed definition of poverty. This paper, presented by Nilakshi De Silva, provides a brief overview of the discourse on understanding poverty and development in relation to measuring multidimensional poverty. CEPA’s objective in hosting the Open Forum on Poverty every quarter is to provide a platform for groups of professionals to discuss their research and/or experience on poverty and related issues. The Open Forum also functions as a medium through which knowledge can be disseminated to a wider audience.