the mdgs launched in also drew together existing standards in different indicators to propose a harmonised set of indicators of which monetary poverty was just one element in the agenda for sustainable development the worldwide consensus has shifted to view poverty as multidimensional precursors to this conceptual shift include academic writings such as by amartya sen inputs from poor persons and nongovernmental organisations consultations leading up to the sustainable development goals an increasingly visible academic literature on multidimensional poverty measurement and the pioneering leadership of countries such as colombia mexico china south africa bhutan pakistan and others in using multidimensional poverty statistics to complement monetary measures and guide policy informed by this emerging consensus the pivotal sdg document transforming our world the agenda for sustainable development identifies in its second sentence the global challenge of reducing poverty in all its forms and dimensions as the foremost challenge of our time