Poverty is a multidimensional condition of deprivation in which individuals and households lack adequate resources and opportunities to secure a decent standard of living. It is not merely a shortage of income; it involves inadequate access to food, health care, education, housing, employment, social security, political participation and basic human dignity. In the context of development, poverty is both a major indicator of underdevelopment and a consequence of unequal economic and social structures. Understanding its defining characteristics and structural causes is therefore essential for analysing the challenges of development. One of the most important characteristics of poverty is inadequate income and consumption. Poor households generally lack sufficient purchasing power to meet their basic needs. Low and irregular earnings make it difficult to obtain adequate food, clothing, shelter and other necessities. Income poverty is commonly measured through poverty lines that identify the minimum level of resources required to satisfy basic needs. However, such measurements do not capture the full experience of poverty. Poverty is also characterised by deprivation of basic capabilities. Amartya Sen's capability approach argues that poverty should be understood as the deprivation of basic capabilities rather than simply low income. A person may have income above a prescribed poverty line but still experience severe deprivation because of poor health, lack of education, discrimination or inadequate public services. Thus, poverty includes the inability to lead a healthy, educated, secure and socially meaningful life. Another defining characteristic is multidimensionality. Poverty may simultaneously involve malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, poor housing, lack of sanitation, limited access to health services and insecurity. These disadvantages reinforce one another. For example, inadequate nutrition can reduce a child's ability to learn, poor education can limit employment opportunities, and insecure employment can prevent families from obtaining adequate health care. Poverty is further associated with vulnerability and insecurity. Poor households often live close to subsistence and have limited savings or assets. A sudden illness, crop failure, unemployment, natural disaster, inflation or economic recession can push them deeper into poverty. Consequently, poverty is not simply a static condition but can involve a continuing risk of falling into deprivation. Social exclusion is another significant feature. Poverty frequently prevents people from participating fully in social, economic and political institutions. Marginalised groups may face discrimination based on caste, gender, ethnicity, disability, region or other social characteristics. Exclusion reduces access to education, employment, credit, land and political influence, thereby reproducing poverty across generations. Poverty also has a strong intergenerational dimension. Children born into poor households often inherit disadvantages in nutrition, education, health and social networks. When parents lack productive assets and quality employment, their children may have fewer opportunities to improve their living conditions. Poverty can therefore become a persistent cycle rather than a temporary economic condition. The structural causes of