In this index, as in ECLAC (2013), households without electricity and those using toxic fuels for cooking are considered to be deprived in respect of energy. Although information on durable goods is usually available in national surveys in the region, it has not been particularly widely used in multidimensional measurements of poverty. It was therefore decided to include a durable goods deprivation indicator in the index, as a more lasting proxy for the standard of living of households.