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A systematic conceptual, theoretical, and methodological introduction to multidimensional poverty measurement and analysis. It provides a lucid overview of the problems a range of multidimensional techniques can address and sets out a synthetic introduction of counting and axiomatic approaches to such measurement

Lacking assets is both a cause and an outcome of poverty. Poor health, deficient skills, scant access to basic services, and the humiliations of social exclusion reflect deprivations in personal, public, and social assets. Assets are also central to coping with shocks and reducing the vulnerability that is a constant feature of poverty. Poverty is an outcome not only of economic processes. It is an outcome of interacting economic, social, and political forces. In particular, it is an outcome of the accountability and responsiveness of state institutions. Values, norms, and social institutions may reinforce persistent inequalities between groups in society – as with gender-based prejudice throughout much of the world, the caste system in India, and race relations in South Africa and the United States. In the extreme, these social divisions can become the basis of severe deprivation and conflict. The paper finds that the potential for economic growth and poverty reduction is heavily influenced by state and social institutions. Action to improve the functioning of state and social institutions improves both growth and equity by reducing bureaucratic and social constraints to economic action and upward mobility. However, devising and implementing these changes require strong political will, especially when the changes fundamentally challenge social values or entrenched interests. Governments can do much to influence public debate to increase awareness of the societal benefits of pro-poor public action and build political support for such action. Economic development brought about essentially by liberalizing trade and markets, investing in infrastructure, and providing basic social services to poor people to increase their human capital was seen as key to reducing poverty. The paper finds that growth in per capita income and poverty reduction is inversely related to each other. The relationship between poverty and unemployment is positively related that decline in poverty leads to decline in unemployment except Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where decline in poverty leads to increase in rural unemployment and decline in urban unemployment. However, Uttar Pradesh is the only state where decline in poverty leads to increase in both rural and urban unemployment during 2011-12. Himachal Pradesh shows something different result, where decline in poverty leads to decline in rural unemployment and increase in urban unemployment.

The analysis of poverty incidence in Ghana suggested that Ghana has made huge progress in the area of poverty reduction as the country has achieved many of the Millennium Challenge Goals (MDGs). Poverty in Ghana has trended downwards for a decade now as evidenced from Ghana Living Standard Surveys conducted since 1987 to the latest GLSS6 conducted for the period 2012/2013.Poverty at all levels has gone down in the country according evidences from the analysis of the various living standard surveys conducted in Ghana. It is expected that if Government continues to pursue its current pro-poor economic policies aimed at achieving the MDGs, then poverty levels in Ghana will even trend down further in the coming years. Government policies towards poverty reduction should continuously target the vulnerable, socially and financially excluded in the past from growth and development in the country.

Socialist feminism provides a necessary corrective to the strict feminization of poverty analysis by incorporating analyses of race and class differences among women, of internal family politics shaped by the familistic ideology, and of the contradictory role of the welfare state. We use the concept of women's dual role to analyze the interconnections among the family, the labor market and the welfare state, and to examine the ways that gender and class struggles over the costs of reproduction of labor power are expressed as conflicts over welfare policies. We suggest five criteria for evaluating policy and use them to analyze two specific issues-the six-hour day and child support.

Goal and objectives: The article analyzes the state policy of Russia and China on poverty alleviation, conducted a comparative analysis of the strategy of the two countries in solving the problem, basic areas, social programs, measures, measures of social support for poor categories of citizens. The general and specific approaches of each. The results achieved are considered, as well as the objectives set by each country in this direction for the near and far term. Methods: The study uses a set of general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, generalization, comparison, system-functional and integrated approach. Within the framework of the stated theme, theoretical provisions and modern approaches were systematic on the basis of the study of the works of various authors, federal and regional regulatory documents, official statistics. Results: The theoretical and practical significance of the study is to specify and organize the modern strategic approaches of the state policy of Russia and China, both in the sphere of poverty alleviation and in the provision of state social assistance to poor categories of citizens. These areas of state social policy of each country are not sufficiently researched by national science. The analysis provides an opportunity to identify the state of poverty in Russia and China, actualizes the importance of state policy to reduce poverty in each country, justifies the need for its further improvement in this direction. The findings highlight the positive results achieved by countries to date and identify the ways that have led to them, which can further promote public social policies to overcome poverty in each country and the system of state social assistance to the poor. Scientific novelty: The scientific novelty lies in the study of the state policy of Russia and China to reduce the poverty level of the population, as one of the most acute problems of both countries. The article shows the characteristics of poverty in each country, the scale and concentration of poverty, the trend of changing poverty in recent years as a result of the efforts of states and new strategies in public social policy. Weaknesses and strengths in the state social policy to overcome poverty in Russia and China have been identified. The lack of effectiveness of the organization of state social assistance to poor categories of citizens is justified. The conclusions are drawn on the versatility of ways to overcome poverty, the need to unite the efforts of all countries in this direction, the fruitfulness of the exchange of experience accumulated by different countries.