Suchergebnisse

To be read in conjunction with the Asian Development Bank report Poverty: Is it an Issue in the Pacific? The intent of the papers is to foster broadly based consultation among the Asian Development Bank, governments, and civil society for the purpose of developing a supportive and appropriate approach to ensuring equitable growth and poverty reduction. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank or the governments of Pacific developing member countries.

Poverty is a variab1e condition with multiple effects on human life. There is no universal definition of poverty and it is understood differently in different countries. The poverty line is the criterion with which politicians or researchers distinguish whether people or households are poor. There are two main types of poverty lines: the absolute and the relative poverty line. Various methods are used to calculate both types of poverty line. They can be distinguished into the following groups: the budget or consumption basket; the subjective method; the economic distance method; and legal or political methods. ; Lietuvos žmonės dažnai vartoja žodį skurdas. Kasdienėje kalboje šis žodis yra suprantamas ir paprastai nekelia jokių abejonių. Tačiau atsakyti į klausimą, kuriuos gyventojus priskirti prie skurstančių ir kiek Lietuvoje yra skurstančių žmonių, sudėtinga. Šiame straipsnyje pateikiama užsienio šalių patirtis, nagrinėjant skurdo problemas.

"This paper presents the poverty analysis of the 1997 98 Malawi Integrated Household Survey. The analysis developed basic needs poverty lines, using consumption-based measures of welfare to classify households and individuals as poor and nonpoor. Because consumption data were not of uniform quality across sample households, the analysis made adjustments to derive a more accurate assessment of the incidence of poverty across the country. The analysis provides poverty and inequality estimates for Malawi's population. About 65 percent were unable to meet their basic needs, and poverty was deep and pervasive. The distribution of household welfare was loosely examined within the context of the Malawi Poverty Reduction Strategy to guide government action in helping poor households improve their own well-being." -- Authors' Abstract ; Non-PR ; IFPRI1 ; FCND

The quantitative restriction (QR) on rice will last until the end of 2004. The paper employs a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the possible poverty and distributional effects of the removal of QR and the reduction in tariff on rice imports. Policy experiments indicate that while market reforms in rice lead to a reduction in the overall headcount poverty index, both the poverty gap and the squared poverty gap indices increase. The Gini coefficient increases as well. In general, these results imply that the poorest of the poor are adversely affected. In particular, while market reforms in rice bring about a reduction in consumer prices that is favorable to all, imports of rice surge and generate displacement effects on poor households that rely heavily on agriculture for factor incomes, particularly on palay rice production and other related activities. Palay production and its output price decline. This translates to lower demand for factor inputs in the sector, lower factor prices in agriculture, and lower factor incomes for these households. Thus, poverty in these groups, as well as the general income inequality, deteriorates. However, the results of the experiments involving various poverty-offsetting measures indicate that an increase in direct government transfers to these household groups can provide a better safety net.

The quantitative restriction (QR) on rice will last until the end of 2004. The paper employs a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the possible poverty and distributional effects of the removal of QR and the reduction in tariff on rice imports. Policy experiments indicate that while market reforms in rice lead to a reduction in the overall headcount poverty index, both the poverty gap and the squared poverty gap indices increase. The Gini coefficient increases as well. In general, these results imply that the poorest of the poor are adversely affected. In particular, while market reforms in rice bring about a reduction in consumer prices that is favorable to all, imports of rice surge and generate displacement effects on poor households that rely heavily on agriculture for factor incomes, particularly on palay rice production and other related activities. Palay production and its output price decline. This translates to lower demand for factor inputs in the sector, lower factor prices in agriculture, and lower factor incomes for these households. Thus, poverty in these groups, as well as the general income inequality, deteriorates. However, the results of the experiments involving various poverty-offsetting measures indicate that an increase in direct government transfers to these household groups can provide a better safety net.

The quantitative restriction (QR) on rice will last until the end of 2004. This paper uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the possible poverty and distributional effects of the removal of the QR and the reduction in tariffs on rice imports. Policy experiments indicate that while market reforms in rice lead to a reduction in the overall headcount poverty index, both the poverty gap and the squared poverty gap indices increase. The Gini coefficient rises as well. In general, these results imply that the poorest of the poor are adversely affected. In particular, while market reforms in rice bring about a reduction in consumer prices that is favorable to all, imports of rice surge and generate displacement effects on poor households that rely heavily on agriculture for factor incomes, particularly on palay rice production and other related activities. Palay production and its output price decline. This translates to lower demand for factor inputs in the sector, lower factor prices in agriculture, and lower factor incomes for these households. Thus, poverty in these groups, as well as general income inequality, deteriorates. However, the results of the experiments involving various poverty-offsetting measures indicate that an increase in direct government transfers to these household groups can provide a better safety net.

Poverty in rural India has declined substantially in recent decades. This steady decline in poverty was strongly associated with agricultural growth, particularly the green revolution, which in turn was a response to massive public investments in agriculture and rural infrastructure. Public investment in rural areas has also benefitted the poor through its impact on the growth of the rural non-farm economy, and government expenditure on rural poverty and employment programs,which has grown rapidly, has directly benefitted the rural poor. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the causes of the decline in rural poverty in India, and particularly to disentangle the specific role that government investments have played. We seek to quantify the effectiveness of different types of government expenditures in contributing to poverty alleviation. The study uses state level data for 1970 to 1993 to estimate an econometric model that permits calculation of the number of poor people raised above the poverty line for each additional million rupees spent on different expenditure items. The model is also structured to enable identification of the different channels through which different types of government expenditures impact on the poor. But targeting government expenditures simply to reduce poverty is not sufficient. Government expenditures also need to stimulate economic growth. The model is therefore formulated so as to measure the growth as well as the poverty impact of different items of government expenditure. The results from our model show that government spending on productivity enhancing investments, such as agricultural R&D and irrigation, rural infrastructure (including roads and electricity), and rural development targeted directly on the rural poor, have all contributed to reductions in rural poverty, and most have also contributed to growth in agricultural productivity. ; Non-PR ; IFPRI1; GRP3; Theme 9 ; EPTD; DSGD

In this book, a group of distinguished authors addresses three broad questions: what broad strategies and macroeconomic policies best support poverty reduction efforts in Asia; what role should targeted antipoverty interventions play, and how should such interventions be designed; and how is poverty measured, what new approaches are needed, and how does measurement effect our understanding of poverty. These broad themes are considered together in separate chapters the examining poverty situations in a number of countries in Asia and the Pacific. The book represents a major scholarly contribution of the Asian Development Bank to the literature on poverty in the region it serves. The organization adopted poverty reduction as the principal objective of its lending in 1999. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of development economics and Asian studies, and will be useful reading for policymakers and development practitioners working in international or nongovernmental organizations. A joint publication of the Asian Development Bank and Edward Elgar Publishing.

In this book, a group of distinguished authors addresses three broad questions: what broad strategies and macroeconomic policies best support poverty reduction efforts in Asia; what role should targeted antipoverty interventions play, and how should such interventions be designed; and how is poverty measured, what new approaches are needed, and how does measurement effect our understanding of poverty. These broad themes are considered together in separate chapters the examining poverty situations in a number of countries in Asia and the Pacific. The book represents a major scholarly contribution of the Asian Development Bank to the literature on poverty in the region it serves. The organization adopted poverty reduction as the principal objective of its lending in 1999. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of development economics and Asian studies, and will be useful reading for policymakers and development practitioners working in international or nongovernmental organizations. A joint publication of the Asian Development Bank and Edward Elgar Publishing.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Cambodia, in close collaboration with various government institutions, has been conducting poverty analysis and mapping refinement. The main objectives of the refinement have been (i) to refine core poor areas in Cambodia, (ii) to identify priority areas for social sector interventions such as those targeted to adult and child education, health and nutrition interventions, and (iii) to identify priority areas for assisting variable population groups such as those in flood and drought prone areas, forest and fishing concession areas.

The collapse of trade negotiations in Cancun in September 2003 shook confidence in both the Doha Development Agenda and the commitments of industrialized countries and international economic institutions to pursue "coherent" trade and development policies. This Article critically examines the dual commitments of development institutions, especially the World Bank, to trade liberalization and poverty reduction, and the challenges to achieving "policy coherence" through trade "mainstreaming," "capacity building," and "impact assessments." In particular, the Article considers the feasibility of adapting existing tools for poverty and social analysis to assess trade policies and agreements. The Article uses gender as one possible lens through which to analyze the potential impacts of trade policies on vulnerable groups in developing countries. While recognizing their limitations, the Article supports the development of practical tools for poverty and social analysis for use by government trade offices and other ministries, development institutions, research institutes, and civil society groups in developing countries. However, for these tools to be useful, developing countries must have the "policy space" to choose the trade policy options that best support their poverty reduction strategies and broad development goals.

A multidimensional view of poverty will provide a basis for the development of integrated approaches that have poverty reduction as an explicit goal. This reflects the perspective that poverty reduction is not something that happens indirectly or coincidentally. It is something that must be directly targeted, with specific and focused steps to address particular aspects. The need to target more effectively the needs of the poor is one of the central themes that emerged from the Water and Poverty Initiative and runs through this report. We must not assume that actions that are good for water management or economic development in general will necessarily contribute to poverty reduction. We must be clear and explicit as to how they will contribute and, where necessary, adapt our actions to maximize their poverty impact. Poverty reduction should not just be the general but vague goal of water management; it should be the explicit and targeted purpose of these actions. This paper articulates some ideas on how this can be achieved.

A multidimensional view of poverty will provide a basis for the development of integrated approaches that have poverty reduction as an explicit goal. This reflects the perspective that poverty reduction is not something that happens indirectly or coincidentally. It is something that must be directly targeted, with specific and focused steps to address particular aspects. The need to target more effectively the needs of the poor is one of the central themes that emerged from the Water and Poverty Initiative and runs through this report. We must not assume that actions that are good for water management or economic development in general will necessarily contribute to poverty reduction. We must be clear and explicit as to how they will contribute and, where necessary, adapt our actions to maximize their poverty impact. Poverty reduction should not just be the general but vague goal of water management; it should be the explicit and targeted purpose of these actions. This paper articulates some ideas on how this can be achieved.

A standard analysis of the anti-poverty effect of taxes and income transfers is to compare pre-tax-transfer poverty and post-tax-transfer poverty. A critical shortcoming of the standard approach is that it treats pre-tax-transfer poverty as given and ignores potential effects of taxes and transfers on pre-tax-transfer poverty. Using cross-national variation, this study examines potential endogeniety of pre-tax-transfer poverty. The results suggest that both the generosity and efficiency of the tax/transfer system may influence the level of pre-tax-transfer poverty. If this is true, the standard approach overestimates the anti-poverty effectiveness of generous and/or targeted welfare systems.

Childhood in an underdeveloped environment is a stage of life very likely to be overshadowed by poverty. The main aim of this study is to look at the development of child poverty in the comparative angle. The study seeks to detect connections between child poverty and the implemented family policies. Discussion include an overview of family policies in different welfare state models, specification of the goals of the study, report of the results of the empirical analysis, and discussion of the implications of the empirical results on child poverty in OECD countries.