Other Poverty Study
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Publication
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - Poverty Update : Main Report
(World Bank, 2009-11-01)This report is a joint product of the Jordanian Department of Statistics (DOS) and the World Bank. The report has four goals: 1) update the official Jordanian poverty line based on the 2006 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) using the methodology previously applied for the poverty assessment in 2002; 2) describe recent poverty trends; 3) understand the reasons for the discrepancy between the results of formal statistical analysis and popular perceptions of poverty trends; and 4) provide preliminary information about the distributional impacts of fuel subsidies and measures to compensate for fuel subsidy elimination. Using 2006 as the base year, the Jordanian poverty line was JD 46.3 per person per month. In 2006, 13 percent of the population was below the poverty line. The highest rate of poverty was observed in Mafraq governorate. Although Amman has the lowest poverty rate of all governorates, it is home to the largest number of poor individuals due to the concentration of population in Amman. Several sub-districts, including Rwashed, Wadi Araba and Aghwar Janoobiyah have very high rates of poverty. Disturbingly, income would have fallen for most Jordanians if not for growth in transfer income. The growth in transfer income was primarily due to transfers made to compensate for the April 2006 fuel price increases and gifts to government employees announced by the King on holidays. Income before transfers is comprised mainly of property/rental and labor income. Property/rental income fell between 2002 and 2006, apparently reflecting the dis-saving trend also observed at the macro level. Labor income was stagnant for most Jordanians, although the wealthiest quintile saw significant gains. -
Publication
Armenia : Implications of the Global Economic Crisis for Poverty
(World Bank, 2009-09-01)The global economic crisis seriously threatens the economic growth and poverty reduction that Armenia achieved in recent years. The most recent data indicate that the economy is now shrinking, with prospects worsening in 2009 and 2010 when the full impact of the crisis is expected to unfold. These developments are a setback for Armenia after a decade of nearly double-digit growth and substantial poverty reduction. Depending on the depth of the crisis in Armenia, in its main trading partners, and in its migrant workers' host countries, and depending on the effectiveness of policy responses, the crisis could have a protracted negative effect on Armenians' living standards. The economic downturn, coming on the heels of the food and fuel price increases last year, will have particularly difficult consequences for the poor and vulnerable who have limited coping means to deal with these successive shocks. The note identifies the main channels of transmission to households of the current global economic crisis and estimates its potential impact on poverty in Armenia. Given uncertainties regarding the scale of the crisis and how households are likely to cope, the note is intended to provide indicative estimates of the poverty impact of the crisis, rather than precise estimates. These estimates are made by simulating the effects of the anticipated slowdown on household consumption using data from the 2007 Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS). The key messages that come out of the analysis are that the crisis will have potentially serious implications for poverty and that this calls for significant responses by the Government of Armenia and its development partners. The government is taking a number of steps to provide protection to the poor, including the protection of public spending on social protection and other pro-poor programs and to improve the targeting efficiency of the programs. These measures should help lessen the impact of the crisis on the poor and the vulnerable. -
Publication
Ethnic Minority Poverty in Vietnam
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-05-15)Although economic reform has brought remarkable progress in poverty reduction in Vietnam, the scale and depth of ethnic minority poverty in Vietnam presents one of the major challenges to achieving the targets for poverty reduction set out in the Socio-Economic Development Plan, as well as the millennium development goals. The authors first review a series of monetary and non-monetary indicators which show the living standards of the ethnic minorities are improving but still lag seriously behind those of the majority Kinh-Hoa. The minorities' lower living standards result from the complex interplay of overlapping disadvantages, which start in utero and continue until adult life. Next an analysis of the drivers of the ethnic gap, in terms of both differences in characteristics and differences in returns to those characteristics, is undertaken. Mean and quantile decompositions show that at least a half of the gap in per capita expenditure can be attributed to the lower returns to characteristics that the ethnic minorities receive. The reasons underlying such differences in returns are discussed, drawing on both quantitative analysis and the large number of qualitative studies on ethnic issues in Vietnam. Finally, some of the short and longer term policy measures which the authors believe could help to counter ethnic disadvantages in the nutrition, education, and employment sectors are discussed. The authors also emphasize the importance of promoting growth that is geographically broad and socially inclusive without which, the current disparities between the Kinh-Hoa and the ethnic minorities will continue to grow. -
Publication
Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) : Reviewing the Link with In-Country Policy and Planning Processes - Synthesis Report
(World Bank, 2009-05-01)The synthesis report concerns to go beyond a summary of the country studies to provide lessons and recommendations on how to further improve Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) effectiveness. To do so, it draws on findings from country case studies, the literature and recent internal Bank reviews (World Bank 2006, 2008) on PSIA. The synthesis is structured in three parts. Section two reviews the role of PSIA in country work drawing on internal guidance from the Bank and the wider literature. It introduces the PSIA framework and the main elements of an effective PSIA. Section two ends with a presentation of the review framework and the approach to sampling and methodology for the country studies. Section three presents the bulk of the review findings and lessons learned with a focus on lessons for embedding PSIA into country processes. Section four addresses the future of PSIA with recommendations aimed at: (i) improving the influence that PSIA has on policy and planning processes in-country, and (ii) ensuring that it is applied more routinely by partner governments and Bank programs. -
Publication
Bulgaria - Poverty implications of the global financial crisis
(World Bank, 2009-05-01)There are visible signs that the global financial crisis is affecting economic growth and poverty reduction in Bulgaria. After a period of strong economic growth through 2008, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2009 is projected to shrink by 3.5 percent due to the crisis, with important implications for poverty. The note identifies the following channels as having particular relevance for poverty in Bulgaria: (i) the labor market and (ii) foreign remittances. Due primarily to its effect on trade and investment, the global financial crisis could affect household welfare through contraction in the labor market and slowdown in wage growth. Remittances from abroad, which are significant contributor to consumption of nearly 7 percent of the Bulgarian households, are likely to slow down in 2009. The note estimates the potential impact on poverty of the crisis. The poverty impact is projected by simulating the effects of the anticipated slowdown in growth and remittances on household consumption using data from the 2007 Multitopic Household Survey (MTHS) and macro and sectoral growth and employment projections. Given uncertainties regarding the scale of the crisis and how households are likely to cope, the note is intended to provide indicative estimates of the poverty impact of the crisis, rather than precise estimates. -
Publication
Mexico - Analysis of the Information, Monitoring, and Evaluation Guidelines of the Programs in the Public Federal Administration
(World Bank, 2009-04-01)This collection of works represents the results of a 'fee for services' contract with the National Evaluation Council of the Policy for Social Development in Mexico (CONEVAL), enforced between 2007 and 2008. The goal of the job was to provide support to CONEVAL in the strengthening of the general guidelines of evaluation of the federal programmers of the federal public administration that were published in March 2007 by CONEVAL itself, the ministry of the treasury and public credit and the public function. It was for such a purpose that the team of the World Bank worked on four different reports that looked at providing an integral analysis of the guidelines. The four reports include: an executive summary, an institutional analysis of the guidelines, a management tools analysis of the guidelines, and an analysis of the basic information within the context of the guidelines. The guidelines were published to consolidate the vision of the Mexican government to create a 'menu of evaluations' aimed at providing different key users within the public administration with performance information that will serve their different needs. It is within this context that the analysis had as its general objective to analyze the results of the first year of the implementation of the 2007 guidelines and also to reflect on the content of the guidelines based on international experience. -
Publication
Mexico - Improving Productivity for the Urban Poor
(World Bank, 2009-04-01)This report is part of an ongoing dialogue between the World Bank and Secretaria de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL) on poverty reduction. It builds on the findings and messages of the World Bank poverty programmatic reports, which included a poverty assessment, detailed follow-up analysis of urban and rural poverty, social protection, and poverty and decentralization. This report responds to a request from the SEDESOL for support in refining its programmatic approach to poverty reduction via further analysis and more detailed recommendations and guidance regarding the next generation of poverty reduction/social development programs. This report is the first of three technical pieces agreed with SEDESOL as part of the work program on increasing the productivity of the poor. The two remaining pieces are: a) reviewing international evidence and experience on selected policies and programs; and b) developing the implication for social development/poverty reduction policies and programs in Mexico. This report begins with a short summary of main findings. Chapter one analyzes recent trends in urban poverty, with emphasis in the recovery in poverty levels after the mid-1990s peso crisis. Chapter two discusses the characteristics of the urban poor and their labor market performance. Chapter three reviews the legal and regulatory environment and its affects on labor market performance. Chapters four to six provide assessments of selected interventions to improve the income and job opportunities of the poor, and offers suggestions that could better their results. The last chapter concludes and discusses areas of future work. -
Publication
Community-Driven Approaches in Lao PDR : Moving Beyond Service Delivery - Summary Overview
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008-10)This report reviews Community Driven Development (CDD) projects in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) to determine their effectiveness in channeling resources to communities for poverty reduction. The study examines three CDD projects in depth: the Poverty Reduction Fund, the Village Investment for the Poor (both supported by the World Bank), and the Government-financed Village Development Fund. Through close analysis of these projects and cursory analysis of other CDD projects, the report concludes that overall, the CDD approach in Lao PDR improves the well-being of communities in a cost-effective manner. The study, however, identifies three challenges that remain for CDD projects to be wholly successful. The first challenge is a call for harmonization of CDD mechanisms within the country. CDD approaches are not currently coordinated geographically, technically, or financially. This leaves communities who need help without resources, an excess of skills in some areas and a dearth of skills in others, and funding allocated towards operations, which could be redirected to communities. The report recommends coordinating and consolidating CDD approaches. The second challenge is the achievement of inclusive participation. While empowerment has proven to improve the well-being of communities, not all local officials recognize the benefits of a participatory approach. The report recommends operating in districts on a long-term basis to develop sustained empowerment and extensive training to local officials and communities on participatory approaches. The final challenge for CDD projects is the funding of livelihood activities, which is necessary for sustained poverty reduction. Evidence has demonstrated that CDD backing of livelihood activities through loans, however, is unsuccessful. The report recommends administering grants for livelihood activities and ensuring technical support along with a participatory approach. -
Publication
Community-Driven Approaches in Lao PDR : Moving Beyond Service Delivery, Volume 2. Main Report
(Washington, DC, 2008-04)This report reviews Community Driven Development (CDD) projects in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) to determine their effectiveness in channeling resources to communities for poverty reduction. The study examines three CDD projects in depth: the Poverty Reduction Fund, the Village Investment for the Poor (both supported by the World Bank), and the Government-financed Village Development Fund. Through close analysis of these projects and cursory analysis of other CDD projects, the report concludes that overall, the CDD approach in Lao PDR improves the well-being of communities in a cost-effective manner. The study, however, identifies three challenges that remain for CDD projects to be wholly successful. The first challenge is a call for harmonization of CDD mechanisms within the country. CDD approaches are not currently coordinated geographically, technically, or financially. This leaves communities who need help without resources, an excess of skills in some areas and a dearth of skills in others, and funding allocated towards operations, which could be redirected to communities. The report recommends coordinating and consolidating CDD approaches. The second challenge is the achievement of inclusive participation. While empowerment has proven to improve the well-being of communities, not all local officials recognize the benefits of a participatory approach. The report recommends operating in districts on a long-term basis to develop sustained empowerment and extensive training to local officials and communities on participatory approaches. The final challenge for CDD projects is the funding of livelihood activities, which is necessary for sustained poverty reduction. Evidence has demonstrated that CDD backing of livelihood activities through loans, however, is unsuccessful. The report recommends administering grants for livelihood activities and ensuring technical support along with a participatory approach. -
Publication
Romania : Poverty Monitoring Analytical and Advisory Assistance Program, First Phase Report, Fiscal Year 2007
(Washington, DC, 2007-11)The objective of this report is to contribute towards institutional capacity building for regular monitoring and analysis of poverty, as well as other indicators of living conditions and social inclusion. This report analyzes the poverty trends and profile using the national absolute poverty line, which measures changes in the level of welfare and allows for a more straightforward interpretation of comparisons over time. Chapter 1 presents an overview of poverty dynamics using both relative and absolute measures of poverty, and explores the reasons for the observed difference in trends between the two measures. Chapter 2 investigates the relationship between economic growth, inequality and poverty in Romania during the period 1995 and 2006.