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Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africa: An Assessment of Drivers, Constraints and Opportunities

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dc.contributor.authorWorld Bank Group
dc.date.accessioned2018-04-03T19:54:23Z
dc.date.available2018-04-03T19:54:23Z
dc.date.issued2018-03
dc.description.abstractThis report documents the progress South Africa has made in reducing poverty and inequality since the end of apartheid in 1994, with a focus on the period between 2006 and 2015. The main conclusions are as follows: First, by any measure, South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. Inequality is high, persistent, and has increased since 1994. Second, although South Africa has made progress in reducing poverty since 1994, the trajectory of poverty reduction was reversed between 2011 and 2015, threatening to erode some of the gains made since 1994. High levels of inequality and low intergenerational mobility act as a brake on poverty reduction and as a result poverty is high for an upper middle-income country. Poverty is consistently highest among black South Africans, the less educated, the unemployed, female-headed households, large families, and children. Further, poverty has a strong spatial dimension in South Africa, a demonstration of the enduring legacy of apartheid. Poverty remains concentrated in previously disadvantaged areas, such as the former homelands – areas that were set aside for black South Africans along ethnic lines during apartheid. Third, high levels of income polarization are manifested in very high levels of chronic poverty, a few high-income earners and a relatively small middle class. Fourth, the role of skills and labor market factors have grown in importance in explaining poverty and inequality while the role of gender and race, though still important, has declined, presenting an opportunity for policy to influence poverty and inequality outcomes. Social protection remains important in reducing extreme poverty, but the fiscal space for further expansion is limited. Low growth perspectives in the coming years suggest poor prospects of eliminating poverty by 2030 as envisaged in the National Development Plan. Looking ahead, accelerating poverty and inequality reduction will require a combination of policies that seek to unlock the full potential of labor markets and promote inclusive growth through skilled job creation.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/530481521735906534/Overcoming-Poverty-and-Inequality-in-South-Africa-An-Assessment-of-Drivers-Constraints-and-Opportunities
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/29614
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/29614
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo
dc.subjectPOVERTY REDUCTION
dc.subjectPOVERTY ASSESSMENT
dc.subjectINEQUALITY
dc.subjectPOVERTY MEASUREMENT
dc.subjectACCESS TO SERVICES
dc.subjectHOUSING
dc.subjectFOOD SECURITY
dc.subjectUPWARD MOBILITY
dc.subjectCHRONIC POVERTY
dc.subjectWAGE INEQUALITY
dc.subjectINCLUSIVE GROWTH
dc.subjectLABOR MARKET
dc.subjectUNSKILLED LABOR
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT
dc.titleOvercoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africaen
dc.title.subtitleAn Assessment of Drivers, Constraints and Opportunitiesen
dc.typeReporten
dc.typeRapportfr
dc.typeInformees
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleOvercoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africa
okr.date.disclosure2018-03-28
okr.doctypeEconomic & Sector Work::Poverty Assessment
okr.doctypeEconomic & Sector Work
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/530481521735906534/Overcoming-Poverty-and-Inequality-in-South-Africa-An-Assessment-of-Drivers-Constraints-and-Opportunities
okr.guid530481521735906534
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/29614
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum090224b08582a41f_4_0
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum29742019
okr.identifier.report124521
okr.importedtrueen
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/530481521735906534/pdf/124521-REV-OUO-South-Africa-Poverty-and-Inequality-Assessment-Report-2018-FINAL-WEB.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.countrySouth Africa
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Inequality
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Living Standards
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Poverty Assessment
okr.topicPoverty Reduction::Poverty Lines
okr.topicRural Development::Rural Labor Markets
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Employment and Unemployment
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Labor Markets
okr.unitPoverty GP AFR 2 (GPV07)
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