Publication:
Ageing and Poverty in Africa and the Role of Social Pensions

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (240.22 KB)
1,820 downloads
English Text (108.13 KB)
281 downloads
Date
2005-03
ISSN
Published
2005-03
Editor(s)
Abstract
In many low income African countries, three factors are placing an undue burden on the elderly. First, the burden on the elderly has enormously increased with the increase in mortality of prime age adults due to HIV AIDS pandemic and regional conflicts. Second, the traditional safety net of the extended family has become ineffective and unreliable for the elderly. Third, in a few countries, the elderly are called upon to shoulder the responsibility of the family as they became the principal breadwinners and caregivers for young children. While a number of studies have examined the welfare consequences of these developments on children, few studies have systematically analyzed the poverty situation among the elderly (relative to other groups) in low income countries Africa, and the role of social pensions. This study aims to fill this gap. Drawing on household survey information, the study profiles the elderly for 15 African countries which include both East and West African countries, and countries with a high and low prevalence of HIV-AIDS pandemic. The findings show much heterogeneity across countries with respect to the proportion of the elderly population, the living arrangements and the composition of households, and household headship. The variations in household types and living arrangements presumably reflect the variations in, and changing character of, the traditional family support system and household coping strategies in the wake of covariate shocks and the HIV-AIDS pandemic. However, the proportion of the single elderly is still very small in most countries. A household type "elderly and children" or what is known as "skipped generation household" has emerged as an important structure in some countries. In addition, "households headed by the elderly" has also emerged as a significant household type in several countries. The analysis shows that the poverty situation, and especially the poverty gap ratio, for the household types the elderly only, the elderly with children and the elderly-headed households is much higher than the average in several countries and the differences are statistically significant.
Link to Data Set
Citation
Kakwani, Nanak; Subbarao, Kalanidhi. 2005. Ageing and Poverty in Africa and the Role of Social Pensions. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8535 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    Republic of Uzbekistan : Living Standards Assessment Update
    (Washington, DC, 2007-08) World Bank
    The purpose of this living standards assessment is to update and expand the first living standards assessment report that documented the poverty situation in Uzbekistan in 2000/2001. Attention has been paid to ensure the comparability of the analysis of the three years of data. The data themselves are largely comparable: the sampling methods have remained the same, as have the questionnaires and the basic implementation of the survey. However, some changes have occurred, primarily due to improved field work: these have been taken into account in the present analysis. The chapter is divided into three parts. An overview of the welfare levels in Uzbekistan from 2000-01 through 2003 is presented in section one, along with a discussion about the data sources and their strengths and weaknesses for multi-year analysis, and an analysis of the relationship between economic growth and welfare. In section two the basic indicators of living standards over the time period are presented. Section three contains information on two topics of interest for short-term and medium-term welfare: labor and education.
  • Publication
    Guatemala - Poverty assessment : good performance at low levels
    (World Bank, 2009-03-18) World Bank
    This report is organized into three sections with seven chapters. The first section assesses poverty levels and changes over time within Guatemala and compares both the levels and changes to those of other countries. It summarizes the overall conditions and changes in Guatemala (chapter one); presents the country's poverty profile and analyzes the evolution of poverty over time and space using monetary and non-monetary indicators, population changes and inequality (chapter two); and benchmarks Guatemala's social progress against other countries in the region and the world (chapter three). The second section analyzes social programs and considers how existing policies and programs could improve their impact on poverty. It highlights some of the key features of social programs in education, health, and social assistance (chapter four); and estimates the potential impact of an expansion of a conditional cash transfer program on poverty (chapter five). The third section focuses on the sources of income of the poor. It documents the evolution of the sources of income examines regional specific characteristics that promote or hinder households potentials (chapter six); and carries out a preliminary analysis of shocks and vulnerability influencing household wellbeing covering the impact of hurricane Stan, a potential reduction in remittances, food price increases, and crime and violence (chapter seven).
  • Publication
    Poverty in the West Bank and Gaza
    (Washington, DC, 2001-06-18) World Bank
    This report's overarching objective is to increase understanding of the causes of poverty in order to find ways to reduce it among Palestinaians. Three broad messages emerge from this report: 1) Unless the Palestinian territories are able to achieve high levels of economic growth, the prospects for future poverty reduction are not encouraging. not only will the number of poor Palestinians grow rapidly, but their share in the population will also increase, which could become a socially destabilizing factor. 2) Unless Palestinians gain greater access to external markets and to better paying jobs, whether in Israel or in higher productivity occupations, it will be difficult for them to escape poverty. Presently, the majority of poor Palestinians live in households headed by working adults in low-paying jobs that do not provide sufficient income to raise their families to a minimally acceptable standard of living. 3) The formal safety net does not have the financial resources necessary to have a significant impact on poverty. Nevertheless, it can play an important role in helping to reduce destitution among households headed by the unemployable poor and even the temporarily unemployed. The report's four chapters compare poverty levels and discuss the microdeterminants of poverty; analyze the impacts of economic growth, income redistribution, and labor markets; detail the poverty map; and discuss improving the social safety net.
  • Publication
    Arab Republic of Egypt : Poverty Assessment Update, Volume 1. Main Report
    (Washington, DC, 2007-09-16) World Bank
    This report on the Poverty Assessment Update of Egypt is a contribution to the strategy of poverty alleviation pursued by the Government of Egypt. Using data from the two household surveys in 2000 and 2005, this report assesses the nature and dimensions of poverty in Egypt, and discusses the role of macroeconomic policies and labor markets in improving living standards. The report updates the findings of "Poverty Reduction in Egypt: Diagnosis and Strategy," published by the World Bank in 2002. Over the last two years Egypt has achieved remarkably high economic growth. Should this turnaround be sustained, there is hope that poverty can be dramatically reduced. Even though the report does not cover this most recent period, it is important to learn from the lessons of the recent past, and the report provides new information and insights that could be useful for policy-makers: 1) It identifies the overall scope and trends in poverty between 2000 and 2005, focusing on material aspects, but also assessing progress in non-income dimensions; 2) It isolates key correlates to poverty and economic vulnerability, providing detailed analysis of how inflation affected the poor in this period; 3) It links the labor market's developments with changes in living standards and poverty; and 4) It provides the analytical base for mapping poverty in Egypt, which can improve the targeting of social programs. The first chapter examines the evolution of living standards in Egypt during the period of analysis - 2000 to 2005. It also gives the details of the poverty map and where the poor live. Chapter 2 describes who the poor are and provides the poverty correlates: looking at the characteristics of the poor and the relation of these characteristics to education (and access to education), employment, gender, age, or asset characteristics. Chapter 3 continues by providing some background on economic developments between 2000 and 2005 and identifies possible areas of policy interventions in light of economic and social policies and developments after 2005. Chapter 4 offers in-depth analysis of the labor market to attempt to discern longer-term trends in living standards, and links employment with poverty levels. Finally, Chapter 5 looks at the capacity of the monitoring system, and lays the foundations for a future analytical program.
  • Publication
    Poverty Alleviation in Jordan : Lessons for the Future
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2001-06) Shaban, Radwan A.; Abu-Ghaida, Dina; Al-Naimat, Abdel-Salam
    This report draws lessons for improving the policy design of poverty alleviation schemes in Jordan. The conclusions herein are based on analyses of trends in consumption poverty in Jordan and assessment of the impact of government programs (including food subsidies and cash transfers) on poverty alleviation in the 1990s. Poverty declined between 1992 and 1997 because inequality declined. Government programs, especially those targeted to the poor like the National Aid Fund, contributed to poverty alleviation. However, poverty continues to be a major policy challenge for Jordan: the poor and near-poor remain vulnerable as a result of the shallowness of poverty in Jordan (many people are concentrated close to the poverty line) and the adverse effects of potential shocks. The report concludes the following: 1) sustainable poverty reduction requires resumption and sustainability of growth; 2) there is a need for a policy response to the vulnerability of the poor and near-poor to economic shocks; 3) the capacity of the National Aid Fund (NAF) needs to be significantly enhanced; and 4) continued priority needs to be placed on human development policies, particularly those affecting the poor.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    World Development Report 2006
    (Washington, DC, 2005) World Bank
    This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.
  • Publication
    Guide to the Debt Management Performance Assessment Tool
    (Washington, DC, 2008-02-05) World Bank
    The purpose of this document is to provide guidance and supplemental information to assist with country assessments of debt management performance, using the Debt Management Performance Assessment (DeMPA) tool. The DeMPA is a methodology used for assessing public debt management performance through a comprehensive set of 15 performance indicators spanning the full range of government Debt Management (DeM) functions. It is based on the principles set out in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank guidelines for public debt management, initially published in 2001 and updated in 2003. It is modeled after the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework for performance measurement of public financial management. The DeMPA has been designed to be a user-friendly tool to undertake an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in government DeM practices. This guide provides additional background and supporting information so that a no specialist in the area of debt management may undertake a country assessment effectively. The guide can be used by assessors in preparing for and undertaking an assessment. It is particularly useful for understanding the rationale for the inclusion of the indicators, the scoring methodology, and the list of supporting documents or evidence required, and the questions that could be asked for the assessment.
  • Publication
    Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-09-12) World Bank
    The World Bank has a long history of engaging in population issues, ranging from childhood illness, nutrition, fertility, and safe motherhood to the aging process. It supports countries in addressing the implications of the demographic process through analytical work, technical advice, and financing to expand health coverage, redesign pension systems and social security, and undertake actions that support their economies. This report follows that tradition and analyzes the steps to promote healthy longevity and enhance the quantity and quality of human capital through attention to the burgeoning problem of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Research began before COVID and concluded after, drawing upon lessons from the pandemic. The report is intended to inform policy and action at the country level. The demographic transformation is a global phenomenon, and the increasing population of the middle-aged and elderly brings with it many challenges which are more acute in low- and middle-income countries where resources are more limited. The increasing number of adults calls upon countries to institute the social and economic measures of ensuring their wellbeing and making them optimally productive. Health must be at the center of these concerns, not only its preservation towards the end but its optimization throughout the life-course. This report builds on a compendium of analytical papers covering the economics of avoidable mortality, long-term care, behavior change, social protection, and whole-of-government solutions to support healthy longevity. It emphasizes that a great deal of ill health globally is a result of inequities—especially poverty and gender inequities that limit or delay access to and use of health care. High out-of-pocket payments for NCDs can plunge households further into poverty or extreme poverty. Women live longer with NCD morbidities.
  • Publication
    The Mexican Social Protection System in Health
    (World Bank, Washington DC, 2013-01) Bonilla-Chacín, M.E.; Aguilera, Nelly
    With a population of 113 million and a per-capita Gross Domestic Product, or GDP of US$10,064 (current U.S. dollars), Mexico is one of the largest and highest-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The country has benefited from sustained economic growth during the last decade, which was temporarily interrupted by the financial and economic crisis. Real GDP is projected to grow 3.8 percent and 3.6 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively (International Monetary Fund, or IMF 2012). Despite this growth, poverty in the country remains high; with half of the population living below the national poverty line. The country is also highly heterogeneous, with large socioeconomic differences across states and across urban and rural areas. In 2010, while the extreme poverty ratio in the Federal District and the states of Colima and Nuevo Leon was below 3 percent, in Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca it was 25 percent or higher. These large regional differences are also found in other indicators of well-being, such as years of schooling, housing conditions, and access to social services. This case study assesses key features and achievements of the Social Protection System in Health (Sistema de Proteccion Social en Salud) in Mexico, and particularly of its main pillar, Popular Health Insurance (Seguro Popular, PHI). It analyzes the contribution of this policy to the establishment and implementation of universal health coverage in Mexico. In 2003, with the reform of the General Health Law, the PHI was institutionalized as a subsidized health insurance scheme open to the population not covered by the social security schemes. Today, the PHI covers all of its intended affiliates, about 52 million people
  • Publication
    Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21) Luna-Bazaldua, Diego; Levin, Victoria; Liberman, Julia; Gala, Priyal Mukesh
    This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.