Publication: Using Simple Cross-Country Comparisons to Guide Measurement : Poverty in the CFA Franc Zone
Date
2007-10
ISSN
Published
2007-10
Author(s)
Abstract
In order to inform discussions on the
extent of poverty in a country, it is often useful to
compare the country's poverty measures to estimates
obtained in other countries with similar levels of
development within the same region of the world. Beyond
gains from the point of view of cross-country comparisons
that such an approach provides, there are also potential
gains from such comparisons in terms of realigning a
country's poverty estimates and better informing policy
choices within the country. This is because where the
poverty line or threshold is set is somewhat normative and
thereby open to debate, and because poverty estimates are
highly sensitive to the choice of the poverty line (even if
poverty comparisons over time or across groups may not be),
it is often difficult for agencies such as National
Statistical Offices or government units in charge of Poverty
Reduction Strategies in any given country to adopt a
critical perspective on their own poverty estimates. This
issue of Findings looks at how to use simple cross country
comparisons and how to guide measurement of poverty in the
CFA franc zone.
Citation
“Wodon, Quentin. 2007. Using Simple Cross-Country Comparisons to Guide Measurement : Poverty in the CFA Franc Zone. Africa Region Findings & Good Practice Infobriefs; No. 279. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/b6613ee8-8556-519f-b216-cc692da23d40 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”