De Soto, HermineGordon, PeterGedeshi, IlirSinoimeri, Zamira2013-08-202013-08-2020020-8213-5109-50253-7494https://hdl.handle.net/10986/15234This qualitative assessment of poverty in Albania seeks to deepen the understanding of poverty in the country, first, by involving poor Albanians in a process of exploring the causes, nature, extent of poverty, and how it affects their livelihoods. Second, it is intended to support the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Third, it supports preparation of the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), and the Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) process. Fourth, it supports ongoing research on formal and informal institutions in the country that are relevant to poverty, and it identifies as well, emerging areas of concern. Findings suggest that poverty in the study sites, developed as a result of a weak economic base at the beginning of reform (as of 1990), worsened as the reforms continued and accelerated during the 1997 financial crisis. From household interviews, it is perceived that the causes of poverty are a result of unemployment, insufficient and low quality of land, absence of formal institutions, and marketing mechanisms to support industrial and agricultural development, and the government's inability to respond to infrastructure and basic needs. The study further examines the factors depressing and/or precluding (sector wide) the potential to compete, sustain livelihoods, attain employment, and receive economic and social assistance.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOPOVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIESPOVERTY ASSESSMENTSPOVERTY INCIDENCEPOVERTY EVALUATION METHODSPOVERTY MEASUREMENTPOVERTY MONITORINGCOUNTRY ASSISTANCE STRATEGYLIVING STANDARDS INDICATORSINSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKINSTITUTIONAL CAPACITYECONOMIC CONSTRAINTSREFORM IMPLEMENTATIONREFORM POLICYFINANCIAL CRISESHOUSEHOLD SURVEYSUNEMPLOYMENT RATESLAND CARRYING CAPACITYLAND PRODUCTIVITYCAPACITY CONSTRAINTSMARKETING TECHNIQUESSECTORAL ASSESSMENTINFRASTRUCTUREBASIC NEEDSSOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMSSOCIAL SAFETY NETSCOMPETITIVENESSLIVELIHOOD PROGRAMSECONOMIC ASSISTANCESOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMSREMITTANCESMIGRANT WORKERSGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCTPOLICY FORMATIONSOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMSSOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERYLEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORKDECENTRALIZATIONFISCAL ADMINISTRATIONRESOURCE MOBILIZATION GAPSINVESTMENT ENVIRONMENTCIVIL SOCIETYNONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONSCOMMUNITY-BASED DEVELOPMENT ABSOLUTE POVERTYAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONCASH INCOMECITIZENSCIVIL SOCIETYCIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONSCIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERSCLEAN WATERCOMMUNITY LEADERSCOMMUNITY MEMBERSCONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKCONSTRUCTION INDUSTRYCORPORATE SECTORCORRUPTIONCRIMEDEBTDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMEDEVELOPMENT STRATEGYDIRECT INVESTMENTDISCRIMINATIONDONOR COMMUNITYECOLOGYECONOMIC CONDITIONSECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMICSEMIGRATIONENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCEETHNIC GROUPETHNIC GROUPSETHNIC MINORITIESEXCHANGE RATEFAMILIESFAMILY RELATIONSFARMING COMMUNITIESFIELD RESEARCHFIELD WORKFINANCIAL CRISESFISHINGFOREIGN INVESTORSFOREST MANAGEMENTFORMAL INSTITUTIONSGROUP DISCUSSIONSHEALTH CAREHEALTH CENTERSHEALTH PROBLEMSHIGH UNEMPLOYMENTHOUSEHOLD QUESTIONNAIREHOUSEHOLD SURVEYHOUSINGHYGIENEILLITERACYIMMIGRATIONIMPORTSINFLATIONINFORMAL SECTORINTERNATIONAL TRADELIVING CONDITIONSLIVING STANDARDSLIVING STANDARDS MEASUREMENTLOCAL INSTITUTIONSLOCAL LEVELLOCAL OFFICIALSMALNUTRITIONMANAGERSMARKET INSTITUTIONSMARKETINGMARKETING MECHANISMSMEDIAMIGRANTSNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTPARENTSPARLIAMENTPOLICY IMPLICATIONSPOLITICAL CONDITIONSPOLITICAL LEADERSPOLITICAL PARTIESPOLITICAL SYSTEMPOOR HOUSEHOLDSPOVERTY ASSESSMENTPOVERTY LINEPOVERTY REDUCTIONPOVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGYPRIVATE SECTORPRODUCERSPRODUCTIVITYPROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONSQUALITATIVE POVERTYREDUCING POVERTYRELIGIOUS GROUPSRELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONSRESEARCH TEAMRICKETSRURAL AREASSAFETYSAFETY NETSAFETY NETSSCHOOLSSERVICE SECTORSHORT TERMSOCIAL ASSISTANCESOCIAL CAPITALSOCIAL DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL EXCLUSIONSOCIAL PROBLEMSSOCIAL RESEARCHSOCIAL SECURITYSOCIAL STUDIESSTATE-OWNED ENTERPRISESSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT UNITTRANSITION ECONOMIESTRANSITION PROCESSUNEMPLOYMENTURBAN AREASURBAN CENTERSWASTEWATER PRICINGWATER RESOURCESWATER SUPPLYWorld Bank10.1596/0-8213-5109-5