intergenerational transmitted poverty and wealth a life course perspective; south africa
DESCRIPTION
Intra-household dynamics play a critical role in the transmission of poverty. Instead of focusing on poverty, the paper argues, development practice should channel its efforts towards fostering intergenerational wealth creation. Therefore, a clear understanding of intra-household and community dynamics of poverty transmission is an essential starting point for designing effective socio-economic development interventions.TRANSCRIPT
Intergenerational Transmitted Poverty
& Wealth Creation
Towards a Lifecourse Approach to Community Development;
Lessons for South Africa
Mthokozisi Sidambe & James Chakwizira
October 2008
• Core Rural Development Challenges
- Poverty & Wealth Life Testimony Definitions
- Why focus on Intergenerational transfer of poverty and wealth (ITPW)
- Unemployment trends
- Percentage of people living below R250 per month poverty lines
- Persons below MLL (Eastern Cape Example)
- Chronic and Transient Poverty: The Continuum Classes of the Poor
- The substances being transferred
- Parent to Child Intergenerational Transfer of Wealth and Poverty
• Prerequisites for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and Development
- Care’s Livelihood Security Model
- Life course Perspective to Poverty Alleviation
- Dalisoka Primary School, EC Life Story of a Girl Child
- Minibus Taxi Industry and the BBBEE footprints in South Africa
• Marrying Theory and Practice: An Example
- Possible Strategic and Practical Life Course Interventions
• Concluding Remarks
Outline of Presentation
Why focus on Intergenerational transfer of poverty and wealth (ITPW)?
Growth and Development History
Transfer of poverty and wealth (ITPW)
Decades of consistent attack on poverty
MDGs
Lessons & options
‘’You want to know to how I define poverty. How can you ask that question when you yourself see that I live in poverty? The definition of poverty is right in front of you. Look at me, I stay alone. I don’t have enough food. I have no decent clothing or accommodation. I have no clean water nearby to drink. Look at my swollen leg. I can’t get to the clinic, which is too far for me to walk. So what kind of definition do you expect me to give you which is better than what you are seeing with your naked eyes?’’
(Sachikonye 2003: Preface).
Poverty & Wealth Life Testimony
HSRC’s social need index• Population/ health facilities• Road length/ km2
• Population density• Electricity and water provision• Dependency ratio• Pupil/ teacher ratio• Unemployment• Poverty gap• Etc.
HighMed-highMediumMed-lowLow
Core Challenge for Rural Dev. Addressing the Access
Divide … AND
..and addressing the high concentrations of poverty & associated social needs in the deep rural economy environments
Deep rural – developmental environments
Persons Below MLL – Eastern Cape Province (an example)
Chronic and Transient Poverty: The Continuum Classes of the Poor
THE POVERTY CLASS
CHARACTERISTICS
The “always poor” Whose poverty score (income, consumption, nutritional status, human deprivation index etc) in each period is below a defined poverty line
The “usually poor” Whose mean poverty score over all periods is less than the poverty line but are not poor in every period
The “churning poor” With a mean poverty score around the poverty line but who are poor in some periods but not in others
The “occasionally poor”
Whose mean poverty score is above the poverty line but have experienced at least one period in poverty
The “never poor” With poverty score in all periods above the poverty line
The Substances being Transferred
Source: Moore, K. (2001:10)
Parent to Child Intergenerational Transfer of Wealth and Poverty
Source: Moore, K. (2001:5)
Lifecourse perspective to poverty alleviation
Age & life
phase
Level & type of LC
intervention
0 X
Pre
-Na
tal In
fan
cy
Ch
ild
ho
od
Tee
na
ge
Ad
ult
ho
od
Old
-ag
e
(Tw
ilig
ht)
INT
ER
VE
NT
ION
S
HealthInterventionsEducation &Awareness
NutritionSchoolsAccess
CurriculaSET
EmploymentJobsLED
Career Guidance
Safety NetsLiving Pension
(Old-age grants)
CROSS-CUTTINGGender, Disabled, HIV/AIDS (Health and well-being), Environmental Conservation, Good Governance
Accessibility – access to all basic human needs e.g. education, health etc
At the Moment BBBEE is looking at this phase. Our proposal – stretch it – it’s a continuum
BBBEE
Possible Strategic and Practical Life Course Interventions
Life Course Perspective to
Poverty Alleviation
Education
Appropriate Technology
Indigenous Knowledge Systems
P - PoliticalE - EconomicS - SocialT - TechnicalP – PhysicalL – Legal E - EcologicalG – Globilisation
(Need to pay attention to all these in LC public interventions)
P - PoliticalE - EconomicS - SocialT - TechnicalP – PhysicalL – Legal E - EcologicalG – Globilisation
(Need to pay attention to all these in LC public interventions)
Labour intensive job employment e.g. EPWP
Strengthening local capacity and institutions Partnerships
Concluding Remarks and Thoughts
Interface BetweenTheory
& Practice
CollectiveLearning &
Action(R&D
Demo Projects
etc)
Intergrated&
ComprehensivePackages
SustainableDevelopment
& Communities
Need for Multi-disciplinary approachTo Life course Interventions
Thank you …
Mthokozisi Sidambe
Email: [email protected]
James Chakwizira, CSIR
Email: [email protected]