multi-dimensional nature of poverty multi-dimensional nature of poverty anwara begum ph.d. director...

Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty

Anwara Begum Ph.D.Anwara Begum Ph.D.

Director (Research)Director (Research)

CIRDAPCIRDAP

Poverty and it’s myriad facetsPoverty and it’s myriad facets

Contents of this discussion:Contents of this discussion:

1.1. Poverty redefined and revisitedPoverty redefined and revisited

2.2. Multi-dimensionality of povertyMulti-dimensionality of poverty

3.3. Problems of measuring its’ many facetsProblems of measuring its’ many facets

4.4. Sources of dataSources of data

5.5. The nexus between Poverty and sub-set The nexus between Poverty and sub-set of migrants: Pavement or Street Dwellersof migrants: Pavement or Street Dwellers

6.6. Child Poverty Child Poverty

Poverty redefined, revisited..1.1Poverty redefined, revisited..1.1 Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-

being where well-being can be measured being where well-being can be measured by an individual’s possession of income, by an individual’s possession of income, health, nutrition, education, assets, health, nutrition, education, assets, housing & certain rights in a society.housing & certain rights in a society.

Poverty is also lack of opportunities, Poverty is also lack of opportunities, powerlessness and vulnerability. Lack of powerlessness and vulnerability. Lack of capacity to access commodities like food capacity to access commodities like food or basic needs & an abject absence of or basic needs & an abject absence of capability, creativity, which sustains capability, creativity, which sustains deprivation and exclusion-from human deprivation and exclusion-from human entitlementsentitlements

Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.1Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.1

Poverty is multi-dimensional, irreducible to Poverty is multi-dimensional, irreducible to any one particular dimension- for eg. any one particular dimension- for eg. Income, education, health or social Income, education, health or social exclusion. Thus it should be measured exclusion. Thus it should be measured multi-dimensionally, involving both income multi-dimensionally, involving both income and non-income dimensions of well-being.and non-income dimensions of well-being.

Imp. To study changes into and out of Imp. To study changes into and out of poverty- it will allow insights into the poverty- it will allow insights into the mechanisms that reduce or reproduce mechanisms that reduce or reproduce poverty.poverty.


Poverty is synonymous with multi-Poverty is synonymous with multi-dimensionality: its heterogenous dimensionality: its heterogenous nature solicits multi-dimensional nature solicits multi-dimensional policy and program interventions- policy and program interventions- improved well-being improved well-being

Poverty, when measured through Poverty, when measured through monetary and non-monetary monetary and non-monetary dimension reveals dimensions of dimension reveals dimensions of inequalityinequality


Inequality is the distribution of Inequality is the distribution of attributes, such as income or attributes, such as income or consumption……consumption……

Inequality between different sexes, Inequality between different sexes, between regions, among grps reveals between regions, among grps reveals the welfare status and level of the welfare status and level of vulnerability.vulnerability.


Vulnerability is defined as the Vulnerability is defined as the probability or risk today of being in probability or risk today of being in poverty, tomorrowpoverty, tomorrow

Vulnerability is a key dimension of Vulnerability is a key dimension of well-being since it affects individuals’ well-being since it affects individuals’ behaviour (in terms of investment, behaviour (in terms of investment, production patterns, coping production patterns, coping strategies) and their own assessment strategies) and their own assessment of particular situationsof particular situations

Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.5.Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.5.Descent into povertyDescent into poverty

Causes of descent into povertyCauses of descent into poverty1.1. Family size increase without concomitant Family size increase without concomitant

increase in labourincrease in labour2.2. Lack of diversification into more Lack of diversification into more

productive non-farm workproductive non-farm work3.3. Lack of fostering of dev. Of human Lack of fostering of dev. Of human

assets. General decline in natural and assets. General decline in natural and financial assetsfinancial assets

4.4. Crisis, life-cycle factors, structural Crisis, life-cycle factors, structural factors…discrete shocks, natural factors…discrete shocks, natural disasters, ill-health etc.disasters, ill-health etc.

Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.6Multi-Dimensional Nature of Poverty..2.6Ascent out of povertyAscent out of poverty

Reasons for ascent out of poverty:Reasons for ascent out of poverty:1.1. Fast accumulation of diff. assets esp. Fast accumulation of diff. assets esp.

human and physical assetshuman and physical assets2.2. Diversification into higher income Diversification into higher income

yielding non-agricultural assets,yielding non-agricultural assets,3.3. Pooling of hh income from diff sources Pooling of hh income from diff sources

and adoption of risk-averse strategyand adoption of risk-averse strategy4.4. Adopting modern variety rice tech. high Adopting modern variety rice tech. high

value added non rice crop eg. poultry, value added non rice crop eg. poultry, livestock, fisheries, migration strategylivestock, fisheries, migration strategy

5.5. Combining multiple routes out of povertyCombining multiple routes out of poverty

Problems of measuring many Problems of measuring many facets of poverty..3.1.facets of poverty..3.1.

Populations below poverty line would Populations below poverty line would tend to vary (level and share) with tend to vary (level and share) with the method of measurement of the method of measurement of povertypoverty

Even if one uses CBN method, its Even if one uses CBN method, its application procedure can be application procedure can be different: the base year, the price different: the base year, the price indices, choice of bundle of goods indices, choice of bundle of goods can give different resultscan give different results


Calorie requirement and poverty line: Calorie requirement and poverty line: survey findings may vary on the survey findings may vary on the actual poverty estimates depending actual poverty estimates depending on the poverty line and expenditureon the poverty line and expenditure

Poverty lines may differ if different Poverty lines may differ if different calories are used by different studies: calories are used by different studies: so far most ‘lines’ used 2122. so far most ‘lines’ used 2122. Recently 2400 or above are also Recently 2400 or above are also being suggested being suggested


Qualitative data generation problemsQualitative data generation problems Sampling problemsSampling problems Interview qualityInterview quality Respondents’ problems/non-cooperationRespondents’ problems/non-cooperation Problems in the questionnaireProblems in the questionnaire Mismatch between official data and unofficial Mismatch between official data and unofficial

datadata Lack of interactions between organizations Lack of interactions between organizations

generating datagenerating data Lack of coordination of surveys on similar topicsLack of coordination of surveys on similar topics Donors’ support for poverty lacks coordination Donors’ support for poverty lacks coordination

and continuity… and true for donor agencies as and continuity… and true for donor agencies as wellwell

Problems of measuring many Problems of measuring many facets of poverty 3.4.facets of poverty 3.4.

Long gaps between data collection Long gaps between data collection and producing results…reduces and producing results…reduces relevance, credibility, usefulness-relevance, credibility, usefulness-policy blind?policy blind?

Role of NGO/CSOs… stock should be Role of NGO/CSOs… stock should be taken of data available with CSOs, taken of data available with CSOs, their capacity and usefulness for their capacity and usefulness for policy and capacity building, policy and capacity building, awareness among poor etc. awareness among poor etc.


Rural and urban has not been Rural and urban has not been differentiated in Bangladesh while differentiated in Bangladesh while India uses separate urban and rural India uses separate urban and rural calorie measurementscalorie measurements

Consumption pattern of types of Consumption pattern of types of food, quantity and quality of nutrition food, quantity and quality of nutrition and even requirements (of food) and even requirements (of food) differ between rural and urban areas differ between rural and urban areas

Sources of data 4.1.Sources of data 4.1. Household based income –consumption Household based income –consumption

surveys (4-5 years interval)surveys (4-5 years interval) Child-Nutrition Surveys (2-3 years intervalChild-Nutrition Surveys (2-3 years interval Calorie intake data through Household Calorie intake data through Household

consumption (calorie consumption) and consumption (calorie consumption) and income surveys income surveys

Food balance sheets (calorie availability Food balance sheets (calorie availability based on food production?)based on food production?)

Core Welfare Indicators Surveys (CWIQ) in Core Welfare Indicators Surveys (CWIQ) in Africa and Pakistan, Indonesia’s SUSENAS: Africa and Pakistan, Indonesia’s SUSENAS: several hundred thousand hhs, rep. at the several hundred thousand hhs, rep. at the provincial level since many yrsprovincial level since many yrs

Sources of data 4.2.Sources of data 4.2.

CORE surveys are short surveys with CORE surveys are short surveys with a fixed core and rotating modules (on a fixed core and rotating modules (on diff. topics, such as health, diff. topics, such as health, education, access to basic services, education, access to basic services, etc.), that are administered to a large etc.), that are administered to a large sample (thereby providing sample (thereby providing representative statistics at the sub-representative statistics at the sub-national level), using simple data-national level), using simple data-collection protocols….useful for collection protocols….useful for Bangladesh?Bangladesh?

Pavement Dwellers 5.1.Pavement Dwellers 5.1.

If poorest sections of migrants were If poorest sections of migrants were properly incorporated in surveys, it properly incorporated in surveys, it seems likely that the findings seems likely that the findings regarding migrant assimilation would regarding migrant assimilation would be less positive. be less positive.

Existence-of-survival of the Existence-of-survival of the pavement dwellers, their squalor, pavement dwellers, their squalor, poor health and diet, poor education, poor health and diet, poor education, marginal jobs and earnings. marginal jobs and earnings.

Poverty and Pavement Dwellers, 5.2.Poverty and Pavement Dwellers, 5.2.

Bilsborrow et al.; (1983) observed that Bilsborrow et al.; (1983) observed that failure to include them in household failure to include them in household surveys customarily results in biased surveys customarily results in biased samples of in-migrants……an example samples of in-migrants……an example from the Ecuador migration survey shows from the Ecuador migration survey shows that the education level of out-migrants that the education level of out-migrants was lower than that found in the urban was lower than that found in the urban sample of in-migrants. sample of in-migrants.

Child Poverty: Definition 6.1Child Poverty: Definition 6.1““Children living in poverty experience deprivation of Children living in poverty experience deprivation of material, spiritual, material, spiritual, && emotional emotional resources needed to resources needed to survive, develop & thrive, leaving them unable to enjoy their survive, develop & thrive, leaving them unable to enjoy their rights, achieve their full potential or participate as full & rights, achieve their full potential or participate as full & equal members of society”equal members of society”(UNICEF 2005: State of the (UNICEF 2005: State of the World’s ChildrenWorld’s Children).).

Material resources Material resources == income, food, access to education & health income, food, access to education & health service, protection from health risks service, protection from health risks

(associated with hard physical work & others). (associated with hard physical work & others).

Spiritual resources Spiritual resources == stimuli, meaningfulness, expectations, role stimuli, meaningfulness, expectations, role models, peer relationships. models, peer relationships.

Emotional Supports Emotional Supports == love, trust, feelings of acceptance, love, trust, feelings of acceptance, inclusion, lack of abusive situations.inclusion, lack of abusive situations.

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Child Deprivation 6.2Child Deprivation 6.2

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1.Food2.Education3.Health4.Shelter5.Sanitation6.Water7.Information8.Livelihood and Care

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Correlation among Poverty Measures & Poverty Incidence 6.3

Analysis of correlates of severe child deprivation reveals

About 54% (34 million) children are severely deprived of any one of the six indicators: shelter, sanitation, water, information, education, & health.

About 19% (12 million) children are suffering from at least two severe deprivations.

The more the household head is educated, the less it is likely that the children from the household will face at least one severe deprivation. This is true for facing at least two severe deprivations.

Livelihoods’ Framework 6.4.Livelihoods’ Framework 6.4.

Human CapitalSocial Capital

Political CapitalFinancial Capital

Physical Capital

Natural Capital

Human CapitalSocial Capital

Political CapitalFinancial Capital

Physical Capital

Natural Capital

Livelihood Shocks

(Acute, rapid on-set shocks or chronic, long-term

stress)

Social,Economic

and Political Context

Social,Economic

and Political Context

Livelihood Options

Producing FoodGenerating IncomeProtecting AssetsBuilding Assets

Converting Assets

Livelihood Options

Producing FoodGenerating IncomeProtecting AssetsBuilding Assets

Converting Assets

Improved Livelihood

SecurityBasic Needs &

Fundamental Rights

Improved Livelihood

SecurityBasic Needs &

Fundamental Rights

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Thank YouThank You

multi-dimensional nature of poverty multi-dimensional nature of poverty anwara begum ph.d. director...

Documents

poverty line

facets of poverty

multidimensional policy

heterogenous nature

higher income

human assets

pooling of hh income

key dimension of wellbeing