Poverty Situation Research Articles

Using Improved BPNN to Predict the Time of Social Poverty Reduction under the Background of Internet

The world has been overturned by the power of the Internet, and all walks of life are constantly changing with the trend of the times. Therefore, with the help of the effective technology and means of the Internet, people can start from a more complex perspective. Analyze the social environment and economic situation, and focus on poverty. By actively monitoring the number of poor people in society, we can grasp the actual situation of poverty. Starting from the depths of the problem, aiming at the characteristics of poor groups, this paper excavates the scale data of poor people. Finally, the improved BP neural network model is used to predict the time when the society gets rid of poverty and reduces poverty. The results show the following: (1) After P value judgment and T value test, the experiment determined 12 indicators and proportion of poverty. The most prominent indicators of contribution rate are T2, T4, and T5. The most significant changes in T test results were T8 and T12. (2) The reformed BP network has less iteration times, shorter training time, and higher prediction accuracy. The network converges 30 times, and the fitting accuracy reaches the best, and the ideal state is 0.000936578. Training the poverty alleviation data from 2016 to 2020 with the model, the final poverty alleviation work has achieved remarkable results. (3) According to the hidden layer nodes of neural network structure, the final number of hidden layer nodes is determined to be 11. (4) Comparing the absolute error and APE error of the prediction results. The predicted value is very close to the actual value, which can correctly reflect the mapping relationship of poverty reduction and the result is reliable. (5) Compare the predicted values of BPNN model before and after modification; it is found that the new BPNN model is more accurate in prediction. The predicted population is close to the actual population, and the error level curve approaches 0%. After empirical test, the improved BPNN model is accurate and effective. Through the poverty reduction prediction of the model, people can observe the actual situation more intuitively. By evaluating the effectiveness of social poverty alleviation, we can optimize the next poverty alleviation strategy and adjust the strategic policy.

Doubly marginalised

Climate change is destroying our lives through rise in sea level, climate related deaths, malnutrition, floods, cyclone, droughts, heat waves etc. The problem further worsens when we fail to understand that though climate change affects everyone but it affects more who are at vulnerable position, especially women. They suffer greater safety and health risks because they are the last to be rescued, their sanitation is being compromised. Women also do not fully participate in climate related planning and policy due to unequal participation in decision making process. Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty and due to existing roles, responsibilities and cultural norms. This paper suggests that the women are first responders in crises, entrepreneurs of green energy and decision-makers at home, women offer valuable insights and solutions into better managing the climate and its risks. Hence, women can play a critical role in response to climate change due to their local knowledge of and leadership in sustainable resource management and/or leading sustainable practices at the household and community level.

Development of a web application for climate change adaptation in Thailand

There is no doubt about the warming of the climate system, and it is widely accepted by a society that adaptation measures are important to reduce the negative impact of climate change on society. However, there are socio-economic obstacles to the promotion of climate change countermeasures. In other words, to implement climate change adaptation measures, not only the economic efficiency of the measures, but also fairness, consistency with existing policies, and cultural acceptability must be considered. Moreover, future forecasts contain uncertainty. Therefore, it is very difficult to formulate adaptation measures and consider policy priorities. The purpose of the study is to create a web application that shows the risk of natural disasters and the socioeconomic status of the region, targeting Thailand, which is one of the countries affected by climate change to solve the above problems. We basically developed web applications using freeware. As the result, the user can grasp the risk situation of natural disasters in Thailand as a whole, and grasp the industrial structure, agricultural production structure, and poverty situation in each region. This application is expected to promote understanding of the impacts of climate change among stakeholders and to support discussions on policy priorities.

Situation of Poverty in Pakistan and its commitments with respect to Sustainable Development Goals: prospects and challenges

This article focuses on situational analysis of poverty and economic growth in Pakistan. It discusses Pakistan's commitments and achievements with respect to sustainable development goals (SDGs). The methodology used in this paper is qualitative and the analytical method is followed. The argument developed throughout the article is that Pakistan, as an underdeveloped country, needs further improvement with respect to formulating policies and implementing said policies for the fulfillment of SDGs. The paper concludes that special measures may betaken into consideration by government in order to progressively realize the implementation of norms pertaining to poverty alleviation and economic instability and for the protection of basic human rights in the country.

Language Planning and Poverty Alleviation

This study examined the relationship between language planning and poverty alleviation. The purpose was to investigate the means of poverty alleviation via language planning. Three research questions guided the study. The study was exploratory in nature using empirical survey, which were analyzed empirically. Language planning in terms of education, according to the findings, is the cornerstone of economic growth, social development, and the primary way of enhancing individual wellbeing. It contributes to poverty reduction by enhancing the value and effectiveness of the poor's labour, as well as reducing the population, health, and nutritional effects of poverty. Language planning becomes ever more important as economies throughout the globe are altered by technology breakthroughs and new production processes that rely on a well-trained and intellectually adaptable workforce. Based on the above findings, there is need for more focus on language planning by the Nigerian government, by this I mean the language they can use in reaching out to the poor in order to alleviate the poverty situation of the country and for nation development.

Investigating the effects of climate change, drought, and agricultural sector policies on the trend of the water poverty index in Iran

Abstract Since climate change, intermittent droughts with various severities, poor management and uncontrolled abstraction of water resources, and inattention to the balance of these resources have caused the water crisis in recent decades, it is vitally important to study the water scarcity, its changes in the future, and the effect of climate change and drought on the scarcity through appropriate management policies in the agricultural sector. To achieve this goal, the present study selected the Fasa plain in Iran and calculated its water poverty index (WPI) from 2008 to 2018 using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Also, the study calculated the correlation coefficient between the WPI and climate change and drought in the study area. It then evaluated the effects of water resources management policies in the agricultural sector on the poverty index. The results showed that water consumption had the greatest weight in calculating the WPI. The WPI has fluctuated between 0.297 and 0.678 in the Fasa plain, and the worst situation of water poverty was experienced in 2014. Despite its insignificance, the downward trend in the WPI showed that water resources management has become more unfavorable over time. Finally, it was concluded that the WPI in the Fasa plain was more dependent on drought than on climate change in the short term. Therefore, managing water resource consumption in this plain is vitally important, especially in drought conditions. The results also showed that reducing water consumption in the agricultural sector can significantly improve the WPI. Therefore, solving the water crisis in this plain, given the drought conditions and its future trend, requires policies improving water-use efficiency in the agricultural sector.

Looking Beyong SDGS and The Challenge of Excrutiating Poverty in Africa: The Case for A New Global Development Framework

The study critically examines African excruciating poverty situation and the challenge of a new global development framework in view of the apparent failures of SDGs agenda in Africa and other developing countries. It articulates alternative approach towards legitimate global development governance. It concludes by proposing a new Global Development Regulatory Organization (GDRO) to address core-development challenge in international context. The study also identifies the institutional framework, functions and approaches to the new Global Development Regulatory Organization (GDRO) agenda.

OUT-OF-POCKET HEALTHCARE PAYMENTS AND IMPOVERISHMENT AMONG MIGRANT ADOLESCENT FEMALE HEAD PORTERS IN GHANA: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Direct out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for healthcare can have devastating effects on vulnerable populations leading to impoverishments. Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) aims to remove financial hardships associated with seeking healthcare. However, there are concerns that vulnerable sections of the population still face healthcare-related financial hardships. This paper examines the impoverishing effects of OOP healthcare payments and the determinants of impoverishment due to OOP healthcare payments among migrant adolescent female head porters aged 10-19 years in Ghana. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was administered to a sample of 336 respondents who reported ill and sought healthcare within the last 12 months, January-December 2015, prior to the survey in 2016. Impoverishment due to OOP payment was assessed by computing the net income after payment for health care using the World Bank’s poverty line of income of $1.90 a day converted to 2015 purchasing power parity (PPP) equivalence for Ghana. The results illustrate that poverty incidence increased from 23 percent before OOP payment to 76 percent post OOP payment for healthcare. In a multivariate analysis, primary education [AOR=0.32, 95%CI=0.15-0.68]; Mamprusi (AOR=0.41, 95%CI=0.19-0.87) and other ethnic groups [AOR=0.33, 95%CI=0.14-0.75] compared to Dagomba; >1year in head portage (AOR=0.46; 0.23 - 0.95); drug store (AOR=0.43, 95%CI=0.19 - 0.96) and home treatment [AOR=0.20, 95%CI=0.05-0.85] were significantly associated with lower odds, whilst never registering for (AOR=4.05; 95%=1.82 - 9.03) or no valid NHIS card (2.29; 95%CI=1.08 - 4.83), Kumasi city [AOR=5.14; 95% CI:2.45-10.77] and severity of illness[AOR=2.86, CI 1.49-5.45] were associated with higher odds, of impoverishment due to OOP payment.. We recommend that the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Health should collaborate to enrol adolescent female head porters onto the NHIS in order to increase their financial risk protection. Government should also put in place policy interventions including skills training and livelihood programmes to increase income levels, and improve the poverty situation of adolescent girl head porters. 
 
 Key Words: Impoverishment, out-of-pocket healthcare payments, adolescent girls, migrants, Ghana

Urbanization of energy poverty? The case of Mozambique

What is the impact of the unprecedented scale and pace of urbanization in the global South on the evolution of energy poverty incidence? Remarkably enough, urban population growth and energy poverty are mainly studied separately from each other in different strands of the literature. We argue that there is much to be gained in studying these phenomena in their interdependence. To illustrate this, we analyze for the case of Mozambique the relationship between spatial variation in population density and three commonly used indicators of energy poverty over time. We think that the case of Mozambique exemplifies the future development of Africa's energy poverty situation in many respects. Our analysis makes use of two newly constructed datasets with household level information that originate from national household welfare surveys as well as an own survey for Mozambique's capital city Maputo. The data show that over time, and especially in urban areas, energy poverty is decreasing in terms of consumption quantities and access to modern energy fuels, but increasing in terms of energy expenditure shares. Also, we show that by largely ignoring transport energy use, the national welfare surveys typically overestimate energy consumption poverty while underestimating energy expenditure poverty to a substantial degree. Finally, based on a multiple non-linear regression analysis we find, after controlling for spatial sorting of households, that if population densities rise, energy poverty levels in terms of modern fuel use first fall and then increase – thus following a U-shaped pattern. In contrast, the relationship between population density and energy expenditure poverty follows an inverted N-shaped curve. This suggests that urbanization processes in poor countries like Mozambique may not lead to an unequivocal reduction of energy poverty rates, in line with existing evidence on urbanization of poverty in Africa.

Energy poverty trends and determinants in Pakistan: Empirical evidence from eight waves of HIES 1998–2019

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have incorporated clean and affordable fuel access as the 7th goal because energy is crucial for economic development and well-being. However, the increase in energy prices, volatility, removal of subsidies, fiscal burden and limited access to modern fuel, and financial burden on the households have led to an increase in energy poverty. Although energy poverty is widely prevalent worldwide, it is more pervasive in developing countries. Yet, there is limited research on energy poverty in developing countries, and the government policy and program do not focus on energy poverty. Therefore, this study examines the energy poverty trend and factors influencing energy poverty in Pakistan using eight rounds of nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure (HIES) survey data collected during 1998–2019. This research adopted two different measures of energy poverty, namely ten percent and double median. The result shows that despite significant economic progress, energy poverty has increased during the last two decades. The study further investigated the determinants of energy poverty in Pakistan using the Probit model, and the results revealed that households with a low endowment, less education, and female-headed families are more likely to be energy poor. Given Pakistan's current energy poverty situation, it is challenging to meet SDG 7 of providing clean and affordable energy access to all by 2030. Therefore, sizeable clean energy programs targeting the poor with low education, families living in rural areas, and female-headed households are needed.

Attitudes and preferences of traditional farmers toward reproductive biotechnology application for improved indigenous pig production in Zambia.

Background and Aim:Pig production remains crucial to the livelihood of farmers in Zambia. However, low production continues to undermine efforts to reduce animal protein deficit; hence, the need emerges to improve production through biotechnology. To contribute to the prediction of their acceptance, this study assessed the attitudes and preferences of traditional farmers toward reproductive biotechnologies by exploring the socio-demographic characteristics of farmers.Materials and Methods:The study conducted a cross-sectional descriptive survey that employed a mixed-methods design with a qualitative-quantitative methodological triangulation. Quantitative data were obtained from 622 respondents using a questionnaire, whereas seven focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to obtain qualitative data. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.Results:The majority (65.1%) of the respondents were low-income earners who mainly (64.8%) attained primary education. In addition, pig farming was dominated by middle-aged (43.7%) and elderly (40.7%) individuals. Moreover, most of the respondents owned (51.3% and 78.0%) more than 2 acres and six pigs, respectively. Furthermore, the respondents expressed a positive attitude (3.84±0.42) toward reproductive biotechnology application. However, despite supportive opinions (4.17±0.54) and favorable behavioral intentions (4.09±0.51), their feelings were generally neutral (3.10±0.89). In addition, the study observed various contrasting attitudes across socio-demographic factors. The respondents mainly preferred artificial insemination (AI; 66.2%). The results of the FGDs supported the survey findings. Nevertheless, the lack of information, knowledge and practical exposure, absence of peer influence, perceived beliefs and risks, poverty situations, and gender issues were pinpointed as the identified barriers to the biotechnology acceptance of the participants.Conclusion:The respondents generally supported reproductive biotechnology application and its contribution to improved production. However, further promotion of the favorable attitudes of the farmers will be required. In this case, interventions sensitive to their socio-demographic characteristics, perceived barriers, and identified contributing factors to favorable attitudes will be crucial. In addition, despite the overwhelming preference for AI, efforts to promote AI-supporting reproductive technologies are required because they contribute to AI success rate.

English

The involvements of youths in various risky activities across social and economic spheres of life are alarming and have exposed them to various risks of different magnitudes. This has invariably increased their vulnerability, taking toll on the social, economic, health and environmental lifecycle of the affected group of individuals. This study therefore investigates the vulnerability of youths to social and economic risky activities in Osun-State, Nigeria. The study was carried out in two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. Simple random sampling was used to select urban, peri-urban and rural communities in the two LGAs. A total number of 167 respondents were sampled. Structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean age of the respondents was 14.5±1.35 years, with 53.9% males and 46.1% females; many (93.4%) were singles and only 6.6% were married.  More than half (67.1%) of the respondents have secondary school education. Economic activities engaged in by the respondents include roadside hawking, farm hired labour and riding of motorbike for commercial purpose, and bus conductor among others. While social risky activities engaged in by the respondents include sexual acts (mostly unprotected sexual acts), gambling, smoking and alcoholism among others. Self-sponsor in school, parents’ poverty situation, peer pressure and meeting personal needs were reasons given by respondents for engaging in these activities. Significant relationship existed between sex (x2=0.254), age (r=0.265; p<0.05), family size (r=0.265; p<0.05) and level of vulnerability of the respondents, while significant difference existed in the level of vulnerability of male and female respondents (t=1.26; p<0.05). The youths should therefore be properly educated and enlightened on the danger of getting involved in risky economic and social activities and the negative impact of such activities could make on them in the long run.   Key words: Vulnerability, youths, social, economic risky activities.

The Impact of Foreign Trade and Urbanization on Poverty Reduction: Empirical Evidence from China

Poverty eradication is a worldwide development challenge, and China’s poverty reduction experience, evident in its sustainable development strategy, is receiving increasing attention. China has achieved high economic growth and success in poverty reduction over the past 40 years, since its reform and opening up. China’s experience can provide lessons for other countries, however, the situation of poverty in China is still severe, and the remaining people experiencing that condition have long been in a state where income poverty, capability poverty, and intergenerational transfer of poverty coexist. This requires systematic poverty reduction in multiple fields such as the following: population, production, consumption, capital, technology, finance and taxation, education, health care and environment. Foreign trade and urbanization are the best ways to implement poverty reduction. Despite the fruitful results of international studies, the impact of foreign trade, urbanization and their synergistic effects on poverty reduction have not been fully considered. Therefore, by selecting, as panel data, the urbanization rate, foreign trade dependence, and multiple dimensions of poverty indicators of different provinces in China from 2000 to 2017, this paper establishes regression models to study the poverty reduction effects of urban and rural areas. This is accomplished by focusing on three dimensions: poverty gap; income level and gap; and the numbers of under-insurance and guaranteed expenditure, in terms of both imports and exports, respectively. The paper not only considers the synergistic effects of foreign trade and urbanization on poverty reduction, but also investigates the heterogeneity of poverty reduction effects between urban and rural areas. The research results can be applied not only to poverty reduction policy formulation in China, but they can also provide empirical lessons for other developing countries with large urban-rural disparities. Therefore, the study has important implications for both poverty reduction theory development and poverty reduction policy formulation.

Integrating DMSP-OLS and NPP-VIIRS Nighttime Light Data to Evaluate Poverty in Southwestern China

Poverty alleviation is one of the most important tasks facing human social development. It is necessary to make accurate monitoring and evaluations for areas with poverty to improve capability of implementing poverty alleviation policies. Here, this study introduced nighttime light (NTL) data to estimate county-level poverty in southwest China. First, this study used particle swarm optimization-back propagation hybrid algorithm to explore the potential relationship between two NTL data (the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Line Scan System data and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite data). Then, we integrated two NTL data at the pixel level to establish a consistent time-series of NTL dataset from 2000 to 2019. Next, an actual comprehensive poverty index (ACPI) was employed as an indicator of multidimensional poverty at county level based on 11 socioeconomic and natural variables, and which could be the reference to explore the poverty evaluation using NTL data. Based on the correlation between the ACPI and NTL characteristic variables, a poverty evaluation model was developed to evaluate the poverty situation. The result showed the great matching relationship between DMSP-OLS and NPP-VIIRS data (R2 = 0.84). After calibration, the continuity and comparability of DMSP-OLS data were significantly improved. The integrated NTL data also reflected great consistency with socioeconomic development (r = 0.99). The RMSE between ACPI and the estimated comprehensive poverty index (ECPI) based on the integrated NTL data is approximately 0.19 (R2 = 0.96), which revealed the poverty evaluation model was feasible and reliable. According to the ECPI, we found that the magnitude of poverty eradication increased in southwest China until 2011, but slowed down from 2011 to 2019. Regarding the spatial scale, geographic barriers are a key factor for poverty, with high altitude and mountainous areas typically having a high incidence of poverty. Our approach offers an effective model for evaluation poverty based on the NTL data, which can contribute a more reliable and efficient monitoring of poverty dynamic and a better understanding of socioeconomic development.

How can Disaster Risk Reduction Reduce Inequality? A Study on the Vulnerable Communities of Bangladesh

The present paper deals with the capacity issues of the vulnerable communities of Bangladesh where hazards accelerate the persistent situation on social inequalities. Bangladesh is prone to natural disasters and the persistent socio-economic inequalities tend to increase due to the disaster risks. Disaster risks then hinder the opportunities of the vulnerable communities to become resilient. In this research the researcher has used both secondary and primary data. The researcher has mainly used the secondary data to explore the link between disaster risk reduction and social inequalities. Moreover, the researcher has collected the primary data by using the key informant interview method to have insights of the experts who have shared their valuable views on the relationship between the effective DRR strategies and its potential to reduce the existing social inequalities. The result of the research reveals that the lack of capacity of the disaster vulnerable communities of Bangladesh traps them into further poverty where they buffer their loss and damages with their limited resources. In Bangladesh it is the poor who are the victims of socio-economic inequality and suffer worst from natural disasters. This situation of disaster and poverty becomes a cycle of trap in which the poor tend to suffer and becomes vulnerable. DRR strategies do have the potential to have a positive impact in this scenario. Effective DRR strategies might lead to increase the capacity of vulnerable communities of Bangladesh and the communities will be more resilient. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 10(2), 2021, P 66-77

Sustainable Electricity Supply and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

The poverty situation in the rural areas of the country deserves greater attention; the available statistics from the NBS reveal that the majority of the poor are located in the rural areas. It is really impossible to envision industrialization and societal well-being or high standard of living without adequate and reliable electricity supply. Sustainable electricity supply will aid the artisans, traders, farmers with storage facilities, reduce the rural-urban immigration, improve the standard of living in the rural areas, and encourage rural industrialization and capital formation. This study investigates the impact of sustainable electricity supply on poverty reduction in Nigeria. A time series data from 1981 to 2018 was analysed for this study. Based on the outcome of this study, it could be seen clearly that while electricity generation play a significantly role reducing poverty in the country, electricity consumption does not guarantee poverty reduction. Also, apart from the fact that poverty level in the past period is found to have a direct and statistically significant effect on the poverty rate in the current period, it was also revealed that lower unemployment rate does not really translate into reduction in the poverty level in Nigeria. The study therefore recommend that electricity generation should be given more attention and while trying to address the menace of unemployment in the country, underemployment and labour exploitation must also be tackled headlong.

Does the Accessibility of Regional Internal and External Traffic Play the Same Role in Achieving Anti-Poverty Goals?

Traffic development can promote the flow of goods and people, which has long been widely considered to have a poverty reduction effect but, in fact, is not unbreakable. The development of traffic is similar to economic and social development, with internal and external characteristics, but few studies have explored the differences between the effects of their poverty reduction. Taking the land traffic of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone (CCEZ) as an example, this paper represents traffic accessibility at a county level by relying on the average internal and external travel times. Rural poverty was identified by the pentagon of livelihoods to measure the Multidimensional Development Index (MDI). Furthermore, a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model was used to explore the relationship and spatial differentiation characteristics between county traffic accessibility and poverty. The results show that the traffic accessibility of the counties in the CCEZ was quite different. The average internal travel time was between 0.16 and 7 h, and the average external travel time was between 4.2 and 10.6 h. The radiation gradient structure centered on Chengdu municipal districts and the Chongqing main urban area, and the accessibility level needed to be improved. Furthermore, the MDI values of each county in the CCEZ showed the structural characteristics of “large bottom and small top”; additionally, the higher the high-value group of MDI, the stronger the spatial aggregation and the more obvious the characteristics of regional differentiation. Finally, the relationship between traffic accessibility and poverty in counties cannot be generalized. The improvement of external traffic accessibility obviously helped to improve the poverty situation in the CCEZ; the improvement of internal traffic accessibility had a multidimensional impact, but it was mainly due to the occupation or spillover of livelihood capital in rural areas; counties accounting for 82.74% would even reduce the MDI and, thus, aggravate poverty.

Self-Criticism in In-Work Poverty: The Mediating Role of Social Support in the Era of Flexibility.

In-work poverty reflects situations of income below the poverty threshold among employed people, involving a deterioration of wellbeing. The International Labour Organization prioritises this situation, which in countries such as Spain, Germany or Italy reaches rates of 11.8%, 10.6% and 11.8%, respectively. Within a context of flexibility, the occupational situation tends to be understood as an individual responsibility, which is why this study analyses the increase in self-criticism in these situations, and the role of social support in this relationship. The mediation of social support in the manifestation of self-criticism among people experiencing in-work poverty is analysed. The participants were 1430 employed people, grouped into those in a situation of poverty and those who are not. The results show that people in a situation of in-work poverty present a higher score in self-criticism and lower in social support. Social support is a mediating variable that prevents the manifestation of self-criticism. Lastly, a gender analysis shows that women experience this relationship more intensely. These findings enable a critical assessment of the activation policies that only take an individual approach. As an alternative, we propose strengthening interventions that foster social support, particularly among women.

Discursos sobre la pobreza: las voces de las mujeres

The term «feminization of poverty» was coined by Diane Pearce in 1978 when she found that it was women with children who led poor households. The central objective of this article is to show the trajectories, management, and experiences of women in poverty in Castelló de la Plana (Spain) from their own voice, applying the gender perspective. The methodology used is qualitative, the technique of interviews with a semi-structured script has been used for women of different profiles who are in a situation of poverty or at risk of being so. The results advance that, together with variables or structural factors, such as social origin or employment situation, a set of conjunctural factors or critical life events are added that, on the one hand, converge and intersect, and on the other, they lead to ending up in this situation.

Poverty issues, including the working poverty in Russia

Subject. The poverty of the population with all features and factors of its manifestation causes deep structural problems that affect the development of the national economy. Objectives. The aim of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the poverty of the population category, using statistical data, identification of causes of the gap in the level of salaries of Russian and foreign specialists, determination of factors that have the greatest impact on the development of working poverty in Russia. Methods. The study draws on methods of logical and statistical analysis. Results. We considered approaches to the definition of poverty in Russia and other countries, analyzed absolute and relative poverty in Russia, the impact of subsistence minimum on the definition of poverty, assessed nominal and real incomes of the population. The ratio of the average per capita income of the population and the subsistence minimum decreased over the past decade, however, the poverty was not overcome during this period. The per capita income in Russia turned out to be low, real incomes continue to decline. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a decline in wages can be traced, both in space and in time. Conclusions. Worsening the poverty situation in the country creates a chain of problems related to the distrust of the State policy in the social and labor spheres, expanded production slowdown, an increase in social tension in the society. A reduction of working poverty should be a priority task for the State.