Poverty Strategies Research Articles

Assessment of Energy Poverty and Alleviation Strategies in the Global South

The incidence of energy poverty in the Global South is identified by the lack of basic access to modern fuels and energy carriers. Impoverished people have traditional biomass and human power as their only sources of energy. This situation of deprivation of basic resources, in which (according to estimates of international agencies) almost one third of the world’s population lives, masks other relevant characteristics of energy poverty. Current assessments of energy poverty in impoverished areas and the mitigation strategies being implemented are derived from the development agenda and, with variations in detail and scope, highlight electricity connections and access to clean cooking fuels as guarantors of progress. However, a comprehensive understanding of energy poverty requires focusing beyond basic access, building on the interactions between the supply of energy sources and carriers, the provision of energy services, and their impact on decent living conditions. To deal with the effects of these interactions on the energy poor, several studies have attempted in the last decade to construct an assessment framework centred on energy services. This work discusses the relevant dimensions in the framework (supply, services, and impact on wellbeing), reviews the multidisciplinary work available in each aspect, presents a range of proposed taxonomies, and discusses the different issues. A detailed framework is proposed for the integrated assessment of the supply of energy carriers and energy equipment, the provision of relevant energy services, and the improvements obtained in living conditions.

Analysis of medical impoverishment and its influencing factors among China's rural near-poor, 2016-2020.

This study investigates the determinants of medical impoverishment among China's rural near-poor, aiming to enhance public health services and establish preventative and monitoring systems. Using China Family Panel Studies and World Bank methods, we categorized rural populations and calculated their 2020 Poverty Incidence (PI) and Poverty Gap (PG), with impoverishing health expenditures (IHE) as the primary indicator. We analyzed the data from 2016 to 2020 using a conditional fixed-effects multinomial logit model and 2020 logistic regression to identify factors influencing medical impoverishment risk. (1) In 2020, the near-poor in China faced a PI of 16.65% post-health expenditures, 8.63 times greater than the non-poor's PI of 1.93%. The near-poor's Average Poverty Gap (APG) was CNY 1,920.67, notably surpassing the non-poor's figure of CNY 485.58. Health expenses disproportionately affected low-income groups, with the near-poor more prone to medical impoverishment. (2) Disparities in medical impoverishment between different economic household statuses were significant (P < 0.001), with the near-poor being particularly vulnerable. (3) For rural near-poor households in China, those with over six members faced a lower risk of medical impoverishment compared to those with three or fewer. Unmarried individuals had a 7.1% reduced risk of medical impoverishment relative to married/cohabiting counterparts. Unemployment was associated with a 9% increased risk. A better self-rated health status was linked to a lower probability of IHE, with the "very healthy" reporting a 25.8% lower risk than those "unhealthy." Chronic disease sufferers in the near-poor and non-poor categories were at an increased risk of 12 and 1.4%, respectively. Other surveyed factors, including migrant status, age, insurance type, gender, educational level, and recent smoking or drinking, were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Rural near-poor in China are much more susceptible to medical impoverishment, influenced by specific socio-economic factors. The findings advocate for policy enhancements and health system reforms to mitigate health poverty. Further research should extend to urban areas for comprehensive health poverty strategy development.

МАТЕРИАЛЬНОЕ ПОЛОЖЕНИЕ РОССИЙСКИХ ДОМОХОЗЯЙСТВ В КОНТЕКСТЕ РАЗВИТИЯ РЕГИОНОВ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ПРИВОЛЖСКОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА)

The article considers theoretical, methodological and methodological approaches to the definition and measurement of poverty, taking into account international and Russian experience. The connection between the specific socio-economic circumstances of different regions in Russia and poverty levels is highlighted. The aim of the research is to investigate the characteristics of regional poverty and public administration strategies aimed at reducing it. Research methods include the dialectical method of inquiry, a systematic approach, structural analysis, a comparative perspective, methods for processing statistical information, and general scientific methods of cognition (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, abstraction, and specification, etc.). Research results: during the examination of regional poverty reduction programs in the subjects of the Russian Federation, the main indicators of socio-economic and demographic development were analyzed.

Socially responsible retailer’s service provision strategies for poverty and inequity alleviation in the supply chain

This paper examines the effects of a retailer’s value-added services on poverty alleviation where the retailer engages in corporate social responsibility (CSR) by considering consumer surplus. Considering two heterogeneous farmers (i.e., a poor farmer from an impoverished area with cost disadvantages and a normal farmer from a non-poverty area) selling their products through a common retailer, we develop a model to determine when a retailer bestows a uniform or differential service provision to farmers. We also examine the impact of cost disadvantage, per-unit service cost, and consumer surplus concern on supply chain participants’ profits and social welfare distribution under different service provision strategies. We find that supply chain participants’ preferences for service provision strategy are compatible when cost disadvantage and per-unit service cost are below a certain threshold. Retailer-provided services effectively increase each participant’s profit, but this may result in unequal proportions of their profits in social welfare, potentially impacting shared prosperity. The cost disadvantage negatively (positively) impacts the proportion of the poor (normal) farmer’s profit in the overall social welfare equation. However, when the retailer provides services solely to the anti-poverty (normal) product, the per-unit service cost positively affects the proportion of the normal (poor) farmer’s profit in social welfare while consistently improving the retailer’s profit proportion. In addition, higher retailer concern for consumers fosters greater compatibility in service strategy preferences. When the per-unit service cost is low and the ratio of services for the normal product is small, increasing the ratio of services can increase the profits of the poor farmer, the normal farmer, the retailer, and the consumer surplus simultaneously. The research sheds light on the potential tradeoffs and considerations required to create a more equitable and prosperous society.

Research on the Deconstruction of Distress Dimensions and the Construction of Relief Strategies for Urban Poverty in China

Since Chinas reform and growth, the continuous development of the social economy and the constant improvement of peoples living standards have been the mainstream of societys development. However, with the foundation and improvement of Chinas market economy and the ongoing promotion of Chinas urbanization process, the number of impoverished people among urban residents is increasing, and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. This paper uses Literature research, data collection and analysis, and MPI to explore the dimensional deconstruction of urban poverty and find that the existence and widening of the income gap is the main cause of structural poverty in the country. Also, the employment dimension has the greatest impact on multidimensional urban poverty. The employment dimension has the greatest impact, followed by the education dimension. These problems can be solved by strengthening income adjustment measures to narrow the income gap, ensuring labor force employment, and improving the social security system. The paper can better help solve the problem of urban poverty and reduce the number of urban low-income families.

Does the Poverty Level Minimum Basket Adequately Inform the Scope of Governments' Poverty Reduction Strategies?

AbstractAppropriately guided and implemented government interventions help in achieving the desired outcome. They complement the household budget in meeting their basic needs, allowing them to move to a higher satisfaction level. The study looks at the nexus between household poverty and government strategies to stem it. The analysis uses various approaches including the binary and polychotomous logit models to see who is likely to benefit from the interventions, the Tobit model to measure the intensity in closing poverty gap and simulations to capture the impact and cost implications of interventions. While several interventions were introduced, results reveal implementation gaps where the deserving households are not comprehensively covered; the extremely poor have lower probability of uptake of the interventions. Thus, more targeted coverage is necessary in closing the poverty gap.

Is the analysis scale crucial to assess energy poverty? analysis of yearly and monthly assessments using the 2 M indicator in the south of Spain

Energy poverty has been addressed as a global problem. Many studies have been conducted, and several indicators have been established to detect energy poverty. However, most analyses have been performed at a yearly level without considering the differences throughout the year. This study performed a sensitivity analysis to determine these differences using the 2 M indicator in 36,230,400 case studies in the south of Spain, which is a warm zone with great energy poverty, as well as vulnerable to climate change effects. The results showed that monthly assessment could increase energy poverty situations in the months with greater climate severity, compared to yearly assessment. That increase in winter and summer months raised energy poverty cases over 20 %, with these months being those with greater vulnerability due to cold and heat waves, respectively. The results also showed that variations were independent of both the technical characteristics of the dwelling and the use of HVAC systems. Energy poverty cases were reduced only in the summer months with the adaptive approach, which considers thermal adaptation. The use of the 2 M indicator in monthly scales can detect vulnerable family units that cannot be detected by yearly studies, so monthly scales are crucial for governments to adopt energy poverty policies and strategies.

Pengaruh Inklusi Keuangan dan Bank Syariah terhadap Kemiskinan di Indonesia

&#x0D; Indonesia's Muslim population is 229 million, which only accounts for 6.18% of the Islamic banking market share in national finance. This is evidenced by the fact that 92 million adults in Indonesia do not have access to financial or banking services. Compared to other ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, the low life expectancy of the Indonesian people shows that Islamic finance is not yet so inclusive. This study is here to determine the effect of Financial Inclusion on Poverty in Indonesia and to determine the effect of Islamic Banks on Poverty in Indonesia. This study uses an associative quantitative research type, using the variable Financial Inclusion (Islamic Bank Third Party Funds) and the variable Islamic Bank (Islamic Banking Financing) to find out whether there is an effect of these variables on the dependent variable, namely Poverty (Amount of Poverty). The data collected is secondary data and time series data. In this study using panel data regression method which is processed using Eviews 9. The findings in this study are: First, Financial Inclusion is not significant to Poverty Second, Islamic Banks are significant to Poverty. 1.) It is recommended to be able to provide new product variants in order to reach the potential of the community who have not been reached by Islamic financial inclusion and Islamic financing 2.) It is recommended that this research can be used as a material consideration when making strategies for Financial Inclusion, Islamic Banking, and Poverty so that can have more impact on the wider community 3.) It is recommended to be able to use other indicators of the variables that the author uses so that they are more varied so that we can all reach the inclusiveness of Islamic finance in Indonesia.&#x0D; Keywods: Financial Inclusion, Islamic Banks, Poverty, Panel Data Regression, and Eviews 9.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Measuring Multidimensional Poverty and Inequality in Pakistan

The key development objective of Pakistan, since its existence, has been to reduce poverty, inequality and to improve the condition of its people. While this goal seems very important in itself yet is also necessary for the eradication of other social, political and economic problems. The objective to eradicate poverty has remained same but methodology to analysing this has changed. It can be said that failure of most of the poverty strategies is due to lack of clear choice of poverty definition. A sound development policy including poverty alleviation hinges upon accurate and well-defined measurements of multidimensional socio-economic characteristics which reflect the ground realities confronting the poor and down trodden rather than using some abstract/income based criteria for poverty measurement. Conventionally welfare has generally been measured using income or expenditures criteria. Similarly, in Pakistan poverty has been measured mostly in uni-dimension, income or expenditures variables. However, recent literature on poverty has pointed out some drawbacks in measuring uni-dimensional poverty in terms of money. It is argued that uni-dimensional poverty measures are insufficient to understand the wellbeing of individuals. Poverty is a multidimensional concept rather than a unidimensional. Uni-dimensional poverty is unable to capture a true picture of poverty because poverty is more than income deprivation

Reducing poverty strategy through educational participation, clean water, and sanitation in Indonesia

Addressing the poverty gap is the key to improving economic welfare and improving the structure of purchasing power in society. This paper wants to analyze how increased education participation, access to clean water, and sanitation water reduce poverty disparities. The data analyzed in this study covered 501 districts and cities throughout Indonesia in 2018. The methodology used was an econometric approach with multiple regression equation models with robustness provisions. The calculation results prove that the model has been robust and all variables selected have a significant effect on the degree of freedom of 5% for all districts and cities in Indonesia. This study suggests that education policy priorities, the availability of clean water and adequate distribution, and sanitation facilities are needed to reduce the poverty gap.

The Evolution of Food Security: Where Are We Now, Where Should We Go Next?

Food security is one of the most challenging topics globally; however, the concept of food security has taken on additional dimensions that are general and are less detailed. This study aims to identify the intellectual structure of food security research and the changes in this structure. This paper analyzed 3169 documents from the Web of Science database through a bibliometric review. A review of the published documents shows an increasing trend over the past 46 years. In accordance with co-occurrence analysis, 125 keywords were grouped into five clusters: food security and sustainable development; food security and socioeconomic factors; food security policy and governance; coping strategies for poverty, inequality, and hunger; and modern food security management. This study identifies four streams within food security research: sustainability and environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. The paper concludes that even though food security might investigate many significant areas, other new dimensions should still be considered. Further gaps in the literature emerge that present avenues for future research directions. Reviewing indicators and techniques of food security assessment and identifying high-risk groups should be a priority.

Life stabilization and resiliency for disabled people? A critical discourse analysis of the Ontario poverty reduction strategy

In 2020, the government of Ontario, Canada, introduced Building a Strong Foundation for Success: Reducing Poverty in Ontario ( 2020 -2025), the province’s third poverty reduction strategy. This study employs Critical Discourse Analysis to explore the discourses that emerge in this strategy and examine instances of intertextuality between it and previous strategy iterations. Several discourses (re)emerge suggesting that people living in poverty, and disabled people specifically, must ‘realize their potential’ by becoming more ‘resilient’ and work towards ‘life stabilization’. The ‘self-sufficiency’ discourse in prior poverty reduction strategies, recast as ‘independence’ in this newest rendition, anchors the strategy to problematic understandings of ‘dependency’. The systemic causes of poverty are negated, as is a rights-based framework for poverty alleviation. The Ontario government does not define the poverty reduction strategy’s success in terms of poverty reduction, but as mere social assistance caseload reductions, and as such, has built ‘a strong foundation for its lackluster success’. Points of Interest In 2020, the government of Ontario, Canada released its third poverty strategy, entitled Building a Strong Foundation for Success: Reducing Poverty in Ontario ( 2020 -2025). A way of doing research called Critical Discourse Analysis was adopted by the authors to explore how language was used in the poverty strategy to identify how people living in poverty, and disabled people specifically, should behave in order for them to be considered successful. We discuss several discourses (themes in the language of the poverty strategy) in our analysis related to the need for people on social assistance, including disabled people, to ‘realize their potential’ by becoming more ‘resilient’, ‘independent’, and work towards ‘life stabilization’ Recent actions by the government to outsource its employment supports to private companies, and the hiring of fraud investigators to question the authenticity of people’s claims to disability income supports, are worrying trends.

Understanding Poverty and Survival Strategy among Ethiopian Pastoralists: The Boorana Pastoralists Perspectives

Poverty is often assessed using rigorous economic methods in the extant literature. Nonetheless, understanding poverty through supposedly rigorous economic methods per se is not sufficient. This study argues that Boorana pastoralist’s knowledge of poverty and its survival strategy provides foundations to understand poverty. The article was based on a dominantly qualitative mixed research approach to understand poverty from the perspectives of pastoralists in an African context (Ethiopia). Different participatory poverty assessment methods, like focus group discussions and interviews were used. The interviews were conducted with case study households and key informants. The data were analysed by descriptions of responses and narrations of cases. The results showed that pastoralists perceive poverty as a lack of livestock, low health, lack of money, lack of education and jobs. The findings also showed that climate change and variability, deterioration of pasture and water resources, lack of education and overutilisation of resources were the main causes of poverty. Boorana pastoralists perceive that diversification of income sources, crop cultivation, improvements to pastoral education, destocking and returning to forefathers’ cultural practices can be the main survival strategy of pastoralists against poverty. Therefore, there is a need to understand the dynamics of pastoral poverty for appropriate policy interventions.

Status and Determinants of Farm Household Poverty in South East, Nigeria

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation faces a persistent challenge of poverty with over half of its population classified as multi-dimensionally poor. To address this global concern which is in tandem with SDG 1 (zero poverty), this research was designed to investigate the status of farm household, the determinants of poverty and coping strategies adopted by the affected households in the South Eastern Nigerian. Primary data were randomly collected from 140 farm households in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, South West Nigeria. The cross-sectional data obtained were analyzed with descriptive statistics, multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and OLS regression models. Four functional forms of the OLS multiple regression models were estimated including the linear, semi-log, double log and exponential models. The best fit model was selected based on standard econometric criteria. The semi-log model was deemed the best model and therefore used for the final analysis. It was found that majority of the household heads are not well educated, thus making education a serious factor in the study area. The mean age of the household heads was 50 years with mean monthly income of about 543.82 US dollars (based on 2014 exchange rate of Nigerian Naira to USD). Empirical results of the multidimensional poverty based on 10 poverty indicators shows that the sampled population is poor with a weighted sum of MPI greater than 30. It was found that sex of household head, primary occupation of the household head, household size and household income were the major determinants of poverty. The major coping strategies adopted to cope with the household poverty are, buying of cheap items and changing consumption patterns to adjust to available income. The study recommends increased promotion of family planning usage, gender inclusive interventions and establishment of tailor-made poverty alleviation programs that address food insecurity and poverty. To boost the income earning capacities of farm households, government and donor agencies are recommended to provide social protection services to farm households. More research is needed on how farmers can access technologies that will help them improve agricultural productivity, promote their chances of participating in agri-preneurship.

Effect of poverty eradication strategies on improved wellbeing of rural Nigeria: A review

Despite the various poverty eradication/alleviation programmes and strategies adopted by various governments in Nigeria, over 93 million Nigerians still live in poverty, with at least three million sliding into extreme poverty between November 2018 and February 2019 (Olayinka, 2019). This is a clear indication of the ineffectiveness of these policies and programmes, which is attributable to corruption, high level of inequality in income distribution, low literacy rate and poor skill set, political instability, and poor leadership. The major challenge every responsive and responsible government must contend with is to make life better and more meaningful to the citizenry irrespective of whether such government is a democratic one or a military dictator if the regime is to have relevance and continue to enjoy legitimacy in the eyes of the governed. Every successive government since independence has put up one strategy or the other aimed at eradicating the sufferings of the people and put smiles on the faces of the governed. This paper critically examined the various poverty eradication programmes, reforms and strategies, which had been undertaken by successive Nigerian governments and the reasons behind the success/failure of these programmes. The paper articulated and proffered useful strategies that if faithfully implemented would lead the nation out of the present dungeon of poverty and set the nation on the right map of sustainable economic development and not just on economic growth which it has persistently witnessed over the years.

Ethnic Identity, Discrimination and the Shaping of Remittance Culture in Ghana

This article examines birth-based structures and endogenous practices in the migration patterns of two ethnic groups in southern Ghana. The sampled ethnic groups for this study are the Akuapems from the Akan ethnic group located in the Akuapem North district and the Ada/Dangme’s from the Ga-Adangme ethnic group located in the Shai-Osudoku District and the Ningo-Prampram District (formally known as Dangme West District). The article discusses how ethnic identity influences remittance patterns and the utilization of sampled migrants’ home districts. Data from a questionnaire survey, interviews, and focus group meetings informed the study. The study results indicate a strong relationship between patterns, practices, and utilization of remittances and the respective norms and social values embedded within the migrants’ ethnic identity. The research also shows that migrants from ethnic groups with strong internal cohesion and less assimilation remit more than those from more ethnically heterogeneous groups. The study found that migrants from matrilineal ethnicity remit more than those of the patrilineal group. Ethnic values also shape the type of investments that internal migrants and their families may pursue. The research contributes to the debate on agency and endogenous development within birth-based structured societies. It also advances the discourse on birth-based identities, marginalization, and informal poverty reductions mechanisms and strategies.&#x0D;

Examination of the Causes and Consequences of International Migration in Nigeria

This study examined the leading causes and consequences of international migration in Nigeria. A survey research design was utilized for the study. The data was collected through a structured questionnaire. The opinions of 100 respondents selected through the purposive sampling technique were obtained on the principal causes and consequences of international migration in Nigeria. The findings revealed that the principal causes of international migration in Nigeria were job opportunities, unemployment, wealth prospects, safety and security, better conditions of service, low salaries and higher standards of living. These foremost causes of international migration in Nigeria were mostly economic factors. Furthermore, the findings showed that the foremost positive and negative effects of international migration in Nigeria were integrated development, increase in remittances, cheap and surplus labour, urban services and social infrastructure under stress, stricter immigration norms, multi-ethnic society and increased tolerance, Xenophobia, close gaps in skills and cultural dilution. These effects were economic, social and political. Among others, the study, thus, recommends that: the strategies of the government for stemming international migration should address push factors of unemployment, safety and security and low salaries and pull factors such as job opportunities, wealth prospects, better conditions of service and higher standards of living since they are the root causes of international migration. Furthermore, migration, a long-standing poverty reduction and strategy for human development need to be mainstreamed into policies of development in Nigeria at the Federal, State and Local Governments.

Out of the margins, into the light: Exploring energy poverty and household coping strategies in Austria, North Macedonia, France, and Spain

This article is a qualitative study exploring coping strategies of energy-poor households in urban settings in four European countries with different levels of energy poverty: France, Spain, Austria, and North Macedonia. We have drawn inspiration from previous studies conducted in the health area that pay attention to the behavioral, psychological, and emotional response, which provided a partial understanding of coping strategies as largely individual, with a negative impact on households. Based on the evidence of interviews with energy vulnerable households and observation of their practical actions in four cities, we categorize coping strategies to reflect a more comprehensive snapshot of the everyday experience of energy vulnerability. The results demonstrate that the coping strategies of energy vulnerable households are manifold and complex. We expand the concept of coping strategies to include a collective response which is more likely to enable household empowerment that fills up their resilience reserves and facilitates rebound from energy vulnerability. Contrarily, other strategies lead to lock-ins, which may further deplete energy vulnerable households’ resilience reserve, thus making their lived experience more taxing for them. Lastly, we emphasize that personal and structural lock-ins determine energy vulnerable households’ choice of coping strategies.

Beyond the male breadwinner: Life‐cycle living standards of intact and disrupted English working families, 1260–1850

AbstractThis article provides a novel framework within which to evaluate real household incomes of predominantly rural working families of various sizes and structures in England in the years 1260–1850. We reject ahistorical assumptions about complete reliance on men's wages and male breadwinning, moving closer to reality by including women and children's contributions to family incomes. Our empirical strategy benefits from recent estimates of men's annual earnings, so avoiding the need to gross up day rates using problematic assumptions about days worked, and from new data on women and children's wages and labour inputs. A family life‐cycle approach which accommodates consumption smoothing through saving adds further breadth and realism. Moreover, the analysis embraces two historically common but often overlooked family types alternative to the traditional male‐breadwinner model: one where the husband is missing having died or deserted, and one where the husband is present but unwilling or unable to find work. Our framework suggests living standards varied widely by family structure and dependency ratio. Incorporating detailed demographic data available for 1560 onward suggests that small and intact families enjoyed high and rising living standards after 1700, while large or disrupted families depended on child labour and poor relief until c. 1830. A broader perspective on family structures informs understanding of the chronology and nature of poverty and coping strategies.

"Trading daughters for livestock": An ethnographic study of facilitators of child marriage in Lira district, Northern Uganda.

Child marriage remains a significant challenge in Uganda despite national policies, legislation and programs for improved rights of girls. This ethnographic study aimed to explore underlying drivers of child marriage in Lira district, Northern Uganda. We applied a triangulation of qualitative methods; in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis. Our study findings showed that child marriage is still prevalent in the study area and the practice was also carried out at designated markets, at which girls were traded in exchange of livestock. The main drivers of child marriage were identified as poverty and survival strategies; socio-cultural beliefs and norms; and school dropouts. Determined efforts are needed to address the socio-cultural drivers of child marriage, keep girls in school, address poverty through targeting the family and individual level with appropriate incentives to address the economic needs of girls and families to delay marriage, enforce laws prohibiting the practice of child marriage, equip teenagers with accurate information on SRHR and ensure that parents support their daughters to be educated and responsible adults.