April 2012
Author: Janet C. Gornick & Markus Jäntti
Luxembourg Income Study
Child Poverty in High- and Middle-Income Countries: Selcted Findings from LIS1
Janet C. Gornick, Director, LIS (Luxembourg Income Study) and Markus Jantti, Research Director, LIS, present some early analyses based on a selection of high- and middle-income countries to show some of the challenges of looking at child poverty across a widening global perspective. Their analysis is based on data from the Luxembourg Income Study Database (LIS), which currently contains data on household incomes from nearly 40 countries.
January 2012
Author: Alex Cobham
Christian Aid
Alex Cobhamn, Chief Policy Advisor, Christian Aid, discusses some of the findings from Christian Aid's report Poverty: We're all in this together. He highlights the gap between the ambition of the Millennium Declaration and the eventual form of the MDGs, mostly in three areas: sustainability, accountability and inequality. He discusses consequences of inequality to child poverty, and the opportunities and challenges in the process of identifying the post-2015 successor to the MDGs.
October 2011
Author: Sheridan Bartlett
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
In this issue of the Child Poverty Insights, Sheridan Bartlett from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) highlights the plight of children living in urban poverty. It’s widely recognized that the world is more than half urban, less widely acknowledged is the catastrophic extent of urban poverty or its implications for hundreds of millions of children. We are used to thinking of urban children as being better off than rural children in every way – better fed, better educated, with better access to health care and a better chance of succeeding in life. For many children, this is true. But for growing numbers, the so called “urban advantage” is a myth. Children growing up in urban poverty often remain invisible, not only uncounted but frequently unreached by any basic services: living without secure tenure; heavily exposed to toxics and pollutants; among the groups most at risk from disasters and the direct and indirect impacts of climate change; and, confined to small overcrowded homes with little opportunity for exploration or physical activity. It is crucial that policymakers understand that poverty reduction approaches developed to tackle rural poverty will not necessarily work in urban settings, as the nature of urban poverty is different from that of rural poverty.
August 2011
Authors: Keetie Roelen (IDS) and Geranda Notten (University of Ottawa)
Keetie Roelen's (IDS) and Geranda Notten's (University of Ottawa) recent work on multidimensional child poverty in the European Union is an attempt to add to the academic and policy debate around child poverty in the region, its measurement and the use of indicators to inform policy. No studies have considered the extent to which children experience multiple deprivations at the same and can be considered 'cumulatively deprived.' In their work, they sought to address questions around those patterns overlap and the 'breadth' of poverty, as well as the combination of information in measures of cumulative deprivation. Among other things, three facts become clear from this work, which is discussed in this issue:
- Indicators of monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty cannot serve as a proxy for one another;
- There are risk factors that increase a child's likelihood to be poor or deprived;
- Multidimensional poverty measures enables policy makers to identify the most vulnerable children and design holistic anti-poverty policies.
- Indicators of monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty cannot serve as a proxy for one another;
- There are risk factors that increase a child's likelihood to be poor or deprived;
- Multidimensional poverty measures enables policy makers to identify the most vulnerable children and design holistic anti-poverty policies.
July 2011
Authors: Laurence Chandy and Geoffrey Gertz
Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Changing State of Global Poverty
In this issue, the authors discuss new trends on global poverty. They estimate that between 2005 and 2010, the total number of poor people around the world fell by nearly half a billion people to under 900 million. Whereas it took 25 years to reduce poverty by half a billion people up to 2005, the same feat was likely achieved in the six years between then and now. They observe that the global poverty landscape is quickly being redrawn. Between 2005 and 2015, Asia’s share of global poverty is expected to fall from two-thirds to one-third, while Africa’s share more than doubles from 28 to 60 percent. With the graduation of some of the world’s biggest developing countries into middle income-country (MIC) status, poverty is no longer concentrated in low-income countries (LIC). They discuss the fact that poverty is becoming increasingly concentrated in fragile and conflict-afflicted states. Finally, they discuss how these trends affect UNICEF and others committed to improving the wellbeing of children across the developing world.
June 2011
Authors: Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
J-PAL, MIT
J-PAL, MIT
A new look at an old problem: Why do so many poor children miss out on essential immunizations?
In this essay, MIT J-PAL founders and directors Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo draw on their new book Poor Economics and focus on one particular question that is central to UNICEF’s mission. Immunization is recognized as one of the most effective and most cost effective ways to save life. And yet, according to the World Health Organization every year, 27 million children do not receive the essential vaccinations that are part of the Expanded Programme on Immunization. Given the well-established benefits, and the resources that individual countries and the international community devote to this problem, why do so many poor children miss out on essential immunizations?
May 2011
Author: Sarah Cook
UNRISD
UNRISD
Combating Poverty & Inequality: Structural Change, Social Policy and Politics
In this issue, Sarah Cook, Director, United Nations Research Institute on Social Development (UNRISD) highlights some of the main messages from the UNRISD Report of the same title. Cook discusses some of the factors that account for the persistence of poverty and inequality, and the reasons why some countries have been more successful than others in reducing poverty and inequality. She states that poverty and inequality are not mutually exclusive, hence they cannot be dealt with in isolation to each other. In fact, she emphasizes the importance of reducing inequality for poverty reduction. Based on the report, she puts forth some recommended strategies for socially inclusive structural changes that generate employment, social policies emphasizing universal rights and social cohesion, and political arrangements that are sensitive to the needs of the poor population. She also discusses how social policy can impact poverty and inequality in low-income countries, and especially child poverty. Finally she talks about why it is essential to take politics and power relations into account in order to reduce poverty and inequality.
In this issue, Sarah Cook, Director, United Nations Research Institute on Social Development (UNRISD) highlights some of the main messages from the UNRISD Report of the same title. Cook discusses some of the factors that account for the persistence of poverty and inequality, and the reasons why some countries have been more successful than others in reducing poverty and inequality. She states that poverty and inequality are not mutually exclusive, hence they cannot be dealt with in isolation to each other. In fact, she emphasizes the importance of reducing inequality for poverty reduction. Based on the report, she puts forth some recommended strategies for socially inclusive structural changes that generate employment, social policies emphasizing universal rights and social cohesion, and political arrangements that are sensitive to the needs of the poor population. She also discusses how social policy can impact poverty and inequality in low-income countries, and especially child poverty. Finally she talks about why it is essential to take politics and power relations into account in order to reduce poverty and inequality.
March 2011
Authors: Nicola Jones and Andy Sumner
In this issue, Nicola Jones (ODI) and Andy Sumner (IDS) focus on the importance of mainstreaming child poverty in development research and policy. They talk about the types of knowledge being generated about the nature, extent and trends in child poverty and well-being in developing country contexts, and discuss another way of conceptualising child poverty and well-being: 3D child wellbeing. Finally, they identify and discuss three clusters of factors that support policy change: policy ideas and narratives; policy actors and networks; and policy contexts.
French Spanish
French Spanish
February 2011
Authors: Caroline Harper, Hanna Alder, and Paola Pereznieto
Overseas Development Institute
Overseas Development Institute
"Escaping Poverty Traps – Children and Chronic Poverty"
In this issue, the authors- Caroline Harper, Associate Director of the Chronic Poverty Research Centre and Head of Social Development Programme at ODI, Hanna Alder, freelance Research Assistant, and Paola Pereznieto, Research Fellow at ODI- discuss the importance of chronic poverty to development, what the drivers of chronic poverty are, how children are disproportionately affected, and how chronic poverty, in particular children's chronic poverty, can be addressed. They provide key policy recommendations to tackling the issue.
French Spanish
January 2011
Author: Timo Voipio
Senior Adviser for Global Social Policy Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Finland/OECD-Povnet
"Social Protection for All – An Agenda for Pro-Child Growth and Child Rights"
Timo Voipio, Senior Adviser for Global Social Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Finland/OECD-Povnet argues that the single most remarkable shift in the global poverty reduction agenda of this new Millennium is the emergence of social protection as a top priority for most international organizations and development agencies. Furthermore, he explains why Social Protection is a key element of Pro-Poor Growth, and discusses how this relates to Child Rights and Child Protection, and ultimately to UNICEF.
Timo Voipio, Senior Adviser for Global Social Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Finland/OECD-Povnet argues that the single most remarkable shift in the global poverty reduction agenda of this new Millennium is the emergence of social protection as a top priority for most international organizations and development agencies. Furthermore, he explains why Social Protection is a key element of Pro-Poor Growth, and discusses how this relates to Child Rights and Child Protection, and ultimately to UNICEF.
November 2010
Author: Armando Barrientos
Professor and Research Director
Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester, U.K.
Professor and Research Director
Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester, U.K.
The author discusses some of the most interesting points coming out of his research and book on cash transfers to the poor (Just Give Money to the Poor: The Development Revolution from the Global South). Prof. Barrientos addresses the impact for children and especially girls, and states that direct transfers to households in poverty are an essential component of poverty reduction and development strategies in the South, as they enable poor households to access services and link up to growth. Prof. Barrientos also addresses questions related to the efficacy of child-focused transfer programs, of the impact of cash transfers on child labor, and the feasibility of such programs in low income countries, among other issues.
October 2010
Author: Naila Kabeer
Professor of Gender and Development,
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
"Can the MDGs provide a pathway to social justice? The challenge of intersecting inequalities"
The author discusses the findings of the IDS report Can the MDGs provide a pathway to social justice? The challenge of intersecting inequalities. The author stresses that the focus on the MDGs on ‘average’ measures of progress fails to capture the unequal pace of this progress and the systematic exclusion of certain groups in society, and demonstrates how the effects of social exclusion are detrimental to child well-being.
September 2010
Author: Jomo Kwame Sundaram
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development (UNDESA)
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development (UNDESA)
"Rethinking Poverty: Report on the World Social Situation 2010"
The author discusses the most striking findings presented in UNDESA's recent publication, Rethinking Poverty, describing global poverty trends and distribution patterns over the last 20 years, and the need for rethinking policy approaches. Among some of the findings discussed are the fact that while the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day declined globally from 1.9 billion in 1981 to 1.4 billion in 2005, the absolute number of people living in poverty actually went up during this period in many countries, and that the experience of poverty is multidimensional. The author also presents some key policies for poverty reduction.
The author discusses the most striking findings presented in UNDESA's recent publication, Rethinking Poverty, describing global poverty trends and distribution patterns over the last 20 years, and the need for rethinking policy approaches. Among some of the findings discussed are the fact that while the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day declined globally from 1.9 billion in 1981 to 1.4 billion in 2005, the absolute number of people living in poverty actually went up during this period in many countries, and that the experience of poverty is multidimensional. The author also presents some key policies for poverty reduction.
August 2010
Authors: Bill Kerry, Kate E. Pickett and Richard Wilkinson
Richard and Kate are authors of The Spirit Level, and together with Bill co-founders of The Equality Trust
Richard and Kate are authors of The Spirit Level, and together with Bill co-founders of The Equality Trust
"The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality makes Societies Stronger"
The authors explain why problems with social gradients (health, violent crime, and educational failure) are not caused by differences in material wealth, or by any kind of sorting or selection effects, but instead are due to social status differentiation itself - to the degree of hierarchy within a society. They discuss the impact of inequality on the most vulnerable, and offer ways to tackling inequality.
French Spanish
July 2010
Author: Paul Collier
Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
Prof. Paul Collier discusses the main findings of his new publication The Plundered Planet as well as some of the ideas from his previous publication The Bottom Billion. He explains who the world's most vulnerable are and why, and how the mismanagement of nature matters for these populations.
April 2010
Author: Deepa Narayan
Author of the Moving Out of Poverty series
Author of the Moving Out of Poverty series
"The Dynamics of Poverty"
The author discusses the dynamics of poverty: how people fall into it and how they move out of it. She highlights the importance of understanding poverty in such dynamic way, as well as a multidimensional phenomenon. The study being discussed in this issue shows that, across the 500 communities studied in the world, close to half the population is moving up or down, often with the same people falling and rising at different times, and that the reasons for moving out of poverty and for falling into it are different. Finally the authors discusses several policy implications to her findings.
January 2010
Authors: Hugh Waddington and Birte Snilstveit
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)
The authors discuss what impact evaluation is, why they are so critical for development work, who is conducting them, and how to attribute impact to an intervention. Additionally, the authors explain how to assess the range of impact for policy guidance. Finally, the authors provide an example of application on the area of water, sanitation and hygiene.
French Spanish
October 2009
Authors: Sabina Alkire and José Manuel Roche
Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, University of Oxford
The authors discuss a new methodology for multidimensional poverty measurement, the Akire-Foster approach, and how it can be used to inform policy.
August 2009
Author: Alberto Minujin
The New School & Equityforchildren.org
Author: Alberto Minujin
The New School & Equityforchildren.org
The author discusses the idea that child poverty is experienced differently from adult poverty and explains why it should thus be measured differently, providing examples of projects that use such an approach. Furthermore, the author elaborates on how child poverty can be inserted in the policy discourse.
French Spanish