Poverty menace: still a long way to go.

• Author: Shaikh, Nazir Ahmed

Byline: Nazir Ahmed Shaikh

The nature of poverty is complex, and its causes are diverse. It is characterized by a lack of access to essential goods, services, assets, and opportunities to which every human being is entitled. There should not be any hunger, everyone should live in peace and have access to basic education and primary health care services. Poor households need to sustain themselves by their labor and be reasonably rewarded and should have a degree of protection from external shocks.

In addition, individuals and societies are also poor - and tend to remain so - if they are not empowered to participate in making the decisions that shape their lives. There is still a long way to go, however. Poverty remains at unacceptable levels and progress has been uneven across the Asian region in particular and whole world in general.

The nature of poverty is complex, and its causes are diverse. The poor may not have acquired essential assets or capabilities because they live in remote, conflict-prone, or resource-poor areas. They may be vulnerable due to age, health, living environment, or occupation. Economic stagnation may limit opportunities for gainful or productive employment. The poor may be denied access to assets or services because they belong to an ethnic minority or a community considered socially inferior, or simply because they are female, disabled, or just different. At a broader level, poverty may stem from situations where gross inequality persists because of vested interests and entrenched power structures. The great diversity of the conditions and causes of poverty implies that intervention to reduce it must be tailored to particular circumstances.

An effective strategy for poverty reduction should have:

* Sustainable Economic Growth Policies for Poor

* Inclusive Social Development

* Good Governance

These three points constitute the framework of poverty reduction and are closely linked and mutually reinforcing. Successful poverty reduction therefore requires policies that simultaneously strengthen all three. The relative importance of each pillar will depend on country circumstances at a particular time.

Within the framework of these three strategy points, interventions for poverty reduction can be:

Short Term: that sustain basic services to the poor

Medium Term: Targeted interventions

Long Term: that builds human resources, stimulate pro-poor growth, and encourage expansion of the private sector.

Rapid, broad-based...