Poverty

ISSUES

Poverty

Definitions
Poverty is hard to define. It may relate to a lack of financial means, but it cannot be summed up as just that: access to health services, education and housing are also, for example, important factors. Moreover, what one understands by “poverty” varies considerably from one country, and from period in time, to another.
The notion can be defined in relative terms: for example, as a percentage of the median income of a population – this way it reflects the social inequalities of the country. It can also be defined in absolute terms, but this means establishing a list of basic needs or their monetary equivalent.
The first approach is used more often for studies on rich countries, the second for studies on poor countries. The different definitions of poverty are used by specialists as tools to comprehend the problem and propose solutions. They are often combined with development models and are thus connota...

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INDICATORS

GDP per capita
Human Development Index (HDI)
Ratio of richest 10% to poorest 10%
Drinking water
Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)

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