Transcript Child Poverty and Deprivation in South Asia: Key facts and UNICEF initiatives Gabriele Köhler, Regional Advisor Social Policy, and Mariana Stirbu, Project Officer Social Policy UNICEF.

Child Poverty and
Deprivation in South Asia:
Key facts and UNICEF
initiatives
Gabriele Köhler, Regional Advisor Social Policy, and
Mariana Stirbu, Project Officer Social Policy
UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia
7 May 2008
Kathmandu
Outline of the presentation
• SOUTH ASIA – Key facts on poverty and
inequality
• SETTING THE STAGE – “Poverty reduction
must begin with children”.
• CHILD POVERTY – from income to multidimensional definitions of child poverty
• MDGS, CHILDHOOD, AND POVERTY – the
nexus and implications
• MDG PROGRESS IN SOUTH ASIA – ‘a tale of
disparities’
• UNICEF ROSA INITIATIVES– linking the various
initiatives under Policy advocacy and
Partnerships for Children’s Rights
South Asia – some key
facts on poverty and
inequality
Key facts on South Asia
• 1.5 billion people
• 613 million under 18 41%
• 175 million under 5 12%
• Over 428 million under
the international 1
USD/day at PPP
poverty line, as per
2001 data
• At least 10 million
migrants
Source: UNICEF ROSA, Statistical pocketbook 2008
Trends in income/consumption
poverty in South Asia
• Insignificant share of the world income - in 2004, South
Asia accounted for 22.4% of global population, while its
combined GNI was only 2.1% of the world income.
• Significant variations in GNI – in 2004, GNI ranged
between 675 billion US$ in India and 0.7 billion US$ in
Bhutan
• Second lowest GNI per capita at PPP, after SubSaharan Africa - in 2004, GNI per capita at PPP (incl.
AFG) of 2,830 US$ compared to the world average of
8,760 US$; with Maldives at the top of the list.
• Reduction in incidence of income / consumption poverty
- measured by % of pop living on less than 1 USD/day
at PPP, from 51.5% to 41.3% between 1981 and 1990,
and further to 31.3% in 2001 (less AFG)
Source: SAARC Regional Poverty Profile 2005
Regional income poverty
Source: WB, Global Monitoring Report 2008
Incidence of poverty by country, % of
pop. below international poverty line of 1
US$/day at PPP
1981
1990
2001
26.2
35.2
32.8
-
-
36.3
53.0
40.6
35.5
-
-
1.0
Nepal
41.9
53.2
27.3
Pakistan
56.4
47.8
12.0
Sri Lanka
18.2
3.8
1.8
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Source: SAARC Regional Poverty Profile 2005, please see report for footnotes and caveats
Incidence of poverty by country, %
of pop. below national poverty line
Bangladesh
1980
1990
2000
2004
73.0
47.5
44.3
40.9
36.3
31.7
26.1
-
13.0 / 23.0 / 44.0
3.0 / 8.0 / 21.0
Bhutan
India
44.5
36.0
Maldives
Nepal
36.2
40
38.0
30.8
Pakistan
29.1
26.1
34.4
23.9
Sri Lanka
30.9
26.1
22.7
-
Source: SAARC Regional Poverty Profile 2005, please see report for footnotes and caveats
Regional inequality
Source: WB, Global Monitoring Report 2008
Distribution of World Income
Globalization for whom?
Distribution of world GDP, 2000
(by quintiles, richest 20% top, poorest 20% bottom)
Source: UNDP Development Report 2005
Historical Trend:
Inequality Keeps Rising
Ratio of the Income of the Richest 20% to the Poorest 20%
Year
Ratio
1820
3:1
Ratio of the Income of the Richest 20% to
the Poorest 20%, 1820-2005
1870
7:1
120
1913
11:1
80
1991
30:1
RATIO
1960
100
61:1
60
40
20
0
1997
74:1
1820 1870 1913 1960 1991 1997 2005
2005
103:1
YEAR
Source: UNDP Human Development Reports 1999 and 2005, New York
‘INEQUALITY’ at Global Scale
 Half of the
world lives
below the
$2-a-day
poverty line
 Need to
bring
redistribution to
development
agenda
Source: Sutcliffe, 2005. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. WP 2. UNDESA
South Asia - Growth rate of GDP (% per
year)
25.0
Afghanistan
20.0
Bangladesh
15.0
Bhutan
India
10.0
Maldives
5.0
Nepal
0.0
Source: ADB Asian Development Outlook Report 2008
)
)
ec
te
d
Sri Lanka
(p
ro
j
09
20
20
-10.0
08
(p
ro
j
ec
te
d
07
20
06
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
-5.0
Pakistan
South Asia
South Asia - Inequality by country, acc.
to HDR 2007/08
share of
income or
consumptio
n (%)
poorest
HDI Rank 20%
share of
income or
consumptio
n (%)
richest 20%
inequality
measures ratio of
richest
20% to
inequality
poorest
measures 20%
gini index
Maldives
98
…
…
…
…
Sri Lanka
99
7.0
48.0
6.9
40.2
India
128
8.1
45.3
5.6
36.8
Bhutan
133
…
…
…
…
Pakistan
136
9.3
40.3
4.3
30.6
Bangladesh 140
8.6
42.7
4.9
33.4
Nepal
6.0
54.6
9.1
47.2
142
Source: HDR 2007/08
Setting the stage –
‘poverty reduction
begins with children’
“Poverty reduction must begin with
children.”
• Children hit the hardest by poverty – it causes
lifelong damage to physical, emotional, spiritual
growth and development
• Poverty affects children disproportionately ––
developing countries have a larger child
population, and income-poor families generally
have more children than wealthier families
• Poverty is the cause of millions of preventable
child deaths, hungry children, children missing
school, exploited and abused children…
Source: UNICEF Poverty Reduction Begins with Children2000, UNICEF SOWC Report 2005
“Poverty reduction must begin
with children.” cont’d
• Poverty in childhood is a root cause of poverty in
adulthood – impoverished children often grow up
to be impoverished parents who in turn bring up
their children in poverty, cause a vicious poverty
cycle
• Well-being of children, future generations – a
yardstick for measuring the wellbeing of nations
• Economic prosperity at unprecedented levels –
yet not every child has a good start in life
• With less than a third of 1 percent of global
income, all children could achieve a minimum
standard of living!
Source: UNICEF Poverty Reduction Begins with Children2000, UNICEF SOWC Report 2005
How is child poverty different
from adult poverty?
“I have to support my father as he cannot make much money to support our family,”
Ramesh told IRIN in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu.
The boy works 10 hours a day at a workshop in Kathmandu for US$15 per month.
He quit school after migrating with his parents from Nawalparasi District, 200km
southwest of Kathmandu, to escape hardship and poverty.
“But life is more difficult here as we can’t afford to buy medicines and don’t have time
to go to hospital,” said Ramesh.
Source: IRIN 9 July 2007
Child poverty – from
income-based to multidimensional definitions
“Policy debates have indeed been
distorted by overemphasis on income
poverty and income deprivation, to the
neglect of deprivation that relates to
other variables, such as
unemployment, ill health, lack of
education, and social exclusion.”
Amartya Sen, Development as
Freedom 1999
Definitions of child poverty
UNICEF SOWC REPORT 2005
“Children living in poverty experience
deprivation of the material, spiritual and
emotional resources needed to survive,
develop and thrive, leaving them unable to
enjoy their rights, achieve their full
potential or participate as full and equal
members of society.”
Definitions of child poverty cont’d
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2007
“Children living in poverty are deprived of
nutrition, water and sanitation facilities,
access to basic health-care services,
shelter, education, participation and
protection, and that while a severe lack of
goods and services hurts every human
being, it is most threatening and harmful to
children, leaving them unable to enjoy their
rights, to reach their full potential and to
participate as full members of the society”.
Key facts on child poverty and
deprivation in South Asia – SOWC ‘08
•
•
•
•
•
•
The largest absolute number of newborn
deaths occurs in South Asia – India
contributes a quarter of the world total.
South Asia has the highest level of undernutrition – at 43% of children under 5 among the regions.
South Asia has the second highest number
of deaths among children under five,
accounting for 32% of the global total. In
1990, 1 in every 8 South Asian children
died before age five; by 2006, the ratio had
decreased to 1 in 12.
Although sub-Saharan Africa has the
highest proportion (66%) of children not
registered at birth, South Asia, with a
corresponding ratio of 64%, has the
highest number of unregistered children.
South Asia has the highest rate of infants
with low birth-weights, and the lowest rates
of vitamin A supplementation.
Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
together accounted for more than 80% of
Child Poverty by Region, 2000
Percentage of children living in poverty by region
% Children in
absolute
poverty
% Children severely
deprived of at least
one basic need
Sub-Saharan Africa
62
82
Central & West Asia
9
31
East Asia & Pacific
9
30
Latin America & Caribbean
15
32
Middle East & North Africa
35
61
South Asia
54
81
Developing World total
34
57
Region
Source: Source: Townsend Centre for International Policy Research,
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/poverty/child%20poverty.html
MDGs, childhood and
poverty – the nexus
MDGs, childhood, and poverty
n
o
n
i
n
c
o
m
e
FACTOR
GOAL
IMPLICATIONS FOR CHILDHOOD
Income
Poverty
Eradicate extreme
poverty and
hunger
73 million children < 5yrs suffer from malnutrition in South Asia. Many
of them would eventually die.
Primary
education
Achieve universal
primary education
Over 31 million children in South Asia, the majority of them girls, are
out of school. The price of failure to achieve the target is their denied
right to continue education and have a better
Gender
equality
Promote gender
equality and
empower women
In South Asia, girls who are often less valued than boys, are likely to
receive less food, medical attention and schooling, which
exacerbates gender inequality.
Child
survival
Reduce child
mortality
3.1 million children under 5 die in South Asia every year, of which the
majority could have been prevented through a few cost-effective
interventions.
Families
and
women
Improve maternal
health
Some 200,000 women in South Asia die from complications of
pregnancy and childbirth every year, with infants having a lower
probably of survival without the care of their mothers.
Health
Combat
HIV/AIDS,
malaria, and other
diseases
130,000 thousands children (aged < 15 ) live with HIV/AIDS in South
Asia. The number of orphaned children is on the rise. Poor nutrition
leaves children vulnerable to TB.
Water and
sanitation
Ensure
environmental
sustainability
Access to water and sanitation is critical to child survival and disease
prevention. In South Asia, millions of children are denied access to
water and sanitation facilities
Source: Table adapted from UNICEF SOWC Report 2005, p. 8-9, Data from various sources.
South Asia MDG
performance – ‘a tale of
disparities’
Prevalence of underweight (moderate and severe), 2000 - 2006
(Percentage of children under five years old whose weight for age is less than minus two standard deviations from the median for
the international reference population ages 0-59 months)
Note:
Data refers to the most recent year available during the period specified.
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
The boundaries and the names shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
Percentage of children uder five classified as underweight, dissaggregated by
gender, location and wealth quintile, Bangladesh 2004 & Nepal 2006
60
Nepal: Weight-for-age (Underweight) below -2 SD
59
56
Bangladesh: Weight-for-age (Underweight) below -2 SD
50
49
49
46
40
42
38
40
47
41
39
30
30
23
20
19
10
0
Male
Female
Source::
Bangladesh DHS 2004, Dhaka 2005
Nepal DHS 2006, Kathmandu, 2007
Urban
Rural
Lowest
Highest
National
Net enrolment ratio in primary education 2000-2004
Source: UNICEF ROSA, Progress and challenges in South Asia 2006, Kathmandu, 2006
Percentage of children of primary school age attending primary school by
sex, location and wealth quintiles, Bangladesh 2006
100
Net Attendance Ratio Male
Net Attendance Ratio Female
Net Attendance Ratio Both sex
90
88
80
83
79
84
82
79
86
81
77
70
73
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Urban
Rural
Location
Source::
Bangladesh MICS 2006
Lowest
Highest
Wealth quintile
87
Educational Attainment of Household Population by sex, location
and wealth quintile, Nepal 2006
50
Some Primary Education Male
Completed Primary education Male
45
Some Primary Education Female
Completed Primary education Female
44
40
35
37
35
30
25
30
27
26
26
25
24
22
20
15
10
9
5
7
6
8
5
7
5
8
6
5
0
Urban
Source::
Nepal DHS 2006
Rural
Lowest quintile
Highest quintile
National
Under-five mortality rate, 2000-2007
(The probability of dying between birth and the fifth birthday)
Deaths per 1,000 live births for the five-year period preceding the survey.
Note:
Data refers to the most recent year available during the period specified.
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
The boundaries and the names shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
Under-five mortality rate by sex, location and wealth quintile, Bangladesh
2004 & Nepal 2006
Deaths per 1,000 live
births
Bangladesh U5MR
120
100
Nepal U5MR
121
102
98
92
91
80
80
98
88
84
78
72
60
61
47
40
47
20
0
Male
Female
Source::
Bangladesh DHS 2004, Dhaka 2005
Nepal DHS 2006, Kathmandu, 2007
Urban
Rural
Lowest
quintile
Highest
quintile
National
Under-five mortality rate by ecological zone and development regions,
Nepal 2006
Deaths per 1,000 live
births
120
128
122
100
100
80
85
73
68
60
62
61
60
40
20
0
Mountain
Hill
Ecological zone
Source::
Nepal DHS 2006, Kathmandu, 2007
Terai
Eastern
Central
Western
Mid-western Far-western
Development regions
National
Maternal mortality ratio
Deaths per 100,000 live births
(adjusted, 2005)
2000
1800
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
830
800
570
600
440
450
400
320
200
120
58
0
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Births attended by skilled health personnel
(Deliveries assisted by Doctor/Nurse/LHV/ANM/Other health personnel)
Note:
Data refers to the most recent year available during the period specified.
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
The boundaries and the names shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
% of deliveries assisted by Skilled Birth Attendants by location
and wealth quintile, Bangladesh 2006 & Nepal 2006
60
58
50
55
Nepal
Bangladesh
51
40
40
30
20
19
14
10
20
14
5
7
0
Urban
Rural
Note:
Skilled Birth Attendance includes Doctors, Nurses/midwives
Source:
Bangladesh MICS 2006
Nepal DHS 2006
Lowest quintile
Highest quintile
National
People living with HIV/AIDS
Countries
India
Pakistan
Nepal
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
Bhutan
HIV Estimates 2006
Adult & Children Prevalence
2,500,000
0.36
85,000
0.1
75,000
0.5
11,000
<0.1
3,100
<0.1
1,000
<0.1
500
<0.1
Source UNAIDS / WHO 2007
Proportion of the population using improved drinking water sources
2001 - 2006
(Improved drinking water sources includes household water connection, public standpipe, borehole, protected
dug well, protected spring, rainwater collection and bottled water)
Note:
Data refers to the most recent year available during the period specified.
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
The boundaries and the names shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
Proportion of the population using improved sanitation facilities, 2001 - 2006
(Improved sanitation facilities include flush to piped sewer system, flush to septic tank, flush/pour flush to pit, flush/pour flush to
elsewhere)
Note:
Data refers to the most recent year available during the period specified.
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Info database, 2008
The boundaries and the names shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and
Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
% of household population using improved sources of drinking
water and using sanitary means of excreta disposal by location
and wealth quintile, Bangladesh 2006
Urban
100
99
97
99
99
98
Rural
Lowest quintile
80
82
Highest quintile
National
60
58
40
39
32
20
11
0
Source:
% of HH Population using improved sources of
drinking water
Bangladesh MICS 2006
% of HH Population using sanitary means of
excreta disposal
Millennium Declaration – chapter VI
on violence, exploitation and abuse
Country
Bangladesh
India
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
working children
(5-14 yrs)
5.0 million
11.2 million
1.7 million
3.3 million
0.5 million
total number of
children
(5-14 yrs)
% of working
children in child
population
(5-14 yrs)
35.1 million
210 million
6.2 million
40 million
3.2 million
Source: ILO, http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/newdelhi/ipec/responses/index.htm
15%
5%
27%
8%
16%
ROSA initiatives and their
value added in the context
of the study on child
poverty and disparities
ROSA initiatives and their value
added
•
•
•
•
•
Broad approach to social policy including social
exclusion, income inequality and related policy
responses
Social protection as a form of social policy
(Conceptual framework and symposium)
Social Budgets, Children and Society (Regional
Fiscal Budget analysis – review of investments into
social sectors and fiscal space to finance social
policy)
Migration and Impacts on Children (review of
impacts on child outcomes)
Capacity Development of Partners: CRC/CEDAW
(SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child), WFFC+
5 (Regional Synthesis)
ROSA Initiatives and their value
added
• Strengthening the human rights and child rights
principles
• Identifying ways to make economic and social
development more inclusive and equitable and propoor
• Building stronger links between economic and
social policies, and recognising the role of social
policy and social protection for livelihoods, social
inclusion, poverty reduction, and development
• Better strategies to make legislation, policies and
budgets more child-relevant
• Better strategies to make social services more
responsive to children and in particular vulnerable
children and socially excluded groups
• Using social policy to accelerate MDG achievement
NEPAL/ROSA: a universal child grant
as a building block for a broader
Social Protection Strategy
•One example from recent practice
•Technical and advocacy partnership with ILO Geneva and Nepal
•Influencing Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local
Development, Ministry of Labour
• Rationale:
•rights-based
•economic revival
•political healing

A survey of the interests of potential beneficiaries underway with
WFP

Possibly pilot in one disadvantaged area of Nepal
DfID and World Bank interested
Social Protection Symposium: Some policy ideas
and outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Portability of rights to basic social services - Looking at “mobile” forms of
social protection across state and country borders and at the right to
social protection for migrants
Idea of a tri-fold approach, combining
– Enhanced, inclusive social services delivery (education, health, water
and sanitation, etc.)
– Cash transfers to households to improve economic security
– Provision of trained and salaried care services by government or
non-profit sector- recognising the “care economy”
The need for inclusiveness in social protection
The case for a citizens’ or social compact for social protection
Case for a “generative” or transformative social protection model
embracing a plurality of models
Consensus on the shift towards universalising social protection
Emphasise the need for a child-sensitive social protection which
prioritises the key rights and development needs of children
Seizing opportunities from economic growth and political change in South
Asia
Advocacy for a global social floor or minimum social protection among
UN agencies (ILO, DESA, UNICEF, UN-ESCAP) and regional partners
(SAARC)
ROSA: Fiscal budget analysis
across 8 countries of South Asia
Observation: Rapid economic growth in South Asia has created a
strategic opportunity to advocate for larger (and more effective)
social expenditures
Outcomes:
 Devinfo database at ROSA to include countries’ fiscal budget
data
 Use as analytical and advocacy tool at country and regional
level
 examples of applications: Afghanistan, Nepal, Maldives,
Pakistan
Social expenditure - sectoral allocation
Year 2005
100%
8.10
90%
8.84
16.93
9.63
10.38
21.81
37.27
80%
17.22
14.74
17.04
70%
25.21
16.34
41.96
24.19
60%
22.54
45.18
16.61
50%
18.35
40%
30%
20.16
17.65
60.08
8.24
57.07
43.49
20%
40.23
24.77
10%
28.48
27.51
0%
BGD
BTN
IND
Education as % social expenditure
Health as % social expenditure
Social Security & Welfare as % social expenditure
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Fiscal Budget database, 2008
MDV
NPL
LKA
AVG
Housing & Community Amenities as % social expenditure
Social Exp as % total expenditure
Social expenditure - sectoral allocation (% GDP)
Year 2005
32.50
30.00
27.50
25.00
22.50
% GDP
20.00
17.50
15.00
12.50
10.00
7.50
5.00
2.50
0.00
BGD
Education
BTN
Health
IND
MDV
Social Security & Welfare
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Fiscal Budget database, 2008
NPL
LKA
AVG
Housing & Community Amenities
Percent of total social sector expenditures allocated to education
Year 2002 to 2006
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
AFG
BGD
BHU
IND
2002
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Fiscal Budget database, 2008
2003
MDV
2004
2005
NEP
2006
LKA
AVG
Percent of total social sector expenditures allocated to health
Year 2002 to 2006
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
AFG
BGD
BHU
IND
2002
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Fiscal Budget database, 2008
2003
MDV
2004
2005
NEP
2006
LKA
AVG
Percent of total social sector expenditures allocated to social protection
Year 2002 to 2006
50.0%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
AFG
BGD
BHU
IND
2002
Source:
UNICEF ROSA, South Asia Fiscal Budget database, 2008
2003
MDV
2004
2005
NEP
2006
LKA
AVG
ROSA: Impact of Migration on
Children and Policy Options
Desk study on 8 countries to asses the
problem, survey existing policies and
develop policy ideas
 quantitative aspect: gauge number of children
affected
 qualitative aspects: impact on education, health,
protection
 policies and strategies in place
 To address impact of migration for migrant children, children
migrating with the family, children left behind
 To reduce the reliance on migration as the only source of
income in situations of distress
Regional migration study: Some
findings
• Health outcomes
– U5MR for children of urban migrants is 1.6 times higher than
children of urban natives, but 1.1 times better than rural non
migrants (Bangladesh case study)
• Education outcomes
– 40% of children in urban slum and settlements in Dhaka (mainly
inhabited by migrants) are out of school (Bangladesh case
study)
– 100,000 children in age group 9-15 drop out of school to go for
seasonal work (Case Study, South Rajasthan, India)
• Protection outcomes
– Single migrant children in urban centres are almost always
working on the streets and in the informal sector- rag picking,
vending, domestic work, etc. (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal,
Maldives)
The Study strengthens the evidence base for supporting the
idea of ‘portability of rights’
Partner Capacity Building: CRC/
CEDAW and WFFC Linkages
The CRC and CEDAW: two core rights conventions with clear
synergies and wide accession, that are rarely utilised together.
 Learning package of conceptual links and practical
approaches
 Inter-agency workshops led by UNFPA and UNICEF to
improve CEDAW reporting, incl. in Nepal
 South Asia
 World Fit for Children +5 South Asia (2008);
 SAARC child summit (2009);
 Various consultations to create awareness and advocacy
• This workshop
• opportunity to analyse poverty and
deprivation specific to South Asia and
• discuss policy options which are child
sensitive