Measuring Progress Towards Global Poverty Goals: Challenges and Lessons from Southern Africa

African Statistical Journal, Vol. 3, November 2006

22 Pages Posted: 11 Feb 2007

See all articles by Sebastian Levine

Sebastian Levine

United Nations Development Programme

Abstract

This paper draws on the work in Lesotho and Namibia of tracking progress towards cutting poverty in half by 2015, which is the key poverty target of the Millennium Development Goals. The paper serves at least two purposes. Firstly, it outlines the steps and methodological considerations involved in selecting appropriate national indicators and targets for measuring income poverty using household surveys and poverty lines based on observed consumption patterns. Secondly, it highlights some practical lessons and challenges for policy makers in southern Africa when they attempt to access and analyse poverty data under less than ideal circumstances.

Keywords: Income poverty, poverty line, household budget survey, Millennium Development Goals

JEL Classification: I32, O50

Suggested Citation

Levine, Sebastian, Measuring Progress Towards Global Poverty Goals: Challenges and Lessons from Southern Africa. African Statistical Journal, Vol. 3, November 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=961817

Sebastian Levine (Contact Author)

United Nations Development Programme ( email )

Namibia

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
104
Abstract Views
734
Rank
466,166
PlumX Metrics