2012年-世界发展银行全球_Poverty_in_MENA___Advances_and_Challenges_3页_705kb

MENA Poverty: Advances and Challenges (April 2012 – Number 64)

Introduction: Summary of Global Poverty Rates

On February 29, 2012, the World Bank released updated poverty estimates that are internationally comparable. Poverty is measured against two lines: $1.25 and $2 per day per capita (in 2005 PPP terms). Between 1990 and 2008, the proportion of the global population living below the $1.25 per day line dropped significantly from 43.1% to 22.4%, although the absolute number of poor people remained high at 1.29 billion due to population growth.

Poverty Trends in the MENA Region

• Poverty Rate Reduction: The MENA region has made notable progress in reducing extreme poverty. In 2008, the percentage of the population living below the $1.25 per day line was 2.7%, compared to 5.7% in 1990.
• Poverty Line Applicability: The $1.25 poverty line is based on the world's poorest countries and does not reflect the economic context of the MENA region. A more suitable benchmark for the region is the $2 per day line, which is the median poverty line for developing countries.
• $2 per Day Poverty Line: In 2008, 14% of the MENA population lived below the $2 per day line. This is relatively low compared to other regions, with only the Europe and Central Asia region having lower rates. The percentage of people living below this line decreased from about 25% in 1990 to 14% in 2008.
• Population of the Poor: The number of people living below the $2 per day line in the MENA region declined from 53 million in 1990 to 44.4 million in 2008, despite population growth.

Regional Variations in Poverty

• Low Poverty Rates in Some Countries: In Jordan and Tunisia, less than 10% of the population lived below the $2 per day line in 2008.
• High Poverty Rates in Others: In contrast, Djibouti and Yemen had over 30% of their populations living below the $2 per day line, making them the only MENA countries likely to fail in meeting the MDG target of halving extreme poverty between 1990 and 2015.
• Vulnerability to Poverty: A large portion of the population in the MENA region lives just above the poverty line. For example, 17% of Egyptians, 15% of Yemenis, 14% of Iraqis, and 10% of Moroccans live on no more than 50 cents above the $2 per day line.

Challenges in Data Collection and Availability

• Data Gaps: The accuracy of poverty estimates in the MENA region is limited due to the lack of regular and timely household survey data.
• Slow Data Sharing: Few MENA countries provide full and timely access to their primary household data to the World Bank. Some countries have improved access, but not all.
• Outdated Surveys: For several countries, the 2008 poverty estimates were based on surveys conducted many years earlier, which may not reflect current conditions.
• Improvement in Data Coverage: While data coverage has improved over time in all regions, the MENA region continues to lag behind, especially compared to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Conclusion

The MENA region has shown progress in reducing poverty, particularly in terms of the proportion of the population living below the $1.25 per day line. However, the region still faces significant challenges in data collection and access, which affect the accuracy of poverty estimates. The use of the $2 per day line as a more appropriate benchmark highlights the need for region-specific poverty indicators. Additionally, the presence of post-conflict and fragile states in the region increases its vulnerability to economic shocks.

Key Figures

• $1.25 per day poverty line:

  • 1990: 5.7%
  • 2008: 2.7%

• $2 per day poverty line:

  • 1990: ~25%
  • 2008: 14%
  • Population below $2 per day: 53 million (1990) to 44.4 million (2008)

• Countries with high poverty rates:

  • Djibouti and Yemen: Over 30% of population below $2 per day

• Vulnerability to poverty:

  • Egyptians: 17%
  • Yemenis: 15%
  • Iraqis: 14%
  • Moroccans: 10%

• Poverty Line Increase to $4 per Day:

  • Share of poor population jumps to 53%

Contact Information

• Director: Laura Tuck, Strategy and Operations, MENA Region, The World Bank
• Regional Quick Notes Team: Omer Karasapan, Roby Fields
• Tel: (202) 473 8177

Notes

• The MNA Quick Notes summarize lessons learned from the World Bank's knowledge and learning activities.
• The Notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Board, or its member countries.