2009年-世界发展银行全球_Mexico_-_Improving_Productivity_for_the_Urban_Poor_74页_4mb

报告摘要

Summary of "Mexico: Improving Productivity for the Urban Poor"

Core Content

This document provides an analysis of urban poverty in Mexico, focusing on the labor market characteristics, human capital endowments, and the effectiveness of government programs aimed at reducing poverty. It is part of a World Bank initiative to support the Secretaría de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL) in refining its poverty reduction strategies, with an emphasis on improving productivity and employment opportunities for the urban poor.

Main Findings

Poverty Trends: Poverty levels in Mexico have declined since the mid-1990s peso crisis, but the urban poor still face significant challenges. In 2006, 7.5% of the urban population was extremely poor, and 36% was moderately poor, which is much lower than the rural poor (24% and 54% respectively). However, the urban poor remain vulnerable to labor market shocks.
Human Capital Barriers: The urban poor have lower education levels and lower quality of education compared to non-poor individuals. This limits their ability to access better-paying jobs and reduces the effectiveness of education-based poverty reduction programs like Oportunidades.
Labor Market Insertion: The urban poor are more likely to be in the informal sector and have lower employment rates in the formal sector. They also have higher self-employment rates and rely more on in-kind income (e.g., food, housing) rather than monetary income.
Productivity and Wages: Real wages for the urban poor remain low, and the labor market has not seen significant productivity gains. The poor are more likely to be employed in low-productivity sectors, which exacerbates their economic vulnerability.
Program Evaluation: The conditional cash transfer program Oportunidades has had a positive impact on health, education, and nutrition, but could be improved to better address urban-specific needs, such as adjusting transfer amounts and targeting higher education levels.

Key Programs and Policies

SEDESOL Programs

Oportunidades: A conditional cash transfer program that has had a positive impact on education and health outcomes. However, it could be better tailored to urban needs, including pre-school education and addressing inter-urban disparities.
Programa Hábitat: A housing program that has faced challenges in targeting and resource allocation. It needs to focus more on community participation and neighborhood investment planning.
Daycare Program to Assist Working Mothers: Likely to increase female labor force participation, especially if high-quality daycare services are provided. This is critical as the urban poor have higher dependency ratios and often rely on female employment to cope with income shocks.

STPS Programs

Programa de Primer Empleo: A program that subsidizes non-wage costs for individuals without social security. It may have an initial positive effect on employment, but its long-term impact is uncertain. Further evaluation is needed.
Sistema de Apoyos Económicos a Buscadores de Empleo (SAEBE): Should expand services to informal workers and firms to better address the needs of the urban poor.

Main Challenges and Recommendations

Labor Market Distortions: High non-wage labor costs, hiring/firing rigidities, and weak social protection systems hinder employment creation and poverty reduction. Reforms in these areas are crucial.
Targeting and Design: Social programs should be well-targeted and avoid creating additional labor market distortions. Simplifying eligibility criteria and using evidence-based targeting can enhance effectiveness.
Human Capital Development: Improving education and health outcomes is key to enhancing productivity and reducing poverty. Quality of education should be prioritized, as it has a greater impact on economic growth than just enrollment.
Informality and Self-Employment: The urban poor are more likely to be in informal employment and self-employment. These should be addressed through targeted support and training programs.
Program Coordination: SEDESOL and STPS should coordinate more closely to ensure that programs reach the poor and contribute to their productivity and employment opportunities.

Conclusion and Future Work

The report concludes that while poverty levels have improved, the urban poor still face significant barriers in the labor market. Improving the legal and regulatory framework, enhancing the quality of education, and better targeting social programs are essential for long-term poverty reduction. Future work includes reviewing international evidence and developing implications for social development and poverty reduction policies in Mexico.

Tables and Figures

Table 1: Mexican labor costs in international perspective.
Table 2: Labor costs in Latin America.
Table 3: Education scholarship monthly amounts (July-December 2006).
Table 4: Monthly maximum amount per family (July-December 2007).
Table 5: Distribution of inputs.
Table 6: Subsidy depending on salary.
Table 7: Poverty lines.
Table 8: Extreme poverty (pobreza alimentaria).
Table 9: Intermediate poverty (pobreza de capacidades).
Table 10: Moderate poverty (pobreza de patrimonio).
Table 11: Poverty measures by city size (1992-2006).
Table 12: Characteristics of households - urban.
Table 13: Labor market characteristics of the urban extreme poor (percentage).
Table 14: Income sources - urban.
Table 15: Income sources - urban, extreme poor (in 2006 Mexican pesos).
Table 16: Income sources - urban, non-poor (in 2006 Mexican pesos).
Table 17: Income sources - urban, by income quintile (in 2006 Mexican pesos).
Table 18: Poverty incidence by education level.
Table 19: Dependency ratios - extreme poor.
Figure 1: Human capital endowments of the extreme poor (education).
Figure 2: School attendance by age and poverty status (urban extreme poverty, percentage), 2006.
Figure 3: Income sources in urban areas.
Figure 4: Real hourly wages by education level, 1987-2004.
Figure 5: Real hourly wages by sector, 1987-2004.
Figure 6: Real hourly wages by firm size, 1987-2004.
Figure 7: Creation of formal sector jobs in Mexico and new entrants into the labor force: 1990-2006.
Figure 8: Type of employment, 1987-2004.
Figure 9: Informality rates rise with labor market rigidity.
Figure 10: Distribution of workers' years insured by IMSS, 1997-2005, for low and high wage workers in IMSS in 1997.
Figure 11: Beneficiaries' activities.