2001年-世界发展银行全球_Ukraine___Social_Safety_Nets_and_Poverty_Volume_2_68页_2mb

Ukraine: Social Safety Nets and Poverty Summary

Core Content

This document provides an in-depth analysis of poverty and social safety nets in Ukraine, focusing on the methodology used for measuring poverty, the distribution of income and expenditures, inequality measures, and the effectiveness of social programs. It is part of a World Bank report and includes various tables and charts to support the findings.

Main Viewpoints

• Survey Methodology: The report is based on the Ukrainian Survey of Income and Expenditure (SIE), which is conducted quarterly and includes over 9,000 households. The survey uses a representative sample of the non-institutional population, with adjustments for regional sampling and validity checks. The survey methodology is designed to reflect the current situation in Ukraine rather than facilitate cross-country comparisons.

• Income vs. Expenditure: The document emphasizes that expenditures are a more accurate measure of household wellbeing than income, especially in transition economies like Ukraine, where informal income is significant and often underreported. It also highlights that income and expenditure data are used in conjunction with in-kind transfers and subsidies.

• Equivalency Scales: The report discusses the use of different equivalency scales to adjust for household size and composition. Ukraine's scale is similar to the OECD scale, with weights assigned as follows:

  • First adult (and Group I and II disabled): 1.0
  • Second and subsequent adults: 0.7
  • Children (regardless of age): 0.5

  These scales affect the calculation of poverty lines and inequality measures, such as Gini coefficients.

• Poverty Lines: Two relative poverty lines are defined:

  • Basic Poverty Line: 75% of median expenditures (UAH 134.3 per month)
  • Extreme Poverty Line: 60% of median expenditures (UAH 107.5 per month)

  These lines are used to estimate the percentage of households in poverty and extreme poverty. The report also considers absolute and caloric-based poverty lines, but these are less practical due to their inaccuracy in identifying the poorest segments of the population.

• Poverty Incidence: Using the basic poverty line, 26.7% of Ukrainian households were found to be poor during the first three quarters of 1999, while 13.5% were classified as very poor. When using PPP-based lines, the poverty rate is much lower, indicating a significant difference in the measurement methods.

• Inequality Measures: The Gini coefficient is used to measure income and expenditure inequality. Ukraine's Gini coefficient for expenditures using the OECD scale is 0.27, and for income, it is 0.29. The report shows that inequality is relatively low, and that the inclusion of in-kind income and expenditures leads to lower Gini coefficients than when only monetary data are considered.

Key Information

Poverty Line and Inequality

• Poverty Line: The basic poverty line is 75% of median expenditures (UAH 134.3 per month), and the extreme poverty line is 60% of median expenditures (UAH 107.5 per month).
• Inequality: The Gini coefficient for expenditures is 0.27, and for income, it is 0.29. The report notes that inequality is relatively low, and that the use of in-kind data reduces the Gini coefficient compared to monetary-only data.

Survey Data and Participation

• The survey included 9,435 households, with the highest refusal rates in Kiev (42%), Odessa (27%), and Sevastopol (23%).
• The average household expenditure was UAH 204.5 per month, and the average income was UAH 148.9 per month, with a ratio of 1.37.

Social Safety Nets

• Social Privileges: The law "On the state budget of Ukraine for the year 2000" includes social privileges for war veterans, which are part of the safety net system.
• Housing Subsidies: The housing subsidy program is described, including the financial results of the housing and utilities sector.
• Family Benefits: Data on family allowances and targeted social assistance programs are provided, indicating the characteristics of recipients and the scale of assistance.

Coping Mechanisms

• Households engage in additional work and may use in-kind transfers and subsidies to cope with poverty.
• The report notes that in-kind income is significant, especially for lower-income households, and that the inclusion of such data improves the accuracy of poverty measurements.

Targeting and Financing

• Targeting Effectiveness: The report evaluates how different targeting mechanisms affect poverty reduction.
• Financing Sources: The social security system and social programs are funded through a mix of government budgets and other sources. The Employment Fund and social assistance programs are highlighted as key components of the safety net system.

Conclusion

The document concludes that household expenditures are a more reliable measure of poverty than income, especially in transition economies. It also highlights the importance of using equivalency scales to adjust for household size and composition. The findings suggest that the current poverty lines and social programs are not sufficient to address the needs of the poorest segments of the population, and that further improvements in targeting and financing are needed.