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Methodological issues in the measurement of poverty : an analysis of two poverty surveys in Lestho

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / Some digitised pages may appear cut off due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study analyses poverty and deprivation in Lesotho on the basis of data from two
comprehensive household surveys undertaken in 1993 and 1999. The aim of this
study was to create a better understanding of poverty and deprivation in Lesotho. The
analysis shows that the mountain areas of Lesotho suffer the worst levels of poverty
and inequality both in terms of income/consumption and non-income measures
compared to the other areas of the country. Poverty was found to be highest amongst
households with older heads and higher mean numbers of members. The poor were
found to suffer from lack of resources, access to education, basic services such as
clean water, proper sanitation facilities and modem energy sources, and have little
access to productive resources. The study uses an income-based definition of poverty
for most of the analysis. In addition, it develops a broad-based index of deprivation
including access to services, education, employment, income, and number of durable
assets and traditional wealth. While on average the two indicators correspond fairly
closely, the income poverty measure fails to capture those households that are
deprived of many of the non-income measures of well-being. The broader deprivation
measure provides a more comprehensive understanding of poverty. The conclusions
arrived at when the two measures are used show that the concepts and indicators that
one uses to measure poverty and deprivation matter a lot in identifying the poor since
different conceptions of poverty/deprivation identify different groups with different
characteristics as poor. The results also suggest the need for the use of different
measures of poverty. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
Hierdie studie analiseer armoede en deprivasie in Lesotho na aanleiding van twee
omvattende huishoudingopnames van 1993 en 1999. Die doel hiermee was om 'n
meer omvattende begrip van armoede en deprivasie in Lesotho te verkry. Die analise
toon dat die bergstreke van Lesotho, vergeleke met die res van die land, die hoogste
mate van armoede en ongelykheid het, soos gemeet deur beide inkomste/verbruik en
nie-inkomste gebaseerde maatstawwe van armoede. Armoede blyk die grootste te
wees in huishoudings met meerderjarige hoofde asook in huishoudings met gemiddeld
meer lede. Daar is ook gevind dat arm huishoudings gekenmerk word deur 'n gebrek
aan hulpbronne, toegang tot opvoeding en basiese dienste soos skoon water,
genoegsame sanitasiefasiliteite en moderne energiebronne, asook 'n beperkte toegang
tot produksiehulpbronne. Die studie maak grotendeels gebruik van 'n inkomstegebaseerde
definisie van armoede. 'n Breër indeks van deprivasie word ook ontwikkel
wat onder andere insluit: toegang tot dienste, opvoeding, werksgeleenthede, inkomste,
hoeveelheid bestendige bates en tradisionele rykdom. Alhoewel die twee indikatore
relatief goed ooreenstem, kon die inkomste-gebaseerde meting van armoede nie
daarin slaag om die huishoudings te onderskep wat geklassifiseer word as
gedepriveerd op verskeie nie-inkomste indikatore van welvaart nie. Die breër indeks
van deprivasie verskaf 'n meer omvattende begrip van armoede. Die gevolgtrekking
wat hieruit gemaak word, is dat die konsepte en indikatore wat gebruik word om
armoede en deprivasie te meet, van belang is in die identifisering van behoeftiges. Die
rede hiervoor is dat verskillende konsepsies van armoede/deprivasie verskillende
groepe met verskillende eienskappe identifiseer as behoeftiges. Die resultate
suggereer dus 'n behoefte vir die gebruik van verskillende maatstawwe van armoede.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52335
Date03 1900
CreatorsBloem, Jeanette
ContributorsMouton, Johann, Boshoff, S. C., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format129 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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