Poverty, Growth, and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa
Poverty, Growth, and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Mr.Daouda Sembene

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-06-12

Total Pages: 37

ISBN-13: 1513592556

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Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have shown strong signs of growth resilience in the aftermath of the recent global crisis. Yet, this paper finds evidence that growth has more than proportionately benefited the top quintile during PRSP implementation. It finds that PRSP implementation has neither reduced poverty headcount nor raised the income share of the poorest quintile in Sub-Saharan Africa. While countries in other regions have been more successful in reducing poverty and increasing the income share of the poor, there is no conclusive evidence that PRSP implementation has played a role in shaping these outcomes.

Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa
Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Channing Arndt

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 499

ISBN-13: 019874479X

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While the economic growth renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognized, much less is known about progress in living conditions. This book comprehensively evaluates trends in living conditions in 16 major sub-Saharan African countries, corresponding to nearly 75% of the total population. A striking diversity of experience emerges. While monetary indicators improved in many countries, others are yet to succeed in channeling the benefits of economic growth into the pockets of the poor. Some countries experienced little economic growth, and saw little material progress for the poor. At the same time, the large majority of countries have made impressive progress in key non-monetary indicators of wellbeing. Overall, the African growth renaissance earns two cheers, but not three. While gains in macroeconomic and political stability are real, they are also fragile. Growth on a per capita basis is much better than in the 1980s and 1990s, yet not rapid compared with other developing regions. Importantly from a pan-African perspective, key economies-particularly Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa-are not among the better performers. Looking forward, realistic expectations are required. The development process is, almost always, a long hard slog. Nevertheless, real and durable factors appear to be at play on the sub-continent with positive implications for growth and poverty reduction in future.

Inequality, Gender Gaps and Economic Growth
Inequality, Gender Gaps and Economic Growth

Author: Ms.Dalia Hakura

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-06-08

Total Pages: 29

ISBN-13: 148438234X

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A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that inequality—income or gender related—can impede economic growth. Using dynamic panel regressions and new time series data, this paper finds that both income and gender inequalities, including from legal gender-based restrictions, are jointly negatively associated with per capita GDP growth. Examining the relationship for countries at different stages of development, we find that this effect prevails mainly in lower income countries. In particular, per capita income growth in sub-Saharan Africa could be higher by as much as 0.9 percentage points on average if inequality was reduced to the levels observed in the fastgrowing emerging Asian countries. High levels of income inequality in sub-Saharan Africa appear partly driven by structural features. However, the paper’s findings show that policies that influence the opportunities of low-income households and women to participate in economic activities also matter and, therefore, if well-designed and targeted, could play a role in alleviating inequalities.

Accelerating Poverty Reduction in Africa
Accelerating Poverty Reduction in Africa

Author: Kathleen Beegle

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2019-10-09

Total Pages: 451

ISBN-13: 1464812330

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Sub-Saharan Africa's turnaround over the past couple of decades has been dramatic. After many years in decline, the continent's economy picked up in the mid-1990s. Along with this macroeconomic growth, people became healthier, many more youngsters attended schools, and the rate of extreme poverty declined from 54 percent in 1990 to 41 percent in 2015. Political and social freedoms expanded, and gender equality advanced. Conflict in the region also subsided, although it still claims thousands of civilian lives in some countries and still drives pressing numbers of displaced persons. Despite Africa’s widespread economic and social welfare accomplishments, the region’s challenges remain daunting: Economic growth has slowed in recent years. Poverty rates in many countries are the highest in the world. And notably, the number of poor in Africa is rising because of population growth. From a global perspective, the biggest concentration of poverty has shifted from South Asia to Africa. Accelerating Poverty Reduction in Africa explores critical policy entry points to address the demographic, societal, and political drivers of poverty; improve income-earning opportunities both on and off the farm; and better mobilize resources for the poor. It looks beyond macroeconomic stability and growth—critical yet insufficient components of these objectives—to ask what more could be done and where policy makers should focus their attention to speed up poverty reduction. The pro-poor policy agenda advanced in this volume requires not only economic growth where the poor work and live, but also mitigation of the many risks to which African households are exposed. As such, this report takes a "jobs" lens to its task. It focuses squarely on the productivity and livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable—that is, what it will take to increase their earnings. Finally, it presents a road map for financing the poverty and development agenda.

Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa
Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Mr.Toshihiro Ichida

Publisher: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

Published: 2001-08-01

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781451853605

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This study confirms a strong and robust relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa. Employing a panel of 46 countries covering the period 1972-97, the analysis finds that a 10 percent increase in per capita GDP leads to a 1 percent increase in life expectancy, a 3-4 percent decline in infant mortality rates, and a 31⁄2-4 percent increase in the rate of gross primary school enrollment. The results are robust for high- and low-income, as well as fast- and slow-growth, countries. The study also finds that quality of growth, civil conflict, HIV/AIDs, civil and institutional freedom, and island economies are important control variables that help explain the variability of poverty across Africa. A country's latitude is not found to be a significant factor explaining life expectancy or infant mortality rates, though it is a significant factor explaining gross primary school enrollments.

Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa
Growth and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Channing Arndt

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780191805950

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While the economic growth renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognised, much less is known about progress in living conditions. This book evaluates trends in living conditions in 16 major sub-Saharan African countries, corresponding to nearly 75% of the total population.

The Disconcerting Pyramids of Poverty and Inequality of Sub-Saharan Africa
The Disconcerting Pyramids of Poverty and Inequality of Sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Paulo Silva Lopes

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 30

ISBN-13:

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Poverty and inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) should not be ascertained only on the basis of scarce and unreliable income distribution statistics, but should also take into account social conditions. Recent, widely disseminated claims that poverty and inequality have increased over the past 30 years are based on regional income estimates with falling medians and rising upper variances over that period. Graphically, this translates into pyramid-shaped income distributions that, perversely, shift to the left and widen over time. However, during the same period social indicators improved significantly (if insufficiently), and we argue in this paper that such a trend represents progress with social equity in SSA. This point is illustrated through the configuration of alternative "social pyramids" that move for most of the last 30 years in the right direction. However, more recently, social indicators are being set back by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which will generate greater and more dehumanizing poverty in the years ahead even if meaningful economic growth is achieved. As underscored by the multiplicity of "pyramid" representations, poverty and inequality time trends in SSA can thus best be described as disconcerting in that they remain arguably illusive and definitely disturbing.

Inequality, Gender Gaps and Economic Growth
Inequality, Gender Gaps and Economic Growth

Author: Dalia Hakura

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 30

ISBN-13:

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A growing body of empirical evidence suggests that inequality-income or gender related-canimpede economic growth. Using dynamic panel regressions and new time series data, this paperfinds that both income and gender inequalities, including from legal gender-based restrictions, arejointly negatively associated with per capita GDP growth. Examining the relationship for countriesat different stages of development, we find that this effect prevails mainly in lower incomecountries. In particular, per capita income growth in sub-Saharan Africa could be higher by as muchas 0.9 percentage points on average if inequality was reduced to the levels observed in the fastgrowingemerging Asian countries. High levels of income inequality in sub-Saharan Africa appearpartly driven by structural features. However, the paper's findings show that policies that influencethe opportunities of low-income households and women to participate in economic activities alsomatter and, therefore, if well-designed and targeted, could play a role in alleviating inequalities.