Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

CHAPTER 3THE POVERTY PROFILEIn the development of the ANDS Governmenthas adopted evidence based policy making,through detailed poverty diagnostic work,within which to understand the causes and effectsof poverty. Based on this analysis wehave been able to develop the ANDS as a propoorgrowth strategy. By pro-poor, the Governmentmeans making investments that havea preferential impact on bringing poor peopleout of extreme poverty through the adoption ofgrowth enabling policies and targeted socialprotection investments. This means that Afghanistanaims to achieve pro-poor growth,where the incomes and livelihoods of the poorestrise faster than the average growth of theeconomy. Key findings of the Governments1386 (2007) National Risk and VulnerabilityAssessment (NRVA) indicates the poverty rateat 42 percent (or 12 million people) were livingbelow the poverty line, with incomes of aboutUS$14 per month per capita. Moreover, foodpoverty was estimated to be around 45 percentof people who were therefore unable to purchasesufficient food to guarantee the worldstandard minimum food intake of 2,100cal/day. Furthermore, 20 percent of peoplewere slightly above the poverty line indicatinghigh vulnerability.In addition to the high incidence of consumptiondisparity, there is a significant differencein poverty levels between provinces, and betweenrural (36 percent) and urban (21 percent)communities. For example, the depth of poverty(the poverty gap) in the Northeast appearsto be higher than in the South whereas the averagedistance between the poor and the povertyline seems to be larger in Badakhshan thanin Zabul. Parwan and Logar provinces havepoverty rates of less than 10 percent while Daikundihas a poverty rate of 77 percent and thelowest level of welfare among all groups, arewomen and Kuchis. Gender inequality is animportant characteristic of poverty in Afghanistan.The vast majority of women do not participatein paid economic activities makingthem highly dependable on their husbands orfamilies. The literacy rate among women beingmuch lower (19 percent) than for men (40 percent)and, the net primary school enrolmentrate for girls (6-9) is around 21 percent whilemuch higher for boys (28 percent).DATA COLLECTION,POVERTY MEASUREMENTSAND ESTIMATESThe Government has undertaken extensive assessmentsto improve understanding of thedeterminants of poverty and the impacts ofgrowth and poverty reduction programs ondifferent income groups. In addition to theNRVA studies, the Government has relied oninformation from the Participatory Poverty Assessmentsconducted by ACBAR (Agency CoordinatingBody for Afghan Relief) and theFCCS (Foundation for Culture and Civil Society).ACBAR launched the Afghanistan PilotParticipatory Poverty Assessment (APPPA) inseveral provinces to enhance collective understandingof different poverty perspectives, itsanalysis and formulation into the ANDS povertyreduction strategy.Data Collection: National Risk andVulnerability AssessmentsInformation on the specific nature of poverty inAfghanistan is restricted by the considerablequality and quantity limitations, with theNRVA comprising the majority of informationavailable. These have been based on limitedhousehold surveys. The 2005 NRVA coveredapproximately 31,000 households, allowingnational and provincial poverty rates to be assessed.While the 2005 NRVA survey was asubstantial improvement on previous studies,it also had several weaknesses with only oneThe Poverty Profile 27