Voices of the Poor : From Many Lands

by Deepa Narayan; Patti Patesch

• ISBN13: 9780195216035
• ISBN10: 0195216032
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-21
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Summary

The 'Voices of the Poor' series consists of three volumes which present the findings of a multicountry research initiative to understand poverty from the perspective of the poor. The project was undertaken for the World Development Report 2000/2001 called 'Attacking Poverty' (ISBN: 0195211294). Using participatory and qualitative research methods, the series gathers the views, experiences and aspirations of more than 60,000 men and women from 60 countries who live in poverty. This final volume in the series contains 14 country case studies which consider the diversity of the experiences of poverty throughout the world. It discusses four major patterns that emerge from the different regions and contexts studied. The book concludes by setting out a vision of development which focuses on five areas of action to increase the assets and capabilities of poor people, and so empower them to move out of poverty. The other volumes in the series are: 'Can Anyone Hear Us?' (2000, ISBN: 0195216016) and 'Crying Out for Change' (2000, ISBN: 0195216024).

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	1	(16)
Methodological Framework and Study Process	2	(5)
Study Background	2	(1)
Research Partnerships	3	(1)
Sampling Framework	4	(1)
Data Analyses	5	(1)
Follow-up	6	(1)
Challenges in Writing and Editing this Book	7	(1)
The Importance of Context Specificity	8	(4)
Organization of the Book	12	(5)
Ghana --- ``Empty Pockets''	17	(34)
Hunger and Illbeing	20	(10)
No Money	23	(1)
Diverse Obstacles to Farming	24	(3)
Joblessness	27	(1)
Coping	28	(2)
Government Is Important, but Its Help Falls Short	30	(8)
Missing Basic Services	31	(4)
Faith in Chiefs and Churches	35	(2)
Little Regard for NGOs	37	(1)
Growing Responsibilities for Women, but Few Rights	38	(4)
Economic Gains?	39	(2)
Widespread Gender Violence	41	(1)
Conclusion	42	(9)
Malawi --- Tangled Web	51	(34)
Doing Well and Doing Poorly: No Plate-Drying Rack	54	(2)
Caught in a Web of Misery	56	(17)
Empty Stomachs	56	(1)
Early Marriage, High Fertility, and Less Land	57	(1)
Costly Fertilizers and Devalued Currency	58	(1)
Precarious Jobs	59	(1)
Weather Vagaries	60	(1)
No Credit	61	(2)
Inadequate Water and Roads	63	(1)
The Reach for Schooling	64	(1)
Endangered Health	65	(2)
Divorced and Widowed Women	67	(1)
Children Left Behind without Hope	68	(1)
Theft and Other Crime	69	(2)
Trapped in the Tangle	71	(2)
A Few Break Free	73	(2)
Turning to Each Other	75	(2)
Conclusion	77	(8)
Nigeria --- Illbeing and Insecurity	85	(28)
Downward Slide	88	(3)
Poor Governance	91	(3)
Poorly Functioning Private Sector	92	(2)
Religious and Community-Based Institutions: Trusted but Noninclusive	94	(2)
Illbeing	96	(7)
Bodily Risks	97	(1)
Eroding Physical Environemnt and Dilapidated Infrastructure	98	(1)
Seasonal Stresses	98	(1)
Crime and Conflict	99	(1)
Education's Mixed Promise	100	(2)
Signs of Hope	102	(1)
The Gulf of Gender Inequities	103	(3)
Domestic Violence	104	(1)
The Stigma of Women without Men	105	(1)
Conclusion	106	(7)
Bangladesh --- Waves of Disaster	113	(34)
Poor People's Many Risks	116	(14)
Hunger, Weakness, and Poor Health	118	(2)
Lack of Assets	120	(2)
Insecure Livelihoods	122	(4)
Floods and Erosion	126	(1)
Crime, Violence, and Police Harassment	127	(1)
Dowry	128	(2)
Sources of Vulnerability and Abuse of Women	130	(3)
Institutions in Bangladesh	133	(5)
Failing Grades for Local Government	133	(1)
Dependence on Moneylenders	134	(1)
NGOs: Reliable and Trustworthy	135	(2)
Religious Institutions: Important but Limited	137	(1)
Conclusion	138	(9)
India --- Gains and Stagnation in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh	147	(34)
Experiences of Wellbeing and Illbeing	152	(8)
Criteria of Wellbeing	152	(4)
Community Problems and Priorities	156	(4)
Mixed Trends	160	(1)
Contribution of Institutions to Wellbeing	161	(9)
Leading Institutions in Netarhat	161	(1)
State Institutions	162	(5)
Local Institutions	167	(3)
Gender Relations	170	(3)
More Varied Livelihoods	171	(1)
Changes in Household Decision Making	171	(1)
Domestic Violence	172	(1)
Still a Long Way to Go	173	(1)
Conclusion	173	(8)
Indonesia --- Coping with Vulnerability and Crisis	181	(32)
Exposed on Many Fronts	184	(9)
Market Shocks	185	(3)
Lack of Assets and Access to Common Property Resources	188	(2)
Remoteness, Isolation, and Lack of Bargaining Power	190	(1)
Seasonal and Environmental Stresses and Shocks	191	(2)
Reducing Insecurity: Role of Formal and Informal Institutions	193	(9)
Little Trust in Public Institutions	193	(6)
Struggling to Get Credit: Formal and Informal Sources	199	(1)
Building Informal Survival Networks	200	(2)
Gender Relations Increase Women's Vulnerability	202	(5)
Improvements over Time	203	(1)
The Devastation of Divorce	204	(1)
Domestic Abuse Declining but Still Prevalent	205	(2)
Conclusion	207	(6)
Bosnia and Herzegovina --- War-Torn Lives	213	(26)
Loss upon Loss	216	(4)
Physical and Emotional Suffering	217	(1)
Destruction of the Middle Class	217	(1)
The War Is to Blame	218	(2)
Unemployment and the Collapse of Industry	220	(1)
The Displaced: Seeking House and Home	221	(2)
Organizing in Glogova	221	(1)
Squalor in Tombak	222	(1)
Displaced People in Capljina	223	(1)
Struggling to Cope	223	(4)
New Roles for Women and Men	224	(1)
Violence in the Home	225	(1)
Young People Lose Hope	226	(1)
Nowhere to Turn	227	(6)
The Failure of State Institutions	227	(2)
Business Owners, War Profiteers, and Returnees	229	(2)
Humanitarian Aid Falters	231	(1)
Relying on Relatives Near and Far	232	(1)
Conclusion	233	(6)
Bulgaria --- Reeling from Change	239	(36)
The Struggling Majority	242	(9)
Unkept Promises	245	(1)
Unemployment: The Double Loss	246	(1)
Alienation and Humiliation	247	(1)
``We Are Like Refuse'': Child Outcasts	248	(3)
Continuing Struggles for Minorities	251	(3)
Navigating the Changes	254	(4)
The Return to Subsistence Agriculture	254	(1)
The ``Real'' Economy	255	(3)
The Helpful Institutions: ``Your Own People''	258	(7)
State Institutions	259	(5)
NGOs Stepping In	264	(1)
The Legacy of Patriarchy	265	(3)
Conclusion	268	(7)
Kyrgyz Republic --- Crumbling Support, Deepening Poverty	275	(26)
Kok Yangak, a Town in Crisis	279	(1)
Communities in Struggle	280	(6)
Precarious Livelihoods	282	(1)
Absence of Basic Infrastructure	283	(2)
Mounting Social Problems	285	(1)
Limited Institutional Support	286	(5)
State Institutions: Fractured and Lacking Accountability	286	(4)
Social Networks: Invaluable but Stretched	290	(1)
Conflicting Gender Roles	291	(5)
Unsettled Times for Households	292	(1)
Reports of Domestic Abuse	293	(2)
Women and Men in Society	295	(1)
Conclusion	296	(5)
The Russian Federation --- Struggling against the Tide	301	(32)
The New Poor and the New Elite	305	(5)
The Unraveling of a ``Normal Life''	305	(3)
The ``New Russians''	308	(2)
Struggling to Hang On	310	(7)
Delayed Wages, Vanishing Jobs	310	(2)
Informal Work and Subsistence Agriculture	312	(1)
Lawlessness and Ineffective Police	313	(2)
Alcoholism	315	(1)
Health Risks	316	(1)
Decaying Governance	317	(7)
Bureaucratic Disintegration and Corruption	319	(2)
The Private Sector	321	(1)
Civic and Religious Groups	322	(1)
Family and Friends	322	(2)
Women's Increasing Responsibilities	324	(2)
Conclusion	326	(7)
Argentina --- Life Used to Be Better	333	(30)
Lost Livelihoods and the New Labor Markets	337	(2)
Insecurity and Struggling Families	339	(8)
Gender Roles Overturned	341	(2)
Abuse at Home	343	(1)
Effects on the Next Generation	344	(3)
Pervasive Crime	347	(2)
Police Brutality	348	(1)
Safer Places in the Countryside	349	(1)
Limited Community and Governmental Responses to Poverty	349	(6)
Community-Based Actions and Partnerships	350	(3)
Government Helps Poor People Survive	353	(2)
Problems beyond Poor Communities	355	(1)
Conclusion	356	(7)
Brazil --- Gains and Losses in the Favelas	363	(32)
Joblessness, Underemployment, and Workplace Abuses	366	(3)
Life amid Violence	369	(8)
Fear in the Streets	369	(2)
Fear in the Home	371	(4)
Violence, Substance Abuse, and Children	375	(2)
Poverty, Power, and Social Class	377	(2)
Poor Brazilians' Interactions with Institutions	379	(10)
What Works and What Doesn't in Novo Horizonte	381	(2)
Progress in the Favelas	383	(3)
Self-Help in Brazilian Favelas	386	(3)
Conclusion	389	(6)
Ecuador --- The Perils of Poverty	395	(34)
Problems and Priorities	398	(10)
Hunger	398	(1)
Livelihood and Property Insecurity	399	(4)
Violence and Race	403	(1)
Interlocking Environmental Risks	404	(3)
Striving for Education	407	(1)
Encounters with Institutions	408	(9)
Government Services	409	(3)
NGOs and Churches	412	(1)
Community Action	413	(4)
Gender Dynamics in the Family	417	(3)
Conclusion	420	(9)
Jamaica --- Island in a Turbulent World	429	(32)
Buffeted by Global Forces	432	(7)
Scarce Livelihoods	432	(4)
Extreme Weather and Environmental Change	436	(1)
The Local and Global Drug Trade	437	(2)
The Struggle for a Better Life	439	(4)
Going Away to Get By	439	(1)
Local Entrepreneurship	440	(1)
Education Loses Its Appeal	441	(2)
Poor People and Public Services	443	(3)
Government and ``Polittricks''	443	(2)
Valued Institutions in Little Bay	445	(1)
A Caring Culture under Strain	446	(6)
Helping the Young and Less Fortunate	447	(1)
Resisting Crime and Conflict	448	(2)
Maroon Traditions under Stress	450	(2)
Women Reach for Independence and Security	452	(3)
Conclusion	455	(6)
Conclusion --- An Empowering Approach to Poverty Reduction	461	(34)
Poor People's Assets and Capabilities	462	(9)
Material Assets	462	(2)
Bodily Health	464	(1)
Bodily Integrity	464	(1)
Emotional Integrity	465	(1)
Respect and Dignity	466	(1)
Social Belonging	467	(1)
Cultural Identity	467	(2)
Imagination, Information, and Education	469	(1)
Organizational Capacity	469	(1)
Political Representation and Accountability	470	(1)
Impact of Economic Turmoil and Policy Changes	471	(6)
Economy-wide Stresses, Deteriorating Livelihoods and Incomes	472	(3)
Rising Prices	475	(1)
Crumbling Public Services	476	(1)
The Culture of Mediating Institutions: State, Market, and Civic	477	(3)
Corruption	477	(1)
Clientelism and Patronage	478	(1)
Lawlessness, Crime, and Conflict	478	(1)
Discriminatory Behavior	479	(1)
Alienation and Hopelessness	480	(1)
Households under Stress	480	(7)
The Persistent Insecurity of Women	481	(2)
``Let the Children Be All Right''	483	(4)
Addressing State Failure: An Empowering Approach to Development	487	(8)
Promote Pro-poor Economic Policies	488	(1)
Invest in Poor People's Assets and Capabilities	489	(1)
Support Partnerships with Poor People	490	(1)
Address Gender Inequity and Children's Vulnerability	491	(1)
Protect Poor People's Rights	492	(3)
Appendix 1 --- Development Indicators for Fourteen Country Case Studies	495	(6)
Appendix 2 --- Country Currencies and the 1999 Exchange Rate	501	(2)
Appendix 3 --- Overview of Study Themes and Methods	503