MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY

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• MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY
• AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION
• The Case of Botswana
• By
• Sennye Obuseng
• HDRO Workshop, 26 September 2007
• Nairobi. Kenya

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The National Strategy for Poverty Reduction (NSP
R)
The NSPR of 2007 embraces a multidimensional view
of Poverty Botswanas conception of poverty empha
sises three dimensions Income poverty Capabilit
y poverty lack of education skills, ill
health, poor nutrition Participation poverty So
cial exclusion The dominant conception of poverty
is still that of income. Measure against which
Botswana has set targets and monitors poverty
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Income Poverty

• The headcount ratio was estimated at 31 in 2002
• Has been declining since measurement began in
  fiscal 85/86
  
• 59 in 1985
• 47 in 1992
• 31 in 2002
• 16 projected for 2016
• The proximate courses are seen as unemployment,
  lack of skills, lack of opportunities narrow
  economic base, a small and dispersed population
  
• Income poverty has a strong rural dimension.
• Governments response is too fold
• Sustainable quality jobs Growth is a priority
• Empowerment - Investment in education, skills and
  health
  

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Capability Poverty

• Concerned with two measure dimensions of poverty
• Education and skills development
• Universal access to 10 years of basic education
  now guaranteed
  
• College education is accessible
• Subsidised student loans for some subjects
  Social Sciences and the Arts
  
• Strong vocational system of vocational education
• Full grant support for science based programmes
• Whilst coverage is not a concern, quality is
• Health
• A strong public health programme physically and
  financially accessible health services
  
• A strong child nutrition programme
• Main challenge is HIV/AIDS
• Has driven a wedge between material wellbeing and
  overall wellbeing Botswanas HDI Rank is 63
  places below its per capita ranking
  
• Is eroding capacity system delivery capacity
• Strong response, emphasising both prevention and
  care

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Social Exclusion

• Though not adequately studied, it is acknowledged
  in the NSPR. Those who are excluded included
  are
  
• Poor people in general The NSPR thus explicitly
  calls advocates for the organisation of poor
  people so that they may acquire voice and
  visibility
• Particular ethnic minorities (i.e. the Basarwa) -
  A case of cultural dislocation from mainstream
  society
  
• Remote area dwellers Suffer some form of
  exclusion as a result of physical and economic
  isolation
  
• Government Response
• Special programmes for the Basarwa and Remote
  Area Dwellers
  
• Strong emphasis on infrastructure development
• Strong shift towards Community driven development
  Local Economic Development and Community
  Resilience.

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