Poverty and vulnerability in South Asia / the World Bank.

“June 2002”.

“Includes bibliographical references”—(p. 61-64).

Contents: Executive summary—I. Rationale for a social protection strategy—II. Targeting the vulnerable : windows and working children—III. Evaluating existing options for risk mitigation and coping—IV. Expanding options for risk mitigation and coping : saving, insurance and pension reform—V. Guidelines for a social protection strategy—List of references—Annex : Indicative list of activities in south Asia region with social protection component—Notes to the text—Boxes, figures and tables.

Summary: “The World Development Report (2000) and the consultations preceding it have focused attention on particularly important aspects of poverty—risk and vulnerability. The poor, especially, are subject to a variety of risks that affect their short-term well-being and long-term ability to climb out of poverty. Because they lack the ability to insure against risks, the poor often shape their behavior and decision-making to minimize exposure to risks, even at the cost of economic efficiency and long-term interest. Poverty and vulnerability are thus mutually reinforcing, each likely to aggravate the other as part of the bank’s recognition of this vulnerability and its consequences, this paper reviews what is known about the risk-coping and risk-mitigating behavior of the poor in South Asia, the support they receive from governments and NGOs and the bank’s contributions. It also presents suggestions for a strategy that integrates efforts to reduce poverty with efforts to overcome risk”—(p. vi).