Characteristics and causes of severe poverty and hunger

Understanding the characteristics of the world’s poorest and hungry, and the reasons why their deprivation persists, is important when designing policies to meet their needs and improve their welfare. This brief contributes to this understanding by analyzing household data and reviewing empirical research in 20 countries: Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Zambia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Peru, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The characteristics considered here are limited to those that can be compared across countries, at least to some extent. The findings indicate that the poorest often live in remote rural areas; are more likely to be ethnic minorities; and have less education, fewer assets, and less access to markets. Remoteness, exclusion, and lack of education are especially likely to characterize those living on less than 50 cents a day. Location, unexpected and unfortunate events, and the dynamics of poverty traps and exclusion all have a role to play in explaining deprivation.