Poverty analysis

Poverty reduction is at the heart of all our work.  We recognise that certain groups within countries risk being left behind even when headline poverty rates fall. We support governments in developing effective interventions, which prioritise the groups that are most vulnerable and promote equity and inclusiveness.  

This focus on poverty and exclusion is particularly important as the world recovers from the Covid19 pandemic.  Global poverty is falling, but at a slower rate and with considerable risk of additional setbacks due to the intersection with accelerating climate change, increasing conflict, and global economic volatility.  

Developing sustainable and effective policies to support those living in or exposed to poverty, requires that policymakers understand not just historical trends but how the causes of poverty vary uniquely for people between contexts and over time.  We help governments and international development organisations to design and target inclusive poverty reduction policies by:  

• Working with leading academics to develop innovative approaches to welfare measurement, using big data and new analytical techniques to generate granular, high-frequency, low-cost poverty estimates;  
• Analysing the factors that explain how households fall into poverty, stay poor, or escape poverty; and
• Evaluating the impact of social protection and other poverty-focused social policies.