The FINANCIAL — A new report released by the National Observatory on Poverty and Social Exclusion (ONPES) and the World Bank suggests the need for more inclusive growth and policies to increase access to basic services, livelihood opportunities and social protection for the poor in Haiti as the best way forward for accelerating poverty reduction in the country. The report Haiti: Investing in people to fight poverty highlights that extreme poverty declined from 31 to 24 percent at the national level and from 20 to 5 percent in the Port-au-Prince area between 2000 and 2012. The biggest gains in access to basic services have been in education, where school participation rates have risen from 78 to 90 percent, according to the World Bank Group.
“It is clear that the Metropolitan area received more attention in recent years, but we also note that more and more actions are directed to the provinces. If these actions are sustained and integrated into a comprehensive policy to foster development of rural areas, we will undoubtedly have a lower poverty rate, “said Shirley Augustine Coordinator ONPES.
However, poverty remains high and access and quality of basic services remains a major concern, particularly in rural areas. More than 6 million Haitians – almost 60 percent of the population – live on two dollars a day and the richest 20 percent of households hold 64 percent of total income in the country.
The authors find that the key drivers behind the decline in poverty since 2000 have been the increase of better paid jobs in construction, transport and telecommunication, particularly in the Port-au-Prince area, as well as large flows of remittances and international aid.
From 2001 to 2012, wages in the formal sector were four times higher than in the agriculture sector, and the share of households receiving remittances rose from 42 to 69 percent, according to the World Bank Group.
“In spite of progress, opportunities for Haitian families to improve their economic and social status remain limited compared to the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. Far from the capital, most families have very limited access to basic services and often cannot afford to cover their medical bills or send their children to school,” said Mary Barton-Dock, World Bank Special Envoy in Haiti. “Nearly five years after the devastating earthquake, this analysis highlights priority actions to help tackle poverty and promote inclusive growth in the country,” she added.
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