The World Bank Is Fighting Poverty With Surveys
Surveys are one way that the world measures a variety of information. The aim of these data compilations is to improve the quality of a product or service provided.
When looking back on areas that have and have not been surveyed, the World Bank found that between 2002 and 2011, approximately 57 countries only had a 0-1-poverty estimate. So, how can a survey help fight poverty?
According to the World Bank, “Poverty-fighting efforts have long been constrained by a lack of data in many countries.” Without the proper information on how many people are actually struggling and where they are, it is hard to provide the necessary resources to effectively help.
In a report done in April of this year, the World Bank described what they are calling data deprivation. They stated that “the poor are often socially marginalized and voiceless, and the collection of objective and quantitative data is crucial in locating them and formulating policy to help them exit extreme deprivation.”
In order to gain better insight into what is going on in these countries, the World Bank has begun fighting poverty with surveys. They have committed to surveying the 78 poorest nations every three years.
The first round is expected to be completed by 2020. These surveys are expected to provide real in-depth information on poverty issues in each country surveyed.
“Without having the data you cannot do anything about it or you don’t know what’s going on,” said Umar Serajuddin, World Bank member, in a video entitled “My Favorite Number: 77 Reasons We Need Poverty Data.”
Knowing what is actually taking place is the first step in alleviating the poverty crisis in order to succeed in moving forward.
Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank Group head, has expressed his optimism in the project’s undertaking.
“Poverty isn’t something that should be considered as perpetual,” Kim said.
Poverty has already begun to decrease. With data information, this progress is expected to continue.
– Katherine Martin
Sources: World Bank 1, World Bank 2, YouTube, Inquisitr
Photo: Flickr