Why do we need to measure Poverty?
Some people might say that arguing about definitions and measures of poverty is splitting hairs: that in a country such as South Africa, the presence of poverty is so obvious that there is no reason to undergo complicated processes to measure and quantify poverty – instead we should be concentrating on doing something to eradicate the causes of poverty and to alleviate its effects. Everatt (2003) as cited by Meth in ‘Half Measures revisited- the ANC’s unemployment and poverty reduction goals’ (2006) describes poverty studies somewhat critically as:
“…..a small crafts industry… measuring poverty and deprivation (which) has now grown into a major transnational industry (in inverse proportion to poverty reduction)…”.
While the existence of poverty might be all too clear, it is also true that government is currently directing many billions of rands to social spending – and specifically on spending that is directed at poor people, such as the social grants programme. However, being able to measure aspects of poverty helps ground debate, and is essential as part of the design of policy and government interventions. Clarifying what we mean by poverty can contribute to effective poverty eradication in the following ways:
• By being able to measure poverty we can also begin to map geographically where poverty is more severe and so direct resources accordingly.
• By understanding the various dimensions of deprivations experienced by people living in poverty government can focus its resources on specific programmes, such as housing, basic services etc.
• By having a poverty measure we are able at appropriate intervals to evaluate whether the poverty programmes are being effective and moving people out of poverty and improving their well-being, both in the short term and over an extended period of time.
• By placing information about the levels of poverty and the resultant inequality in South Africa in the public domain we can build a national commitment to eradicate poverty that goes beyond government.
In addition, South Africa is bound by a number of international obligations to both adopt a poverty measure, and to work towards ending the current levels of poverty.
South Africa’s obligations under international treaties and the South African Constitution.