The Face of Chronic Poverty in Uganda As Seen by the Poor Themselves
The Face of Chronic Poverty in Uganda as seen by the Poor Themselves Charles Lwanga-Ntalea and Kimberley McCleanb Chronic Poverty Research Centre – Uganda, and aDevelopment Research and Training, PO Box 1599, Kampala, Uganda and bMaK A Di Consulting, PO Box 636, Mona Vale, NSW 1660, Australia Abstract: This study examines the factors influencing chronic poverty in Uganda. The findings are based on participatory poverty assessments conducted in 23 peri-urban / urban and 57 rural sites in 21 districts. It examines definitions of chronic poverty, the types of people who are chronically poor and why; opportunities and constraints for moving out of poverty; the effects of government policies; and suggestions for improvements. Chronic poverty was described as a state of perpetual need” “due to a lack of the basic necessities” and the “means of production”; social support; and feelings of frustration and powerlessness. For many, it was inter-generationally transmitted and of long duration. Multiple compounding factors, such as attitude, access to productive resources, weather conditions, HIV/AIDS, physical infirmity and gender, worsened the severity of poverty. The major categories of the chronically poor included the disabled, widows, chronic poor married women, street kids and orphans, the elderly, the landless, casual labourers, refugees and the internally displaced and youth. Factors that maintain the poor in poverty included the lack of productive assets, exploitation and discrimination, lack of opportunities, low education and lack of skills, ignorance, weather, disability or illness, and disempowerment. For the chronically poor, GOU policies and practices - taxation, land tenure, market liberalisation, civil service reform and privatisation - were reported to maintain them in poverty.
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