ETHNIC MINORITIES AND RURAL POVERTY IN LAO PDR

Anders Engvall

No 232, EIJS Working Paper Series from Stockholm School of Economics, The European Institute of Japanese Studies

Abstract: Ethnic minorities have a significantly higher poverty incidence than the majority in Lao PDR. Based on survey data the determinants of minority poverty are analyzed, the sources of inequality decomposed, and the expected impact of polices to address minority poverty estimated. Minority poverty is found to be due to limited access to resources, while minority resource use tends to be efficient. Yet, large differences in resource use between the minority groups are found. Decomposition shows that unequal access to resources and demographic variables largely explain the majority-minority poverty gap. A strategy for alleviating minority poverty in the Lao PDR is suggested: (1) broad policies covering education, infrastructure and agricultural development can address poverty among ethnic minorities; (2) policies should be tailored to the needs of the individual minority groups.

Keywords: Lao PDR; Laos; poverty; ethnic minorities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 J15 O12 O53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2007-04-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev and nep-sea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:eijswp:0232

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