Public works programs in developing countries have the potential to reduce poverty

Laura Zimmermann

IZA World of Labor, 2014, No 25, 25

Abstract: Public works programs in developing countries can reduce poverty in the long term and help low-skilled workers cope with economic shocks in the short term. But success depends on a scheme’s design and implementation. Key design factors are: properly identifying the target population; selecting the right wage; and establishing efficient implementation institutions. In practice, rationing, corruption, mismanagement, and other implementation flaws often limit the effectiveness of public works programs.

Keywords: public works programs; poverty reduction; transfers; safety net; antipoverty program; shock mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H53 I38 J22 J23 J38 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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