TARGETING THE POOR BEYOND GAZA OR THE WEST BANK: THE GEOGRAPHY OF POVERTY IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Claus Astrup and Sebastien Dessus ()
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Claus Astrup: World Bank

Region et Developpement, 2005, vol. 21, 173-197

Abstract: Despite its very limited size, the West Bank and Gaza is characterized by a remarkable diverse topography, climate and vegetation. In addition, as a result of the political situation in the region, there are considerable impediment to the movements of goods and people. Consequently, significant spatial differences in living standard may be expected. In this paper, we construct a detailed poverty map of the West Bank and Gaza, by estimating the incidence of poverty in 132 distinct localities. We derive the estimates by combining econometric analysis of the Palestinian Households Budget Survey with information contained in the Palestinian Census from 1997. Our results suggest that the incidence of poverty indeed differs greatly across localities. This indicates that it may be efficient to base targeting of the poor on the geography of poverty in the West Bank and Gaza. Specifically, we show that geographic targeting compares favorably, in terms of low leakage rates, to targeting mechanisms based on observable characteristics of potential beneficiaries. We also illustrate that targeting efficiency may be further improved by combing the two types of targeting mechanisms.

Keywords: PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES; POVERTY; PALESTINIAN HOUSEHOLD SURVEY (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 O18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Related works:
Working Paper: Targeting the Poor Beyond Gaza or the West Bank: The Geography of Poverty in the Palestinian Territories (2001)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tou:journl:v:21:y:2005:p:173-197

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