The economic crisis in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) over the past decade, and the associated increase in poverty, have been well documented. The rise in income or expenditure poverty has resulted from the loss of enterprise jobs, the decline of agriculture, and cutbacks in public sector employment.  Many elements of the safety net, such as housing and public services provided by government and formerly provided by state enterprises have sharply deteriorated, resulting also in deprivation in terms of the non-income aspects of well-being.  The effects of these phenomena on the urban population have been particularly stark—resulting in more dramatic rates of urban poverty in ECA than in other low or middle-income countries—an outcome that has been less well researched. 

The aim of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of the extent and nature of poverty in urban areas of this region, giving particular attention to the disparities within urban areas between capital cities and secondary cities (drawing comparisons with rural areas where this is useful), and focusing on dimensions of poverty related to provision of network infrastructure and energy services in cities.   The paper is intended to fill gaps in knowledge about access of the poor to infrastructure and energy services, and about urban poverty across the region, by systematically using available survey data to develop a regional profile of these dimensions of poverty.  The study was prepared as an input into infrastructure strategy and ECA poverty work and, as such, was intended to be of use to Bank staff and other professional interested in the regional urban development.

 

Table of contents

1. Introduction (pdf, 145 kb)

2. Measurement and Data Issues (pdf, 146 kb)

4. Revisiting the extent and nature of urban poverty (pdf, 937 kb)

5. Conclusion (pdf, 139 kb)

 

Print full text of the report: pdf, 906 kb

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