Why and how do some poor people move out of poverty and stay out of poverty while others remain trapped in chronic poverty? A follow-up to the Voices of the Poor study, Moving out of Poverty is a global study to explore how people move out of poverty or remained trapped in chronic poverty from the perspectives of the men, women and youth who have lived through these experiences. The study seeks to understand from the bottom-up factors that unleash poor people’s economic potential and support their transitions out of poverty. The global breadth of the study will enable examination of economic, social, political and institutional factors across diverse environments. Key questions this study will examine are:

• How and why do some men and women move out and stay out of poverty? Why do others fall into poverty or remain trapped in chronic poverty? Why are some able to maintain the little wealth that they have? What wealth maintenance strategies do people use?
• Do people experience mobility differently in areas of high and low economic growth? Does the extent of global integration affect mobility?
• Are there gender differences? How do gender relationships within the household condition movements out of poverty?
• Do networks and social identity matter in men's and women's upward climbs? Are there important social constraints that create and perpetuate inequalities in access to economic opportunities?
• Do the quality of local governance, "depth" of democracy and freedom make a difference? In what ways do local governments promote and/or inhibit poverty transitions?

In answering these questions, the study will explore people’s definitions and understandings of mobility, freedom, power, democracy and aspirations, and how these concepts link to building assets and creating wealth.