Contemporary Approach to eliminate extreme poverty and ...



Extreme Poverty Assessment in Poor localities- A Survey in Pakistan-2015 Zohra JabeenYoko KusunoseAbstract:Poverty line is an artificial measure for describing the poverty of the poor. The household surveys based on country wide samples describe the estimated numbers of population below poverty line. They fail to capture the peculiarities of poor population at the extreme end of poverty, suffering from hunger, starvation and extreme miseries. The peculiar issues that these people suffer from, do not surface in the National Surveys nor are reflected in the poverty line figures. This study is addressed exclusively to extreme poor for whom hunger and starvation is norm. They are at the bottom of the poor of the poor. The study focus on poverty dimensions of this class of population and what is needed to be done for them beyond what is normally envisaged in the sustainable development strategies.This survey is based on a sample survey of households from the extremely poor segments of the society. A scorecard methodology has been used to identify categories within the extreme poverty keeping in view of miserable economic conditions, of hunger and miserable state of health, living and education conditions. The survey results give evidence of the peculiar features of the extreme conditions of poverty in the sample, living at two fifths of the UN based poverty line of $1.25 per capita for developing economies. These are alarming findings for policy makers and economists to pay attention to.The (program) objective of improving the plight of such extremely poor people is their survival and saving them from hunger and starvation and extreme miseries. This can only be done through intervention at micro level rather than through macro economic policies or throughmarket–based social inclusion programs. They are not yet at a level of benefitting from policies aiming at increasing their productive capacities through microfinance and other lending programs. If they are not helped now, they will die of hunger and starvation. On an empty stomach and poor health, they cannot perform productively. In addition, they can very easily fall into the exploitative trap of becoming the economic slaves of people who can provide them two meals a day.The study relates to a Muslim society. The study therefore takes inspiration from the religious teachings in the Quran about how to deal with extreme poverty referred to as Faqr(???) and Maskanah (?????). The study compares the economics of divine instructions with the contemporary approach taken under sustainable development towards eradicating hunger and extreme poverty. IntroductionDespite living in a world of plenty, there are still large numbers of people, more than a billion, more than one out of every seven persons on the planet, living in extreme poverty. What is the face of extreme poverty? This is a face different from what is normally shown in the poverty studies. This real face of extreme poverty is normally ignored by International as well as national level programs for the poor which consider that the poor people can be brought out of poverty by appropriate macro policies and by providing them access to market-based upliftment facilities. Programs to enhance financial inclusion, to ensure sustainable development, and promote micro finance, are examples of it. The United Nations’ based millennium development goals (MDG’s), based on a poverty line of $1.25 per day per person, aimed at reducing the number of world poor to half by 2015. However, whether the aims have been achieved or half- achieved, the question is whether the civilized society can leave the other half to die, if they cannot be reached and helped on a timely basis? As will be discussed from the results of survey in the current study, there are poor populations suffering from such extreme conditions of poverty, hunger and deprivation that macro policies and market based programs are ill-suited for them. If they are not brought under specifically designed social welfare net, it is feared that they may die, or fall into further deprivation and hunger. This situation is very alarming in Pakistan in particular and South East Asia in general, if we pick the cues from the news. Children particularly are more vulnerable, where it is shown that in Pakistan alone, 352,000 children under the age of five die every year due to malnutrition and poor or no health facilities. Socio- economic well being without addressing extreme poverty objectively would be meaningless. All sustainable development and poverty measures are related to some definition of poverty line, but the problems of people below poverty line are not homogeneous to the other poor. The poverty closer to poverty lines has a different face compared to the poverty face way below poverty line. The poverty at the extreme end is different and solutions are different. The poverty levels and measures derived from the national Household surveys, choose samples from the total population of a country. The Pakistan Household Surveys (Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurements (PSLM Surveys)), for instance, take samples from the general population of about 200 million in which, among other things, the estimates of the poverty levels are made. In these surveys, the poor population is not well represented in all its pragmatic dimensions. The surveys do not include areas where there are clusters of poor population (Sohail Naqvi, November 2014, working paper, PIDE). That may be one of the reason, why the Pakistan statistics show a decrease in poverty, while the country news reports show otherwise; an increase in extreme poverty, alarming conditions of the poor, and around 300,000 deaths of infants per year in the poor localities due to malnutrition , disease and lack of basic health facilities. Increasing natural calamities, changing weather conditions, as well as the ongoing war on terrorism, all contribute to increasing poverty due to increased deprivation and loss of assets, making the middle class and borderline people slip down substantially below poverty line.The most important thing is that the household surveys based on country wide sample fail to capture the peculiarities of poor population at the extreme end of poverty, suffering from hunger, starvation and extreme miseries. Review of Literature: The trickle down theories of 1970’s , calling for increasing growth and GDP, which will reach down to the poor have already failed. CITATION Pac15 \l 1033 (Pacific Standard, 2015) They have neglected poverty and inequality. Further studies asserted that unequal income distribution has social and political consequences which slows down economic growth (Alesina and Rodrick (1994), Persson and Tabellini (1994)). It is now being asserted that economic growth slows down when the high income groups earn more, and when the poorer peoples' earnings increase, the whole society benefits from it CITATION CNN15 \l 1033 (CNN, 2015). The OECD 2015 report CITATION OEC15 \l 1033 (OECD, 2015) asserts that the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. If there is any growth at all, it is benefitting the higher income groups but not the lower income groups. In the long run, this increase in income inequality causes more social and political problems as well as economic problems too. This drags down GDP growth, as the lower 40% of the income groups get farther away from the standings of the rest of the society and the lower income people cannot realize their human capital potential, and this is a bad thing for the economy as a whole. The report asserts that structural policies are needed for re-directing the economies on the path of sustainable growth.”Poverty has been defined extensively by various authors and donor agencies for poverty alleviation programs. The World Bank and the UNDP Approach, which addresses poverty eradication or minimization and considers poverty line at $ 1.25 per capita. Policy papers on how to reduce poverty and inequality, emphasize how to increase the earning capacity of the poor people who are very vulnerable. They also focus on helping sustain the livelihood of those who are now out of poverty but are at the border-line of the poor and the middle class. Poverty line or poverty threshold, is based on the annual level of income, per person. It is determined as the average minimum amount required by an average human adult to consume in a year. The poverty line for the developed world is very different and much higher than that for the developing world. There are many names of poverty, such as relative poverty, absolute poverty, or extreme poverty and hunger, and different ways in which these are defined by researchers from time to time. The terms “absolute poverty” and “relative poverty”(Townsend, 1979) measures are discussed in various studies. Absolute poverty defined poverty as severe deprivation of basic human needs (UN declaration of poverty) It is the level of poverty as defined in terms of the minimal requirements necessary to afford minimal standards of food, clothing, health care and shelter.Relative poverty is a measure of relative deprivation of the people called poor and the extent of their deprivation as compared with the average people in the same society. Relative poverty measures are considered in describing poverty or discussing official poverty rates by many governments and international agencies, These include the European Union, UNICEF and the OEDC. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD) and the European Union use the main poverty line as a relative poverty line, which is based on "economic distance". It is a level of income set at 60% of the median household income. In relative poverty terms, the necessity of basic eight needs’ fulfilment is the minimum level to be considered out of poverty. David Gordon's paper, "Indicators of Poverty & Hunger", for the United Nations (2005), further defines absolute poverty as the absence of any two of the following eight basic needs:Food: based on Body mass index (BMI).BMI must be above 16., It means that a person should not be underweight as compared to height because being underweight means malnutrition and /or poor health. The BMI method quantifies the amount of tissue mass (muscle, fat, and bone) in an individual, and on this basis categorizes that person as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese .Safe drinking water: Water must not come solely from rivers and ponds, and must be available nearby (less than 15 minutes' walk each way).Sanitation facilities: Toilets must be accessible in or near the home.Health: Treatment must be received for serious illnesses and pregnancy.Shelter: Homes must have fewer than four people living in each room. Floors must not be made of dirt, mud, or clay. A person who lives in a home with a mud floor is considered severely deprived of shelter.Education: Everyone must attend school or otherwise learn to rmation: Everyone must have access to newspapers, radios, televisions, computers, or telephones at home.Access to services: This item is undefined by Gordon, but normally is used to indicate the complete panoply of education, health, legal, social, and financial credit providing services. If someone has satisfactory level of the above eight categories, that person is not poor or is above the poverty line. However, if someone has two of the above eight categories as deficient, that person is poor (in absolute poverty). Besides, an illiterate person ( not attended school) who cannot read is severely deprived of education. It further says and means that a person who never attended school and cannot read is severely deprived of education. The updated international poverty line is US$1.90 a day (World Bank, October 2015), keeping in view particularly the new price levels in developing countries. It was $1.25 at 2005 purchasing power parity (PPP) in 2008.In the past, the poverty line was at approximately $1 a day.[7]Although the World Bank projections (2015) predict the global population living under extreme poverty to be under 10% increasing climatic changes, and war and conflict are adding more numbers to poverty and the figures may rise eventually. Schubert (1994) defined various forms and features of poverty. Poverty is considered to be more in rural areas than urban as it may be the resultof seasonal nature of earning of the poor people ( Hassan, K, …..2010 conf proceedings, Bangi), who are mostly dependant upon agricultural harvests. Recent increases in natural calamities, global warming causing severe floods and droughts are further causing an increase in poverty. In addition, in Pakistan , the internal displacement of people from their own villages to far off cities, has caused an alarming rise in poverty , which is yet to be measured in this context……( correct it with fact n figures).Although poverty and family size are considered to be causatively related, due to malnutrition and lack of timely health facilities, infant deaths/mortality is also leading to more children of the poor, ( perhaps, in order to ensure in their own ways, survival of the fittest, in the poor living conditions).Poverty and extreme povertyBesides the indicators of poverty the fact that the extremely poor experience extreme conditions of hunger and malnutrition, and they need welfare support before they may be able to get to the level of those poor who can do their own business or avail micro finance. The extremely poor have to first be able to survive humanly. They are extremely dependant upon outside help and charity in cash and kind, where available. In addition, they do have either elders, children and/ or disabled family members who cannot work and are dependent upon them for their livelihood.These points are not highlighted for their alarming nature, but the results from the current study shows the presence of these factors. Poverty measurement:Statistical measures are adopted to find the level of poverty and the income per capita level at which it is considered that poverty exsts( world Bank…, …, ….) . The baseline earning level of poverty is higher ( $16 per capita ) in the developed world as compared to the developing world and poor countries of Asia and Africa ( $1.25 per capita .( OECD,…). These difference of lvels are based on the earning power of the currency and other factors, based on the premise of relative poverty of the people as compared witht eh rest of the society. The profile of the have-nots in one society varies from other societies, based on their own indigenous circumstances and their categorization of necessities versus non essentials for living and sustenance. Many countries where welfare systems are intact, still havepoorpeople.In addition, other countries where there is very little or no regular government sponsored welfare system, the people who earn in order to have those very basic facilities, and are on hand- to- mouth subsistence status, may be considered as non-poor. Still others who are starving of hunger and facing economic miseries, go unnoticed due to the general nature of the household surveys and lack of attention to questions in the surveys that would differentiate extremely poor , the poor and the non poor. Poverty scorecard:Poverty scoring is generally performed for seeking information about the effectiveness of social performance of the organizations engaged in work targeted at addressing poverty and general levels of povertyand other poverty related activities. These measures are also helpful in providing an estimate of likelihood of poverty likelihood or average poverty rates, and measuring the depth and breadth of poverty outreach programs (Schreigner. M., 2014 and 2002 respectively).In other words, it is used to inform the organisations involved, the extent of their reach to the poor and whether the recipients’poverty level is decreasing through time. It generally uses simple scoring responses to a number of verifiable, easy-to-collect questions to estimate the “likelihood that a household has consumption below a poverty line”. In different countries surveys of poverty are undertaken, or profiling of people receiving social welfare funds and charity are done( as in the case of Pakistan , for Benazir Income Support Program ( BISP) , primarily based on poverty scorecards. The scorecards are calliberated in a manner that level of economic status ofthe surveyees’ can be determined. The total scorecard usuallysums up to a figure of 100. Then the data collected is analysed. Variour studies describe the bottom 25 % or 30% or 40% as the poor. Non-scoring data on surveyees which are collected along with poverty likelihood items, help in understanding the context of the scoring estimates. It helps in adeeper understanding of the conditions of the surveyees. This is the essence of analysis. (Schreigner, 2014).A number of poverty scorecard studies with surveys for countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ecuador and others were studied , in order to arrive at a doable survey fulfilling the objective of the study.( Examples include, instances from #Poverty_Scoring, Vision Fund/Ecuador). Grameen Foundation calls their poverty scorecards as Progress out of Poverty Index? (PPI? ), which is a performance-management tool for organizations in effectively measuring and achieving their social objectives.If we divide people below the poverty line( $1.25/day per person) in five strata from 0 to 5, we can see a marked difference between the profile of people that lie in last three strata than the profile of poor who are on poverty line just two strata below poverty line.Poverty studies across different regions of the world, describing the conditions of extremely poor as the people at bottom two or three strata of the population below poverty line is as follows: These are people who are mostly illiterate, dependent upon daily wages particularly seasonal wages in agricultural production, either living almost permanently in areas frequently hit by climatic catastrophes, or displaced due to war etc. Their dwellings being makeshift arrangements of one or two rooms per family and more than four persons per room with mud floors and poor living conditions. Their children are without education due to lack of affordability and they all have neither health support, nor are they able to meet their health needs themselves. (Poverty Assesment, Madagascar, Argentina, Ecaudor, The World Bank Reports)Criticism of Poverty Line. Poverty line is an artificial construct of convenience for representativeness of the poor or the extremely poor, based on the estimated incomerequired for a decent living in a society or based on the quantification of the eight minimum indicators for staying out of poverty. It paints a coarse picture of poverty and especially extreme poverty. In some cases , poverty is criticised for bringing h poverty line too low, while many people with earnings above the poverty threshold, are also quite poor, and thus are not covered or counted as poor. Hence it understates the worldwide poverty figures. In addition, among the poor, there are people who are extremely poor and have extremely low earnings difficult to enable them a meal a day, unless provided outside help and charity. Poverty is a phenomenon which is the result of either deprivation being passed on from generation to generation or due to misfortunes befallen on a people, beyond their capacity to deal with it. Poor people, especially the extremely poor are so vulnerable that they cannot fend for themselves economically unless supported by the society, and when provided with the means to stay out of poverty. Some studies describe them as indigent , velnerable poor and stagnant poor ( Poverty Assessment – Argentina , The World Bank Report) A further tipping down of their economic and health conditions, puts them into hunger and starvation. Finding the economic conditions of the poor requires surveys which are performed in selected poor localities, in order to focus on the poor and find out more about their conditions through quantifiable as well as supporting non-scoring questions, for better profiling of the extremely poor. Fighting extreme poverty is the duty of civilized society: Just like providing asylum to someone whose life is in danger, despite a clampdown on other immigration routes, providing social support and charity relief is the need of the hour for saving the numerous people from dying out of hunger and starvation. Otherwise,we would represent a very cruel unsympathetic and uncivilized society. For this purpose, identifying the conditions of the extreme poverty in various segments of the society is the first step towards making the right policies in addressing extreme poverty. The policies that are normally prescribed for poor in general keeping in view the artificially defined poverty line may not suit the extremely poor, who are much more deprived. Contemporary Approach to eliminate extreme poverty and hunger and why it is wrong:In the contemporary approach to eliminate hunger and extreme poverty, the emphasis is on macro picture. When focussing on the macro picture and fixing it, what happens at micro level? The extreme poor will die of hunger until the macro picture is corrected; and this number will be more than one billion people) Is that the price of sustainable development? There is nothing in the macro focus on the child that will die in the next one hour, next day, next month, or next year because of malnutrition. There is nothing in the macro focus about the woman that is bearing the child and the malnutrition may kill the woman, or the child or both before the macro picture is fixed. There is nothing in the macro picture about the starving bread earner who is earning for the family, and eventually falls critically ill and dependant upon others. How long he can earn the bread before the macro picture is fixed and he gets out of starvation. Review of Islamic texts: Review of main texts of Islamic teachings regarding extreme poverty, hunger and how to address it, leads to the following synthesis.First of all, in poverty alleviation, the Islamic teachings made specific obligation for micro level action, leaving macro to be followed parallel as needed. There is compulsory payment of zakat ( like a tax), which is 2.5% of the accumulated wealth of the people who have a certain level of wealth ( called nisaab) . This zakat is called the right of the poor in one’s wealth, and it has to be given to the poor immediately. In addition to zakat, Islam encourages giving charity to the needy, and also endowments for the public good and welfare. According to the main Islamic text ( the Quran) and the ……, there are four names or nouns used for the poor and needy. These are , Fuquraa((?????) poor, Masaakeen(??????)) Needy , Saael (??????) Destitute, Indigent, Needy,and Mahroom (???????)) Petitioner, Beggar, Deprived. These four terms are defined and differentiated as follows:Fuqura ( poor) as mentioned in Surah Al Taubah Ayat 60, Fuqara (?????) poor are defines in the translation and explanation of the Quran (tafseer) as those whose lives (partially) depend on others, and if we support such sort of individuals then they become able to earn for their own survival (Maulana Maududi (R.A)( Tafheemul Quran). Another tafseer Maariful Quran describes the poor ( fuquraa) as those who are not Sahib e Nisab and are eligible to receive Zakat and Sadaqat. Ibne Kaseer and Qurtubi discussed the disagreements of opinions of various scholars, in which some argued that as Fuqara were discussed before the Masakeen so first Fuqara needs will be fulfilled and then the Masakeen needs will be fulfilled, some stated that Fuqarah are partial poor while Masakeen are extreme poor. In Ibne Kaseer it is mentioned on the reference of Umer (R.A) that the Faqeer is not only poor, he must also be disabled (like without hand, foot, organ etc). Some scholars stated that Fuqara are those who leave something (very small/ less than Nisab) behind for their heirs as inheritance, while Masakeen are those who don’t leave anything behind for their heirs as inheritance. Some scholars argued that Fuqara and Masakeen are same but only the words are different. Surah Ad Duhaa ( 93: 9 & 10 ) describes yateem and Saael and says that do not be harsh to orphan and do not scold a Saael , the one who asks for help ( beggar) Surah Al Maaoon ( 107:2 &3) … woe to the one who pushes the orphan and does not encourage feeding the miskeen…… (Masakeen(??????)) Needy, Destitute, Indigent:Tafheemul Quran describes Masakeen are those people who are extreme poor and that are much deserving for our endowments (Sadaqat) and charity (Khyrat). But still one cannot guess their poverty from their physical appearance and face structure, because such people do not request for help nor do they disclose their need to other people.Maariful Quran describes Masakeen as those who don’t have anything (wealth less) and are eligible to receive Zakat and Sadaqat.Ibne Kaseer and Qurtubi have discussed the masakeen as given under the explanation of FuquraaSurah Al Dhariyat: Ayat 19 (51:19) and in their wealth is the right of the “Saael” and the “mahroom”:(Al Sael(??????) is a Needy, Petitioner, Beggar. the term Sael is explained as that individual who asked from others for help and financial support because of his bad economic condition/poverty ( Tafheemul Quran, Maariful Quran, Ibne Kaseer and Qurutbi , almost same explanation in these tafaseer)(Al Mahrum(???????)) Deprived: The explanation of this terminology is also almost same in the above four Tafaseer, but each Tafseer added few new points in its interpretation and enlarged its meaning. It is explained that Mahrum are those individuals who are extreme poor and that are much deserved for our Sadaqat and Khyrat but we cannot guess their poverty from their physical appearance and face structure so we may ignore them and they become deprived from our support and help. Mahrum does not ask from others for help and become deprived. Mahrum are those individuals who may have lost all their wealth in a disaster and become wealth less. Examples include, when a non-earning wife become supportless because of divorce or husband’s death so she become deprived, when an individual loses his 0rgan/s in an accident and become workless. Orphans are also Mahrum because they are deprived from their fathers/parents for support. When tyrants occupy the property/ wealth or asset of the oppressed, the latter become deprived from his property.( Tafheemul Quran, Maariful Quran, Ibne Kaseer and Qurtubi)( culled with permission from notes written by M. Fahim Khan 2016)We conclude that the four categories of the poor and needy, and attending to their needs, and behave nicely to them, is a micro level responsibility of everyone, while it is also the responsibility of the state, to ensure special policies, programs and measures of welfare services for the poor, particularly those who cannot sustain themselves. They cannot feed themselves, cannot take care of their health needs and cannot educate their children. They are particularly very vulnerable and extremely poor. Conclusion of Review of Literature: Definition of poor, and poverty line, problems of poor and extreme poor are different. Whereas for poor, the objective is to raise their productive capacity, for the extreme poor, the objective is their survival and saving them from hunger and starvation and extreme miseries. Therefore the Institutional arrangements for the two categories of the poor have to be different. (Khan., M.F,2014). The Islamic texts review, asserts that it is the duty of the individuals to take immediate action to help the hungry , as if to resuscitate the dying. The micro level action has been prescribed and the levels of different types of the poor is also identified. It is the duty of the individuals, and the society as a whole to ensure that there is no one who sleeps hungry while his fellow neighbours, or country people had a full stomach meal. Hence this also means immediate help and charity to feed the hungry , pay for the sick and those in economic miseries, as they are at a level that they cannot fend for themselves at that stage. They cannot be left to die or suffer. The current study:The survey questionnaire was designed to determine the following at the union council levela. Incidence of extreme poverty. Extremely poor households were defined as households which either do not have full stomach meals at least two times a day, and/or children in age group 5-10 do not have any opportunity to read and write in any language.?b. To estimate the level of poverty, whether at the same UN based estimate of $1.25 per day per person , or above or below this level. ?c.?The gap faced by the very poor “Miskeen” households which keeps them in category of very poor (“Miskeen”).d. The extent of help and assistance, currently available to these Miskeen households from the community. The Survey of Extreme Poor:This study conducted a survey of select sample areas in Pakistan, normally excluded from the National Economic Household surveys of Pakistan, in order to gauge the extent of their poverty. This study focused on the poor of the poor population to understand their socio economic and demographic profile and their income and consumption pattern. The focus of the survey was the poor of the poor population. This focus is usually absent from the National Economic Surveys, which fulfil many other objectives, and are not pro-extreme poor.Training of the interviewers and survey results tabulation. The team of interviewers/surveyors were trained in Islamabad, for conducting the survey, and for following the standard ethical guidelines and protocols of the survey method. Cross checking of the filled questionnaires was carried out in order to screen out any discrepancies. The questionnaires were then transferred through coding in excel forms, by trained enumerators.Based on the data gathered, the poverty score card was tabulated by the researcher.Ethical standards /conduct of enumerators. The survey was conducted with the help of the above – mentioned trained surveyors and enumerators of the country office of the Helping Hand Rehabilitation and Development (HHRD), a charity –based NGO of the USA, working in PakistanSample size and sampling method: On the basis of systematic random sampling, survey of every tenth house was done, starting from the North east of the area District Rajanpur was selected for the study as this is a very poor area being affected by the floods year after year. It has made many people lose most of their assets, and the crops destroyed. These are people dependent upon agricultural subsistence farming. A survey of a sample of 200 respondents was undertaken in Union Council (UC) Basti Rindhan, Rajanpur district, in Pakistan. The total population of Tehsil Jampur in district in Rajanpur and its targeted Village Basti Rindhan, according to the 1998 census is 29,375, and 10,112 respecctively and according to the (2016) estimates it is 50,890 and 17,536 respectively. The starting point for survey in the village was the North East Corner and every 10th house was approached for survey.Survey Parameters:Interpretation of the survey results through the Poverty Scorecard method was chosen, in order to gauge the level of poverty, in comparison with the UN based poverty level of $1.25 per person per day. Some questions were added to take feedback from the extreme poor regarding their own plight. ( See questions in Appendix I) Calibration of the Poverty scorecard:In this study, twenty scoring items have been included side by side some non scoring items. The scoring is such that all scoring items individually as well as the overall scores are interpreted in five levels in a range of zero to five. Zero means the existence of circumstances of extreme poverty and five means the lack of such circumstances. For comparison with other studies , it is essential to explain that mall the scores below 5 are below the UN declared $1.25 per capita, they all are representative of a poverty that is worse than the UN based borderline poverty. For our study, we have further calibrated such poor into sub slabs; By defining maskana and Faqr, in the literature above, a score at 3 is borderline between maskena (poor but not miserable) and hunger & poverty (faqar), score below 3 is highly miserable. For every attribute zero is the extreme bad. The 1st step for extreme poverty alleviation is immediate relief from the extremely precarious condition of hunger, health, and living. The scoring variable are explained below: 1. Qualification No qualification gets a zero score , for primary education, it is 1 , for high school 2, and college without degree is 3, college with degree is 4, and university and above is 5. Hafiz e Quran is 2 ( high school level as acceptable in our educational system in the country) . 2.Disabled :A family with no disabled people, the score is 5, those with one disabled have a score of 3 and a family with two or more disabled are at zero level. 3.Ownership : It is zero score for free living in someone’s house and three for rented living, and five for ownership of a house. 3a. Structure of roof of residential house: For a roof structure of Wood logs/ Bamboo the score is 0, Other makeshift arrangement ( e.g. Tin sheet) it is 1 , for Wood and mud mix roof it is 2. For T-Iron /Girder brick the score is 3 a for Iron Sheet and cement it is 4, and for RCC/RBC it is 5. 46 households had wood or bamboo roofs, 92 had makeshift arrangement of tin sheet, none had other wood and mud mix structures, 49 had sheet and cement roof, 12 had T iron and Girder roof,and only 1 had RCC/RBC roof.4.Persons per room: The score of having five or more persons per room is zero, for four 4 persons, it is 1, for three it is 2 , for two , the score is 3 , and for one, it is 5.5.Toilet: No toilet means score zero, for toilet without flush/ desi toilet, it is 1; 2 is for toilet with flush. For one toilet with flush and one without flush, the score is 4. Two or more toilets with flushes is 5.6.Durables:For those with a motorcycle, the score is 5, with refrigerator the score is 4 , Television/& washing machine = 3, freezer is 2, cycle is 1, nothing means zero score. Maximum score is 5, as someone with motorcycle is not miskeen or faqeer. 7. Income per capita: An income per capita of Rs. 500 ( $5) per month is zero. Rs 500 to Rs.999 per person per month is 1, Rs. 1000 to 1500 per person per month is 2, Rs. 1501 to 1500 per person per month is 3, Rs. 1501 to 2000 per person per month is 4, Rs. 2001 and more per person per month is 5 . ( 2001/100 = $ 20.01 and 20/30 = $0.66 per capita ) This is a sample of people living below poverty line. The study’s focus is extremely poor in absolute terms and not relatively poor. ( 2001 x 5= 10,005 per month for a family of five. ) 8.Support system ( Do you get any help?): Not getting any help is zero, and getting help is 1, , estimated help amount of Rs. 2000/month ( or 2x12= 24000 per annum) is 1, amount of Rs, 2001 to 3000 is 2, Rs.3001 to 4000 is 3, and Rs. 4000 to 5000 is 4, and Rs. 5000 and above is 5.9. Can you meet Children education expenditure :If the answer is no, its score is zero, if the answer is yes but with difficulty and the exp . is Rs 300 to Rs.600 per month, the score is 1, if expense is Rs.601 to Rs. 800 the score is 2, if the expense is Rs.801 to Rs.1000 the score is 3, if the expense is Rs.1001 to Rs. 1200 the score is 4, if the answer is yes the score is 5. If the expense is above Rs.1200 the score is 5. 10.Did any child leave education due to financial problem or health reason?If the answer is yes, its score is zero, if the answer is no, the score is 1 and if the children studying ( Q 8d) is 1, 2,3, 4 the score is 2,3,4, 5 respectively. Or if the comment is that they are not studying because of no money the score is zero.11. If anyone sick or disabled and needs continuous treatment: If the answer is no, the score is 5, and if the answer is yes and due to sickness or disability the score is 3, and if the number of people sick/disable increases from 1 to 2 or any number, the score is 0.12. If anyone in family is sick/disabled and needs treatment: Terminal disease treatment = 0, disabled= 1, chronic disease/ , TB/asthma, = 2 , sickness periodic = 3, , sickness general = 4, No sickness = 5 13. Consumption per capita:score = 0, amount below Rs 600 approx ;score = 1, amount between Rs 601 and Rs 1000; score = 2, amount between Rs 1001 and Rs 1500;score = 3, amount between Rs. 1501 and Rs. 2000;score = 4, amount between Rs 2001 and Rs 2500;score = 5, amount more than Rs. 3,00014.Do you have any grain stock?Yes score = 1, amount of grain stock equivalent to Rs 10,000 = 2, amount Rs. 20,000 approx. = 3, amount Rs. 30,000 approx. = 4, Amount more than Rs. 40,000 score = 5, No. =015. Any day in a month when not enough food for meals in a day? ( i.e. sleeping hungry) No= 5 , If Yes ; and then , For how many days in the past three months on average: for two days, score = 2, for three days, score = 1, for more than six days in three month the score = 0.16. Any help in hunger?( subjective) No =0, Yes score = 1, , friends , neighbours, relatives, strangers, charity, dastarkhwaan17.18. need assessment, food No = 5 Yes=0, how much 19. need assessment- Children’s educationNo = 5 Yes= 0, how much 20. health need assessNo = 5 ,Yes =0, Results: Out of a score range of zero to five, and making five layers of 0 to 1, 1.01 to 2, 2.01 to 3, 3.01 to 4 and 4.01 to 5, the overall scores are in the following brackets :First of all , out of a maximum frequency of 5 per item ( score) and taking an average of all 20 variables, none of the overall results reached level 5. The highest score is 3.05. The ones scoring 0 to 1 are the poorest in the lot, but so are the ones in the range of 1.01 to 2. In addition, there are 20 households who scored zero on hunger, meaning that they are facing extreme hunger of six or more days of hunger in three months and there are times during a month that they do not have anything to eat. This is a very alarming statistics. This makes 20 households out of 200, i.e. 10 percent of the sample. Their issue at such a level of subsistence is hunger, and not capacity –building. The general statistics of the sample are that 151 out of 200 respondents were illiterate, 167 had house ownership, as they were living in this place since birth, but 46 households had wood or bamboo roofs, 92 had makeshift arrangement of tin sheet, none had other wood and mud mix structures, 49 had sheet and cement roof, 12 had T iron and Girder roof,and only 1 had RCC/RBC roof. 120 households were living as five or more persons per room. 192 households did not have any toilet facility at home, while only eight had a local toilet without a flush. While 86 households scored 5 on durables/motorcycle, which is good, 53 scored zero and 59 scored 1, meaning having a cycle only. This means that 112 households are at extreme poverty level in durables etc. Overall Score levels- Relative Frequency distribution0-1>1.01-2>2.01 -3>3.01-4>4.01-5Score levels ?Numbers0 to 1=251.01 to 2=1062.01 to 3=683.01 - 414.01- 50Total 200Regarding Income per person, there are 17 and 18 households with the lowest income per capita of less than $0.166 per day per person (below Rs. 500/month) and between $ 0.166 and $ 0.33 per capita, ( Rs 500 to Rs.999/month per person) respectively. 38 households are having $0.334 to $0.5 per person per capita (Rs. 1000 to 1500 per person per month), and 45 households live on 0.501 to $0.66 per person per capita ( Rs. 1501 to 2000 per person per month) . 26 Households live on per capita income of between $0.667 and$ 0.833 Per person per day. 55 households are in the category of more than $0.833 per capita. The maximum earning household in this category earns $2.5 per capita while another one or two earns $2. Per capita, followed by $ 1.66 and $ 1.3 per capita. Number of householdsIncome per capita $ per dayIncome per capita Rs Per month17 Below 0.166Below 50018 Between 0.167 and 0.333501 to 99938Between 0.334 and 0.51000 to 150045Between 0.501 and 0.661501 to 200026Between 0.667 and 0.8332001 to 250055 More than 0.833 More than 2500 46 out of 200 households have six persons per family, followed by 26 and 24 households having five and seven members per household respectively, 23 have eight and 24 have nine members, 23 households have between 10 and 16 members per household. Consumption per capita : The score of zero means Rs. 600 per person per month (( $ 6/30 = $0.2 per capita) . None of the respondents were at this level. Rs 600 to Rs.1000 ($0.2 to 0.33) per person per month scores 1, There were 76 Households scoring 1, and 106 household scoring 2 with consumption of Rs. 1000 to 1500 per person per month ($0.33 to$ 0.50). Only 14 households scored 3, and only 4 scored 4 . Rs. 1501 to 2000 ($0.5 to $0.67) per person per month is 3, between Rs 2001 and 2500 ( $0.67 to $0.83) per person per month is 4, and more than Rs. 2500 (above $0.83) per person per month is 5. None of the respondents scored a five. This showed the extent of their malnutrition and extreme poverty. Education of Children Out of 1150 children of the households surveyed, only 309 children were going to school, and their households were also facing difficulty in meeting their educational expenses. 70 out of 200 households expressed their hardship in meeting their children’s educational expenses and children of 29 households left school due to financial hardships.Food hardships and supportAmong food related hardships , 105 households expressed the need for financial support, and in health 194 households expressed the need for financial supportConclusion of the survey: Based on the four main questions posed for the survey a. There is evidence of incidence of extreme poverty. Extremely poor households, defined as households which either do not have full stomach meals at least two times a day, and/or children in age group 5-10 who do not have any opportunity to read and write in any language or the families have health needs which they cannot meet. Their consumption per capita shows that they are living in extreme malnourished states. The maximum consumption per capita of only $0.8 per capita, and the majority in the low ranges of $0.33 and $0.5 or $0.63 categories mean that these families are having food but have very meagre means and are very likely to be malnourished in the process. b. To estimate the level of poverty, whether at the same UN based estimate of $1.25 per day per person , or above or below this level. It was observed that their income per capita too is very low These are the people who are living in extreme poverty conditions, with the majority having income per capita in ranges of ?$0.16 to $0.50 and below $0.8 per capita. Only a few (five to six ) households have income per capita above the poverty line. ?c.?The gap faced by the very poor “Miskeen” households which keeps them in category of very poor (“Miskeen”). The very poor households are malnourished , have health needs which go unattended and have children who are not enrolled in schools because they cannot afford to send their children to schools. They do face days of hunger, and in that state they are often helped by neighbours or relatives, as per the survey answers. d. The extent of help and assistance, currently available to these Miskeen households from the community. In times of hunger , the community though poor, helps each other in sharing with them their food. However, they also have further needs to educate their children and to attend to their health needs. Some of them have access to the government sponsored Benazir Income support program. Conclusion: The policies related to sustainable development cannot attend to the issues of the extreme poor people. Their priorities are different. The safety networks and other policies do not work for them. That is why this study concentrated on the population that is way below the poverty line. The government cannot solve their problem. They need some other institutional arrangement that they can access and that reaches them, without putting excess burden on them. Their issue at such a level of subsistence is hunger and basic needs, and not capacity–building. They cannot access the safety net and other government and NGO’s schemes. We have to find special solutions for them. As discussed earlier, the market economy works on the principle of exclusion, in the sense that whoever can pay for the price on the basis of demand and supply gets the product or service. For the poor, therefore, social exclusion is the logical outcome, in market economy. Similarly, any market based institutional setups cannot be expected to promote social inclusion. Unlike the World Bank and the UNDP Approach, this study recognizes the special category of extreme poor that requires special attention and guides special towards dealing with this extremely poor category. Quran /Islam has used the term Faqr (hunger) and Maskana( economic misery). This is not merely a theory or abstraction but it has been practiced for a long period in the early medieval Islamic history, so much so that there was a period of the Caliph Umar Bin Abdul Aziz when poverty was eradicated so extensively that people were finding it difficult to find hungry and poor to help them, to discharge their religious obligations. One of the governors of this time, sent the zakat money to the central caliphate , as there was no one to receive zakat money.( Source: ….Islam has given special approach to taking care of this category of hunger ridden and economically miserable people in the society. Broadly speaking, Islam requires that their needs to be taken care of on the spot, on urgent basis and most importantly makes it the responsibility of the individuals and community rather than of state. This approach has inspired the researcher to focus on this special category, to study the economics of the special approach that Islam takes in this respect. In Pakistan, on a country level, news of children dying of starvation due to extreme poverty are not uncommon. Around 352,000 children under the age of five die every year in the country, mainly due to malnutrition and some due to lack of health facilities. These are mostly from very poor communities, and children are the most vulnerable to be affected first. 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