Contents -- Dedication -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Acronyms -- Chapter 1 The Dimensions of Chronic Poverty in Asia -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Poverty and Hunger -- 1.3 Poverty and Discrimination -- 1.3.1 Minorities including indigenous people -- 1.3.2 Unfair labor practices -- 1.3.3 Child labor -- 1.3.4 Gender -- 1.4 Income and the Ability to Work -- 1.5 Vulnerability -- 1.6 The Confluence of Forces and Poverty Dynamics -- 1.7 Where do the Chronically Poor Live? -- 1.7.1 In remote areas -- 1.7.2 Where agricultural productivity is low -- 1.7.3 In political and social isolation -- 1.8 Why are They Poor? -- 1.8.1 Income poverty -- 1.8.2 Lack of capital and social services -- 1.8.3 Environmental degradation -- 1.8.4 Lack of diversity, low saving, growth and limited technical transfer -- 1.9 Chronically Poor, Transient Poor and Non-Poor -- 1.10 Rural and Urban Poverty -- 1.11 Dimensions of Chronic Poverty in Asia -- Chapter 2 What Determines Chronic Poverty in Asia? -- 2.1 Lack of Human Capital -- 2.1.1 Life expectancy -- 2.1.2 Infant mortality -- 2.1.3 Literacy and education -- 2.2 Limited Income and Earning Power -- 2.3 Geographical Isolation -- 2.4 Lack of Physical Assets -- 2.5 Lack of Financial Capital -- 2.6 Political and Social Isolation -- 2.7 Ethnic, Gender and Other Forms of Discrimination -- 2.7.1 Infant mortality and gender discrimination -- 2.7.2 Gender discrimination at work -- 2.7.3 Class and caste based discrimination -- 2.8 Limited Mobility and Migration -- 2.9 Unfavorable Household Characteristics -- 2.10 Children and Chronic Poverty -- 2.11 Shocks, Wars and Other Disruptions -- 2.11.1 Asian financial crisis -- 2.11.2 2004 Tsunami -- Chapter 3 The Dynamics of Chronic Poverty -- 3.1 Intra Household Food Allocations -- 3.2 Transfers of Human Capital -- 3.3 Transfer of Other Assets -- 3.4 Transfer of Social Capital.

3.5 Reversibility, Resilience and Coping Strategies -- Chapter 4 Microeconomic Policies to Reduce Poverty -- 4.1 Social Safety Nets and Entitlements -- 4.2 Cash Transfers and Food Subsidies -- 4.3 Public Works Programs -- 4.4 Social Funds -- 4.5 Conditional Cash Transfers -- 4.6 Education and Health Subsidies -- 4.7 Success Stories -- 4.8 Labor Mobility - Migration and Remittances -- 4.8.1 International migration -- 4.8.2 Rural to urban migration -- Chapter 5 Sector Policies to Reduce Chronic Poverty -- 5.1 Increase Connectivity of By-Passed Regions -- 5.1.1 Communications -- 5.1.2 Rural roads -- 5.1.3 Rural electrification -- 5.2 Irrigation -- 5.3 Agricultural Extension and New Technologies -- 5.4 Land Reform -- 5.5 Technological Innovation -- 5.6 Small Scale Industry and Micro Finance -- 5.7 Returns to Alternative Infrastructure Investment - A Summary -- Chapter 6 Macroeconomic Policies to Reduce Chronic Poverty -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Infrastructure -- 6.3 Fiscal Deficits and Fiscal Adjustment -- 6.4 Labor Laws -- 6.4.1 Minimum wage laws -- 6.5 Financial Sector -- 6.6 Government Development Spending -- 6.7 Migration Policy -- 6.8 Social Protection -- Chapter 7 Country Experiences -- 7.1 China -- 7.1.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.1.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.1.3 Government commitment to reduce poverty -- 7.1.4 Microeconomic policies -- 7.1.5 Sector policies -- 7.1.6 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.1.7 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.2 India -- 7.2.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.2.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.2.3 Microeconomic policy -- 7.2.4 Sector policies -- 7.2.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.2.6 Comparison between China and India -- 7.2.7 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.3 Indonesia -- 7.3.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.3.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.3.3 Micro policies -- 7.3.4 Sector policies -- 7.3.5 Macro policies.

7.3.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.4 Bangladesh -- 7.4.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.4.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.4.3 Micro policies -- 7.4.4 Sector policies -- 7.4.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.4.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.5 Sri Lanka -- 7.5.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.5.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.5.3 Micro policies -- 7.5.4 Sector policies -- 7.5.5 Macro policies -- 7.5.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.6 Pakistan -- 7.6.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.6.2 Determinants of chronic poverty -- 7.6.3 Micro policies -- 7.6.4 Sector policies -- 7.6.5 Macro policies -- 7.6.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.7 Nepal -- 7.7.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.7.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.7.3 Micro policies -- 7.7.4 Sector policies -- 7.7.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.7.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.8 Philippines -- 7.8.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.8.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.8.3 Micro policies -- 7.8.4 Sector policies -- 7.8.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.8.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.9 Cambodia -- 7.9.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.9.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.9.3 Micro policies -- 7.9.4 Sector policies -- 7.9.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.9.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.10 Laos -- 7.10.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.10.2 Determinants of poverty -- 7.10.3 Micro policies -- 7.10.4 Sector initiatives -- 7.10.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.10.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- 7.11 Vietnam -- 7.11.1 Incidence of poverty -- 7.11.2 Determinants of chronic poverty -- 7.11.3 Microeconomic policies -- 7.11.4 Sectoral policies -- 7.11.5 Macroeconomic policies -- 7.11.6 Future policy agenda and challenges -- Chapter 8 Final Thoughts on Policy -- 8.1 Where Chronic Poverty Fits into Overall Poverty Reduction Agenda in Asia -- 8.2 Social Protection and Social Assistance.

8.3 Assisting Isolated Poor Communities -- 8.4 Migration as a Strategy for the Chronically Poor -- 8.5 Creation of Assets for the Chronically Poor -- 8.6 Discrimination and Gender Empowerment -- 8.7 Chronic Poverty and the Global Financial Crisis -- 8.8 Medium Term Prospects for Reducing Chronic Poverty -- Bibliography -- Subject Index.