Poverty and inequality measurement and determinants : the case of Zambia

Mphuka, Chrispin

Poverty and inequality measurement and determinants : the case of Zambia

Doctoral Thesis

2010

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Economics

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of education, employment and household structure in explaining poverty and inequality in Zambia between 1991 and 2004. This period was characterized by macroeconomic and structural adjustment reforms that led to declining public sector employment due to liquidations and retrenchments and changed education distribution due to, among many other reasons, the introduction of user fees. Trends in poverty and inequality are profiled. It is found that poverty increased while inequality reduced. The thesis explores some key drivers of these changes. Using a semi-parametric kernel density re-weighting approach, it is found that changes in education endowments and economic returns to education, employment and household attributes explain a substantial part of changes in the distribution of consumption and therefore inequality.

Description

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-103).

Keywords

Economics

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

Full item page