http://www.zef.de/download/zef_dp/zef_dp29-00.pdf
Examining the impact of liberalisation on employment and labour
incomes
Examines the impact on employment growth (total, agriculture,
industry), unemployment, real wages, wage inequalities between skilled
and unskilled workers, women�s employment and child labour. It also
analyses whether labour rigidities have affected the employment growth
in South Asian countries.
The evidence presented in the paper shows that the impact of economic
liberalisation on employment and labour income has not been as bad as
that for Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin American countries. On the other
hand, it has not been as favourable as in some of the East Asian
countries.
Main findings include:
GDP growth seems to be slightly higher after liberalisation except in
Pakistan
The impact of external sector liberalisation may not be insignificant
in South Asia as exports and imports rose faster than GDP in the
region as compared to those for Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America
The share of informal sector increased particularly for services in
India
The rate of growth in private sector employment increased faster than
in the public sector. The share of private sector in total capital
formation in India increased significantly after liberalisation
There was jobless growth for 1980s in the manufacturing sector for
South Asia. The manufacturing sector showed higher growth in the 1990s
for India. Micro surveys show some concern regarding retrenchment of
workers in manufacturing employment
Unemployment rates showed a mixed picture. It declined for India and
Sri Lanka while it rose in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal
Incidence of poverty by workers in India shows that it declined for
all workers but the rate of decline was lower for casual workers
Real wage growth for agricultural labourers was lower after
liberalisation
Inequalities in income and consumption increased in most of the
countries in the post-liberalisation period. The results from CGE
models also show that inequalities increased
Women�s participation increased but it is not clear whether they are
better off in terms of work load and income. Child labour declined at
macro level. One may have to go beyond poverty in explaining the
variations in child labour
The paper concludes that the future scenario of employment shows that
a lot of effort is needed for South Asian countries in order to have
more productive employment and higher labour incomes. There is a need
to have investment led growth strategy. Investment is needed by both
public and private sectors to increase physical infrastructure. More
attention should be given to institutions, and governance. There is
also need for having strategies reduce inequalities (e.g. land
reforms) and increase labour intensity.
Thus, the second generation of economic reforms, inter alia, should
consider strategies that raise investment in physical and human
capital, institutions and governance and reduction in inequalities
[author]
------------
http://www.odi.org.uk/briefing/pov8.html
Will growth halve global poverty by 2015?
Hanmer, L.; Healey, J.; Naschold, F. / ODI, 2000
Will OECD/DAC targets be met? How is this related to economic growth?
Examines progress towards meeting the international development
targets set by OECD/DAC in 1996: to halve the proportion of people
living in extreme poverty by 2015.
The authors forecast that:
In developing countries as a whole, extreme poverty can be more than
halved by 2015 provided that currently forecast GNP growth rates
(higher than past growth rates) are realised
The Latin America and Caribbean regions will only halve poverty if
they generate conditions for a more pro-poor pattern of growth.
Sub-Saharan Africa will not halve poverty in any likely future
scenario
High levels of income-inequality limit the poverty reducing effects of
growth. Higher growth and pro-poor policies will improve poverty
reduction prospects in both high and low-inequality countries but
high-inequality countries will need to grow twice as fast as
low-inequality countries to halve poverty by 2015. This is not
feasible
The main policy challenges for donors are:
To encourage pro-poor growth through strategies which:
encourage national capital stock to grow at least as fast as the
labour force
ensure the most efficient use of new investment
help to achieve higher agricultural yields and linkages between farm
and non-farm activities in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
To give attention to the impact of policies on the distribution of
income and assets particularly in those high-inequality countries
(mainly in sub Saharan Africa) where low growth prospects will
otherwise severely limit poverty reduction.This inter alia requires
more attention to:
the scope for redistribution of land ownership or use and especially
greater access of the poor to these assets
shifting the distribution of public subsidies and services more
towards primary education and primary health especially for girls,
than in the past
the likely impact on the poor of the functioning of markets at the
micro-level, especially removing bureaucratic obstacles in the
informal sector.
To �mainstream� gender equality within government and to make more
efforts to challenge normal gender roles.
----------------------
http://www.wri.org/forests/trialbyfire.html
Trial by fire: forest fires and forestry policy in Indonesia's era of
crisis and reform
World Resources Institute, 2000
This report examines the destruction and systematic plunder of Asia's
greatest rainforests under former Indonesian president Suharto.
The report focuses on the 1997-1998 forest fires in Indonesia that
resulted in the burning of 10 million hectares of forests. Many of
these fires were deliberately set by plantation owners who take
advantage of the dry season to clear the forests and plant export
crops like palm oil. The problem was worsened by a drought induced by
the periodic El Ni�o climatic phenomenon, which was particularly
severe that year.
The report recommends:
Instituting a moratorium on new concessions for oil palm, timber and
other plantations until a national inventory of permanent forest
estate is completed
Strengthening rules and penalties against clearing plantations with
fire
Declaring a five-year moratorium on the transmigration program and
re-examining the objectives and methods of this massive resettlement
program
Granting legal protection of forest ownership and use by indigenous
peoples and assisting them to manage the forests sustainably
Granting clear legal protection as permanent forest estate to all
remaining forested areas in Indonesia
Establishing effective mechanisms for independent citizen monitoring
of trends and threats related to forest lands and resources
---------------
http://www.queensu.ca/samp/form.html
Losing our minds: skills migration and the 'brain drain' from South
Africa
Crush, J.; McDonald, D.; Williams, V.; Mattes, R.; Richmond, W.;
Rogerson, C.M.; Rogerson, J.M. Produced by: Southern African Migration
Project (SAMP), 2000
The brain drain from South Africa is unlikely to slow over the next
decade, and black South Africans are as likely to leave as white South
Africans. Is it possible that skills emigration is being offset by a
proactive immigration policy and recruiting of skilled foreigners to
make up for the �brain drain�?
This report argues for much greater public and official discussion
about the pros and cons of skills immigration and its advantages and
disadvantages for South Africa. Nation-building and immigration are
not mutually incompatible. In some circumstances, they may actually be
mutually reinforcing.
Two SAMP surveys are analysed, one looking at attitudes of employees
and the other at employers.
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/wdrpoverty/report/index.htm
World Development Report 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty
World Bank, 2000
Opportunity,
empowerment,
and security
The latest World Development Report builds on the view that poverty
means not only low incomes and low consumption but also lack of
education and poor nutrition and health. Based on the testimony of
poor people themselves, and changes in thinking about poverty, the
report goes further and expands the definition of poverty to include
powerlessness, "voicelessness," vulnerability, and fear.
The report recommends that developing country governments at all
levels, donor countries, international agencies, NGO's, civil society,
and local communities, mobilize behind three priority areas:
Opportunity: Expanding economic opportunity for poor people by
stimulating economic growth, making markets work better for poor
people, and working for their inclusion, particularly by building up
their assets, such as land and education
Empowerment: Strengthening the ability of poor people to shape
decisions that affect their lives and removing discrimination based on
gender, race, ethnicity, and social status
Security: Reducing poor people's vulnerability to sickness, economic
shocks, crop failure, unemployment, natural disasters, and violence,
and helping them cope when such misfortunes occur
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