The National Statistical Institute presents to the attention of users of statistical information "Bulgaria:The Challenges of Poverty" - a new publication in English which is a result of the Multipurpose Household Survey in Bulgaria carried out during 2003 by the NSI and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy with the assistance of the World Bank. The main objective of the survey was to collect versatile, relevant and multilateral information on living conditions and poverty in the country.
Poverty surveys pursue several objectives.
The first one relates to the choice of an adequate set of methodological instruments for estimating an official poverty line. The main approaches and methods for identifying a poverty line for Bulgaria have been tested and one of them was chosen after a comparative assessment of their positive and negative features. The authors realize that this is a first step towards choosing a set of analytical tools for measuring poverty in Bulgaria, which needs to be followed by a further fine-tuning and specification of the methodology.
The second goal is to make a comprehensive analysis of the key characteristics of the poor population (level of consumption, income, living conditions and deprivation level).
The third objective is connected with the identification of the poor population in terms of demographic, economic, social and ethnic characteristics.
The fourth objective of the study is to assess and characterize the regional dimensions of poverty. The poverty mapping methodology was used. A poverty map was prepared inwhich municipalities are typologized according to poverty levels.
The fifth goal is to survey the non-monetary aspects of poverty and, more specifically, the access of poor people to education and health services. Another important objective of the study is to assess the impact and eficiency levels of the system for social protection with respect to reducing poverty. On the basis of the summarized results from the analysis of poverty, the main directions of the policy for its reduction are presented.
The publication was elaborated by an team of experts comprising Senior Research Fellow Vassil Tsanov, Ph.D., Bogdan Bogdanov, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow Kapka Stoyanova, Associate Prof. Mariana Kotseva, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow Iskra Beleva, Ph.D, Dora Mircheva and Alexander Tzvetkov.
In the process of research a number of methods and indicators used in the international practice were implemented. The aquired experience and empirical knowledge from this survey may be useful for the future work of other research teams.
Price (including mailing costs):
- EUR 11 for a paper copy
Price includes VAT.
The issue could be ordered at the following address:
National Statistical Institute
Publications Division
2, Panayot Volov st.
1038 Sofia,
Bulgaria
Purchase by bank transfer:
NSI Bank Account
Bulgarian National Bank
Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square, Sofia
IBAN BG84 BNBG 9661 3000 1190 01
BIC BNBGBGSD
