A Profile of Poverty in Tajikistan

This paper examines the profile of poverty in Tajikistan, the most remoteand poorest of the independent states of the Former Soviet Union. Datais used from the first nationally representative household surveyconducted in Tajikistan since independence and the cessation of the civilwar. The picture that emerges is of a population facing severe economic,physical and psycho-social stress.Over 95 percent of the population are living below the minimumconsumption basket, four out of five are ‘poor’, a third are ‘very poor’and nearly 20 percent ‘extremely poor’ (below $1 PPP a day). Threequartersof households are very concerned about how they will providefor basic necessities in the next 12 months. A significant proportion ofchildren are now missing school due to financial hardship. This willhave a damaging long term impact both upon the welfare of the childitself, in terms of future earning capacity, but also for the nation as awhole in terms of the future human capital of Tajikistan.[...]