Poverty and Inequality in Tunisia: A Non-Monetary Approach

Abstract:     
In this study we construct a welfare composite index (WCI) from a set of non-monetary household living conditions indicators in order to analyze the evolution of poverty in Tunisia between 1988 and 2001 from a multidimensional perspective. We show that poverty significantly decreased during the period, although regional and rural/urban disparities remained unchanged. Poverty is essentially a rural phenomenon. The Northwest (NW) and Central West (CW) remained the poorest regions of the country. Improvement in housing conditions and in access to communication tools may be important in the effort to fight poverty.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 20

Keywords: Poverty, Tunisia

JEL Classification: D31, D63

working papers series