Are we there yet? Using the Bristol Approach to examine trends in absolute poverty in sub Saharan Africa between 1995 and 2015.

This project will provide reliable, high quality data for assessing trends in poverty in sub Saharan Africa (SSA) between 1995 and 2015. The region contains many of the world's poorest countries, and as the 2015 deadline for the internationally-agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches, it is important to know whether or not poverty in the region is falling. Using an internationally-accepted definition of absolute poverty, and a ground-breaking peer-reviewed methodology, the project will use nationally-representative household surveys, with individual-level data, to develop age- and gender- relevant indicators of deprivation for basic needs. These data and indicators will be used to answer a series of important questions about the extent and distribution of poverty in SSA. For example, do women and girls make up a disproportionate share of the poor in Africa? Is poverty reduction occurring more rapidly in urban areas than in rural areas? Which counties in SSA have achieved the largest reductions in poverty, and how have they achieved this? Has child poverty declined at the same rate as adult poverty? What are the implications for policy of using different methods to measure poverty in Africa?

Data produced by the research will allow for the creation of thematic maps, which will reveal graphically the countries/regions making most progress in reducing poverty and deprivation of basic needs. These data will be of interest to and can be used by academics across a range of disciplines, policy makers, non-governmental organisations and international development agencies interested in poverty and development in SSA.
The work is important because existing indicators of extreme poverty, like the World Bank's $1/day measure, have been roundly criticised on both theoretical and methodological grounds. Critics have demonstrated that such indicators underestimate the extent of poverty, and as such are not reliable of valid measures. This project will demonstrate that meaningful alternative indicators can be developed and used to show how levels of poverty in SSA have changed over time. It builds on earlier work done by the University of Bristol for UNICEF and the UK DfID, which made a significant impact in the ways in which poverty is conceptualised, defined and measured. For example, the methods of poverty measurement and indicators developed by the University of Bristol now form a core part of UNICEF's Global Study of Child Poverty and Disparities, being conducted in over 50 countries around the world, including India and China. This new project will provide data to show whether or not anti-poverty policies applied in sub Saharan African countries over the last twenty years have been successful.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH?
Previous work by the applicant led to the UN General Assembly adopting an international definition of child poverty, enabling UNICEF to launch its Global Study on Child Poverty and Disparities in over 50 countries. Researchers and policy advocates based in non-academic institutions, non-governmental organisations and international organisations (e.g. UN agencies like WHO, UNDP, UNDESA, UNRISD, UN ECA and UNICEF), as well as government departments will also benefit. Each has strong links to academia. Widespread media coverage about progress towards the MDGS is anticipated, so journalists will also use the research. The project will inform the general public about poverty in sub Saharan Africa, through short pieces written for newspapers, media interviews, and press releases. The MDGs will be covered extensively by the media in 2015, and information generated by the project will inform people about the nature and extent of progress in the poorest region of the world.
HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH?
The research will produce policy-relevant nationally-representative statistics on poverty and deprivation, disaggregated by age, gender. These data can form the basis of independent assessments not only of poverty, but also the extent and distribution of other key deprivations, such as health, education, and access to basic services. Harmonised versions of the survey data will be deposited with the UK data archive for beneficiaries wishing to run their own analyses. This will be a key outcome of the project. Project outputs will detail the theory, methods and data being used, and beneficiaries will be invited to apply these in their own research. Advice and training (i.e. capacity development) will be offered to anyone wishing to use the methodology and data, particularly beneficiaries from sub Saharan Africa. The research will produce maps which will be made available to beneficiaries.
WHAT WILL BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH?
Conference: results will be disseminated via an international conference hosted in Bristol in 2015 hosted by the Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research and BIPA. Invited speakers will be asked to comment on the project's findings, their implications for the MDGs and wider anti-poverty policies, and also to present their own work on poverty in Africa. The conference will be open to the general public, with formal invitations made to key journalists, NGOs (Oxfam, Save the Children, Action Aid, etc) and government departments (DfID, Education).
Research visits: A 1-week visit will be made to Addis Ababa, to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), both of which have links to organisations across sub Saharan Africa working on poverty reduction.
Outputs: will be published in English, French and Portuguese, to maximise accessibility and use to beneficiaries in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa. Articles explaining the research, its methods and findings will be written for non-academic audiences in English, French and Portuguese outlets
Websites: project materials and updates will be linked to the University of Bristol's website, and also to the websites of the Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research, the Bristol Institute of Public Affairs and the UCT, UWC, UNECA and the ACPF .
Particular effort will be made to ensure that the presentation and organization of results is compatible with UN monitoring data bases like DevInfo.
There are many poverty-, development-, and Africa-related internet discussion groups and mailing lists (like those of the Townsend Centre and New School's Equity for Children website), whose memberships include academics, policy makers, students, advocacy groups and others. I will use these to promote awareness of the project and eventually to disseminate findings.