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Social Science > Poverty and Homelessness

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Cover Selected Issues Papers
Options to Strengthen the Social Safety Net in Japan: Japan
Zhiyong An
and
Kohei Asao
Japan’s unemployment rate remains relatively low compared to other OECD countries. However, Japan’s poverty rate among the working-age population is one of the higher ones among OECD countries. The public assistance program in Japan does not provide adequate income support for the working poor and creates inherent work disincentives. In this context, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) warrants consideration to strengthen the social safety net and relieve poverty of the working poor in Japan. This paper provides an overview of the theoretical and practical issues of EITC, aiming to support its potential introduction in Japan.
Keywords:
Social safety net; working poor; inequality; public assistance; in-work benefits; Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); Japan; program in Japan; public assistance program; Japan's poverty rate; Japan's unemployment rate; EITC program; Income; Wages; Employment; Social assistance spending; Income tax systems
Cover IMF Working Papers
Designing Fiscal Redistribution: The Role of Universal and Targeted Transfers
Mr. David Coady
and
Nghia-Piotr Le
There is a growing debate on the relative merits of universal and targeted social assistance transfers in achieving income redistribution objectives. While the benefits of targeting are clear, i.e., a larger poverty impact for a given transfer budget or lower fiscal cost for a given poverty impact, in practice targeting also comes with various costs, including incentive, administrative, social and political costs. The appropriate balance between targeted and universal transfers will therefore depend on how countries decide to trade-off these costs and benefits as well as on the potential for redistribution through taxes. This paper discusses the trade-offs that arise in different country contexts and the potential for strengthening fiscal redistribution in advanced and developing countries, including through expanding transfer coverage and progressive tax financing.
Keywords:
WP; income; cost; earned income; taxation framework; consumption taxation; transfer program; income tax schedule; efficiency cost; poverty impact; redistribution objective; means testing; income share; public spending; income redistribution objective; progressive tax; poverty line; Personal income; Income tax systems; Fiscal redistribution; Income inequality; Middle East; North Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Global; East Africa; transfers; taxes; targeted; universal; income transfer
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Republic of Moldova: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Annual Evaluation Report 2005
International Monetary Fund
This paper reviews the Poverty Reduction Strategy Annual Evaluation Report 2005 for Moldova. Economic growth and income redistribution policies promoted in the context of Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EGPRS) implementation contributed to higher incomes and improved access of population to social services, which led to higher living standards and poverty reduction in Moldova. During 2002–04, poverty rates decreased by 14.5 percentage points. By 2004, only 26.5 percent of the population of Moldova was poor. The most essential decrease took place in 2002–03.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; gross domestic product; absolute poverty; State budget; exchange rate; poverty line; national budget; subsistence level; budget revenue; real value; Country modernization - people's welfare; financial support; State registration Chamber; Social assistance spending; Central and Eastern Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Pakistan: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix
International Monetary Fund
This Selected Issues paper analyzes Pakistan's tax reform and revenue performance. The paper assesses the nature and magnitude of Pakistan's actual twin debt problem in a historical context, and reviews the policy options. The study highlights the factors explaining the recent stagnation in merchandise exports, and analyzes the country's export performance with regard to the linkages between performance and the structure of exports. The paper reviews a survey of poverty in Pakistan, and also provides a statistical appendix report of the country.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Pakistan; tax; revenue; interest rate; bearer certificate; export performance; Pakistan rupee; expenditure level; income poverty line; Income and capital gains taxes; Exports; South Asia; Middle East; Baltics; Eastern Europe; East Asia; Western Hemisphere; Global
Cover The Implications of Fund Supported Adjustment Programs for Poverty
The Implications of Fund Supported Adjustment Programs for Poverty
Experiences in Selected Countries: Occa Paper 58
International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This paper presents a study that focuses on specific adjustment programs for limited periods and is aimed largely at analyzing the short-run implications of the policy measures. The longer run implications are also discussed whenever relevant, since much of the rationale for policies and many of the beneficial effects on the poor are likely to be realized over time. The study also notes any compensatory targeting measures oriented to the poor, together with their implications for the adjustment efforts and the political viability of the programs. These analyses may provide lessons for improving the design of future adjustment programs. The chapter also summarizes the sample countries and programs; and describes the methodology used in the study. The results of the study suggest that adjustment programs in general have important distributional implications. During the process of adjustment, it is inevitable that some social groups gain while others lose, particularly when adjustment is aimed at a shift in sectoral resource allocation.

Keywords:
OP; poverty group; policy; policy instrument; adjustment program; program policy; poverty indicator; Income and capital gains taxes; Income tax systems; Exchange rates; Global; Duties