A multidimensional approach to child poverty: the case of Vietnam

Thanh Hien NGUYEN

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The study aims to establish a comprehensive framework to measure multidimensional child poverty in Vietnam. The study evaluates the deprivations of 9693 Vietnamese children, whose data is drawn from the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey 2016. The study employs factor analysis and cluster analysis to find poverty dimensions and identify multidimensionally poor children. The results show that from 18 proposed indicators, child poverty is measured by five dimensions: social security, food security, shelter quality, living conditions, and information access. Based on the poverty dimensions, Vietnamese children are clustered into four groups ordering from multidimensionally poor to non-poor. Two poorest groups of children are characterized by either acute social insecurity or food insecurity, respectively. Partially poor children are deprived of information access. Non-poor children have adequate conditions in most dimensions. The study finds that the age of children, geographical location, family conditions, and household-head characteristics are determinants of the probability of being multidimensional poor in children. The study also proposes and suggests child-specific strategies to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of Vietnamese children.

Abstract:

The study aims to establish a comprehensive framework to measure multidimensional child poverty in Vietnam. The study evaluates the deprivations of 9693 Vietnamese children, whose data is drawn from the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey 2016. The study employs factor analysis and cluster analysis to find poverty dimensions and identify multidimensionally poor children. The results show that from 18 proposed indicators, child poverty is measured by five dimensions: social security, food security, shelter quality, living conditions, and information access. Based on the poverty dimensions, Vietnamese children are clustered into four groups ordering from multidimensionally poor to non-poor. Two poorest groups of children are characterized by either acute social insecurity or food insecurity, respectively. Partially poor children are deprived of information access. Non-poor children have adequate conditions in most dimensions. The study finds that the age of children, geographical location, family conditions, and household-head characteristics are determinants of the probability of being multidimensional poor in children. The study also proposes and suggests child-specific strategies to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of Vietnamese children.

Keywords

child poverty, food security, information access, living conditions, multidimensional poverty, Vietnam.

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 8. 6. 2020

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Miroslav Syrovátka, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Science

Master programme / field:
Geography / International Development Studies