Household Welfare, the Labor Market, and Social Programs in Albania

The paper provides an overview of household welfare, labor markets, and social programs in Albania, outside of its capital, in 1996. At the time, Albania was in a cross roads, from a period of phenomenal growth, to a series of economic crisis, though still ranking as the poorest country in the Central and Eastern Europe Region. The main findings suggest that the majority of the poor are rural, self-employed in agriculture, a result of Albania's large rural population that is mainly employed in subsistence agriculture. These households also have the highest poverty incidence, followed by out of labor force individuals, and the unemployed. Not surprising, the highest poverty incidence is in the rural north, requiring subsidized wheat, and cash transfers to survive difficult winters. Interestingly, migration is a major coping strategy in Albania: households with no migrants, were poorer than those where a family member was working abroad. The study raises concern about the education system, and safety nets, considering there are high drop out rates in basic, and secondary education among the poor, and, education spending is biased against the poor, except in basic education. Moreover, health outcomes are particularly worse among the poor. The study notes that outside of pensions, Albania's social protection system appears moderately well targeted to the poor, however, high tax rates, and limited wage base, makes a contribution based social protection system questionable.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rashid, Mansoora, Dorabawila, Vajeera, Adams, Richard
Format: Publication biblioteca
Language:English
en_US
Published: Washington, DC: World Bank 2001-05
Subjects:AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, AIR, AQUIFERS, AVERAGE AGE, BASIC EDUCATION, CHRONIC DISEASE, CHRONIC ILLNESS, CONSUMPTION PATTERNS, DATA SET, DEVELOPMENT POLICY, ECOLOGY, ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT, ECONOMIC REFORM, ECONOMICS, EDUCATION LEVEL, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE, EXPENDITURE CATEGORY, FAMILIES, FINANCIAL SECTOR, FOOD EXPENDITURES, FOREST MANAGEMENT, GINI COEFFICIENT, GROWTH PROCESS, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH EDUCATION, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES, HOUSEHOLD DATA, HOUSEHOLD HEAD, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, IMMIGRATION, IMMUNIZATION, INCOME, INCOME COUNTRIES, INCOME GROUPS, INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, INCOME INEQUALITY, INDIVIDUAL POVERTY, INFANT MORTALITY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INFLATION, INFLATION RATE, INSURANCE, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, LABOR FORCE, LABOR MARKET, LABOR MARKET REGULATIONS, LABOR MARKETS, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LIVING CONDITIONS, LIVING STANDARD, LIVING STANDARDS, LOW INCOME, MARGINAL RETURNS, MARKET ECONOMY, MARKETING, MEAN CONSUMPTION, MIGRANTS, MORTALITY, PENSION SYSTEM, POLICY MAKERS, POLITICAL STABILITY, POPULATION GROUPS, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY RATE, POVERTY RATES, POVERTY REDUCTION, PRIMARY SCHOOL, PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS, PRIVATE SECTORS, PRO-POOR, PRODUCTIVITY, PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH, PUBLIC EDUCATION, PUBLIC EXPENDITURES, PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, PUBLIC RESOURCES, PUBLIC SECTOR, PUBLIC SERVICES, PUBLIC SPENDING, PUBLIC TRANSFERS, PUBLIC UTILITIES, REAL TERMS, REAL WAGES, REDUCED INEQUALITY, RURAL AREAS, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL POPULATION, SAFETY, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NETS, SAMPLE SIZE, SAVINGS, SCHOOL GRADUATES, SECTOR EMPLOYMENT, SECTOR REFORMS, SECTORAL COMPOSITION, SMOKING, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL CAPITAL, SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL POLICY, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL SERVICES, SOCIAL SPENDING, STATE ENTERPRISES, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, TAX RATES, TERTIARY EDUCATION, TRADE POLICY, TRADE REGIME, TRANSITION PROCESS, UNEMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, URBAN AREAS, URBAN CENTERS, URBAN HOUSEHOLDS, URBAN POPULATION, WASTE, WATER PRICING,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/05/1631732/household-welfare-labor-market-social-programs-albania
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/14015
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