Using household surveys to capture vulnerability: Issues and challenges

Abstract

While the conceptual work on vulnerability reviewed in Chapter 2 is already quite advanced, the actual measurement of vulnerability to poverty of households is lagging behind. In fact, most empirical assessments of vulnerability have used very simplified methods to assess vulnerability to poverty, such as basing them on a single cross-section or vulnerability scores, or related short-cut procedures. Often these assessments are based on rather crude assessments of shocks experienced and risks faced by households. This is not due to the lack of dedication to the task or the fieldwork or econometric skills of the researchers involved. As will be discussed in more detail below, this is largely due to the fact that the measurement of vulnerability to poverty is extremely demanding as far as data needs are concerned. In particular, adequately capturing shocks and risks and their impact on vulnerability is very challenging.