Practical Responses to Real Problems: Eight Poverty Reduction Cases from the Asian Development Bank, Volume 2

By Asian Development Bank

This publication presents new case studies of recent Asian Development Bank projects in Bangladesh, the Cook Islands, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and the People's Republic of China. The case studies highlight innovative interventions and effective approaches used to reduce poverty while ensuring equality and inclusion, caring for the environment, securing food for all, and sustaining prosperity through access to finance. The publication builds on the first volume of poverty reduction case studies published in 2019.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Release date: Jul 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9789292696108

Book preview

1  OVERVIEW

Background

Recent setbacks to poverty alleviation because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic underscore the urgency to deepen efforts to reduce poverty and inequality. ADB estimates show more than 75 to 80 million people went into extreme poverty in developing Asia in 2020 because of the pandemic (ADB 2021). While the recovery is under way in developing Asia, it is still largely incomplete in most of the region. Since the outbreak began, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been helping its developing members respond through finance, partnerships, and knowledge sharing.

This publication shares ADB’s knowledge through case studies of recent ADB poverty reduction projects in Bangladesh, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Cook Islands, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea. The case studies highlight innovative interventions and effective approaches to reduce poverty by ensuring equality and inclusion, caring for the environment, securing food for all, and sustaining prosperity through access to finance. The publication builds on the first volume and shares innovative experiences gained from the projects’ success.

Ensuring Equality and Inclusion

High on ADB’s agenda is ensuring human development and social inclusion, quality jobs, education and training, better health, and social protection. Accomplishing these goals requires scaling up support for gender equality in human development, decision-making, and leadership; empowering women economically; reducing women’s time poverty; and strengthening women’s resilience to shocks.

Two projects highlight equality and inclusion. A rural connectivity program in India resulted in higher agricultural production, better cropping patterns, safe mobility, and socioeconomic opportunities for women and girls, and women’s greater self-esteem and leadership capacity. A flood emergency reconstruction and resilience project in Pakistan reduced travel time, improved road safety, and promoted economic and social recovery by expanding the delivery of health, education, and food