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Equity and Policy Effectiveness with Imperfect Targeting

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  • Sami Bibi

    (CIRPEE and Faculté des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion de Tunis (FSEGT), Campus Universitaire)

  • Jean-Yves Duclos
Abstract
We propose a general approach that jointly integrates horizontal and vertical equity criteria in the assessment of poverty alleviation programs, with the strength of each criterion captured through its own inequity-aversion parameter. This contrasts with the assessment of poverty alleviation programs done with simple under-coverage and leakage ratios or with other methods that do not take into account the heterogeneity of the poor and that do not address directly the social benefits of achieving normative criteria. We illustrate our methodology by using Tunisian data and two alternative poverty alleviation policies. We find inter alia that the social ranking of commodity and socio-demographic targeting in Tunisia depends on the policymaker's comparative preference for vertical and horizontal equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sami Bibi & Jean-Yves Duclos, 2004. "Equity and Policy Effectiveness with Imperfect Targeting," Working Papers 0423, Economic Research Forum, revised 10 2004.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:0423
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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