Poverty Lines as Context Deflators in the DRC. A methodology to account for contextual differences

In this paper we present a specific methodology to make spatial well-being and poverty assessments based on expenditure data to some extent sensitive to contextual aspects other than price differentials. The rationale behind this method coincides with the view expressed by the advocates of human development pointing to the irrelevance of (real) income levels for well-being measurement compared to an analysis of people?s ability to deploy this purchasing power in a very specific time and setting. Yet, in order to operationalize this principle, we opted to employ the ordinary technique of deflating nominal incomes, but in such a way that genuine comparability over different geographical entities comes within reach. Of course, the extent to which our methodology is able to achieve this goal, largely depend on the exact content and construction of the underlying deflators used. Given our research agenda to analyze the distribution of poverty and well-being in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we decided to construct 56 regional poverty lines whose pair wise ratios in turn were used as a set of context deflators. The challenge of this exercise essentially boiled down to reconciling the two seemingly discordant –but highly appreciated– poverty line characteristics of „specificity? and „consistency?: i.e. how to give due attention to the myriad of local living conditions while still ensuring sufficient comparability. Although this theoretical discordance has been settled some time ago, methodological problems to align both features still remain cumbersome in practice. Therefore, the main contribution of this paper needs to be understood in addressing these methodological issues within the framework of a household and expenditure survey. As a natural starting point to deal with these issues, we screened the validity of the major criticisms raised against the Food Energy Intake (FEI) method. Indeed, this context-sensitive methodology for setting poverty lines is often condemned for generating inconsistent results, but –after closer scrutiny– not for every reason put forward in the literature. On the basis of these insights, we started to mould our own specific poverty line methodology in which we tried to accommodate the remaining pieces of critique. This resulted in a three-step FEI-like procedure where the anchoring device to ensure consistency between all 56 localities, was built upon the basic human functionings of being adequately nourished and sheltered. Finally, we applied this procedure to our data in order to discern the impact of our own methodology vis-à-vis other internally and externally computed approaches.

Decoking of fixed-bed catalytic reactors

A mathematical model for the description of the non-steady state process of decoking of a fixed bed catalytic reactor is presented. The relevant dimensionless groups are identified and their influence on the process discussed. Appropriate relationships are given for the estimation of the maximum temperature in the bed. Methods of monitoring the process and of controlling it in the case of unknown or variable coke contents are explained

Approfondir le profilage géographique de la pauvreté en RDC : L’introduction d’indices composites sur base des avoirs

Par nécessité ainsi qu’à cause de leur valeur intrinsèque et complémentaire, les méthodes synthétiques sur base des avoirs (en anglais: « asset-based approaches ») ont dernièrement regagné en importance dans l’évaluation de la pauvreté. Dans ce papier de recherche, on va appliquer l’une de ces méthodes statistiques sur les données de l’Enquête 1-2-3 (2004-5), en complétant ainsi le profil de la pauvreté monétaire en RDC. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que les ménages dans le milieu urbain disposent d’un ensemble d’avoirs plus important, de telle sorte qu’ils sont moins vulnérables aux chocs et plus capables de poursuivre une meilleure vie que leurs homologues ruraux. Ceci compte d’autant plus pour la province urbanisée de Kinshasa par rapport, à l’autre bout de l’échelle, aux provinces du Bandundu, du Maniema, Orientale et de l’Equateur. Par conséquent, et après avoir examiné les dimensions ‘budget’ et ‘capital’, on constate que la pauvreté urbaine en RDC est moins structurelle que celle de la campagne, ce qui nécessite donc des interventions d’un autre type. By necessity as well as because of their intrinsic and complementary value, the asset-based approaches have recently regained importance in the field of poverty measurement. In this study, we apply one of these statistical methods based upon the findings of Survey 1-2-3 (2004-5), thus completing the profile of monetary poverty within the DRC. The results of this survey indicate that households from urban areas possess an aggregate of more important assets, which makes them less vulnerable to shocks and enables them to lead a better life than those in rural areas. This actually holds more true for the province of Kinshasa than for the provinces of Bandundu, Maniema, Oriental and Equateur. As a result, after having considered the ‘budget’ and ‘capital’ dimensions, we conclude that urban poverty within the DRC is less structural than poverty in the countryside, which necessitates interventions of another kind.

Estudo de avaliação do projeto socio desportivo ‘Bola Pr'a Frente E6G’ no Bairro Padre Cruz em Lisboa

O Projeto ‘Bola pr'a Frente’ promovido pela ANFR no Bairro Padre Cruz, visa o empoderamento de crianças e jovens vulneráveis, em particular de minorias étnicas, migrantes, refugiados, raparigas e portadores de deficiência, residentes em zonas urbanas periféricas, tendo em vista o desenvolvimento de competências pessoais e sociais, sucesso escolar, empregabilidade e cidadania. A intervenção sociodesportiva visa contrariar o círculo vicioso das limitações das condições desfavoráveis de existência, aumentando as oportunidades de inclusão social junto de jovens vulneráveis à exclusão social e discriminação. Neste artigo são apresentadas algumas das conclusões do estudo de autoavaliação do Projeto ‘Bola pr'a Frente’, que teve por objetivo desenvolver indicadores qualitativos e quantitativos de monitoramento da eficácia dos resultados/metas preconizados, i.e., do impacto inclusivo do projeto junto da comunidade participante. O estudo fornece contributos para a precisão das metas a atingir, e das estratégias de intervenção sociodesportiva.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Challenge of Sport Towards Social Inclusion and Awareness-Raising Against Any Discrimination

Sport presents itself as a social configuration that enhances social inclusion by promoting tolerance, respect for others, cooperation, loyalty and friendship, and values associated with fair play, the most important ethical principles of sport. However, intolerance and exclusion can also be expressed in sport, certainly even more so the bigger the social inequalities and the ethnic, religious, gender, disability, and sexual orientation prejudices are in society. The processes of social exclusion, integration, and inclusion are research areas in the social sciences with consolidated knowledge, namely in the study of the problems of poverty, social inequalities, racial and ethnic discrimination, disability, and education. However, it is necessary to discuss the existing theoretical approaches and conceptions seen as explanatory principles of the reality of these fields of analysis, look at how they can frame the reality on the sports field, and then confirm them through empirical research in order to produce knowledge based on the reality of social facts. Despite the broad consensus on the potential of sport in promoting social inclusion, in this paper I stress that this potential can only become real if the orientation of sport includes strategies aimed at achieving these goals. I intend to show how the –social issue‖ in the field of sports has gained relevance in the institutional context, and thereby a new field of research for the social science of sport has been opened and needs to be deepened

Typologies spatiales intégrées pour identifier l'insécurité alimentaire et les goulots d'étranglement de la pauvreté: Cas du Burkina Faso

Ce document cherche à intégrer deux typologies spatiales existantes pour mieux comprendre les principaux obstacles et contraintes à la sécurité alimentaire et aux moyens de subsistance viables des agriculteurs au Burkina Faso. L’objectif principal de cette étude est précisément d'identifier et localiser les différents goulots d'étranglement qui empêchent une pleine réalisation du potentiel agricole de chaque zone tout en améliorant les résultats nutritionnels finaux de la population.Non-PRIFPRI1; FARM TRACMTID; AF