1. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 1 Ms. Christine Fang The Hong Kong Council of Social Service 17 th October, 2005

2. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 1.Definitions (EC Joint Report on Social Inclusion) 2.Common Objectives in Combating Poverty (EC) 3.Policy Strategies: Mobilize All Relevant Bodies 4.Key Priorities in National Action Plans Against Poverty & Social Exclusion (2005 EC) 5.Policy Targets 6.Poverty Indicators 7.Case Study: Ireland’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) & Community Engagement Structure 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 2

3. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 1.Definitions (EC Joint Report on Social Inclusion) Poverty: The income & resources of people living in poverty are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living considered acceptable in the society in which they live. Social Inclusion: A process that ensures those at risk of poverty and social exclusion gain the opportunities & resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social & cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living & well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. 3

4. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 2.Common Objectives in Combating Poverty (EC) Facilitate Participation in Employment Ensure Access to Resources, Rights, Goods & Services for All Prevent the Risks of Exclusion Help the Most Vulnerable Mobilize All Relevant Bodies 4

5. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 3.Policy Strategies: Mobilize All Relevant Bodies (EC Obj 5) 1.Mainstream the Fight Against Poverty & Exclusion Develop national action plan with targets & programs Decentralize, strengthen local input, adapt administrative & local services (client-based) joint-up approach Monitoring & evaluation 2.Promote Participation & Self Expression of People in Poverty & Suffering Exclusion 3.Promote Dialogue & Partnership Involve social partners, NGOs & social service providers Build public awareness & engagement Foster social responsibility of business 5

6. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 4.Key Priorities in National Action Plans Against Poverty & Social Exclusion (2005 EC) Increasing labour market participation Modernizing social protection systems Tackling disadvantages in education & training Eliminating child poverty Ensuring decent accommodation Improving access to quality services Overcoming discrimination & increasing the integration of people with disabilities, ethnic minorities & immigrants 6

7. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 5.Policy Targets Direct Outcome Target – directly indicate a reduction in poverty & social exclusion in a key policy domain e.g. unemployment, low income, poor housing / homelessness, educational disadvantage, poor health Intermediate Outcome Targets – indirectly contribute to a reduction in poverty & social exclusion e.g. reduction in number of people depending on assistance payments, general increase in employment levels, reduction in level of sick leave Input Target – aim at an increase in policy efforts e.g. increasing the no. of homeless assisted, ensuring all new immigrants participate in an integration programme 7

8. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 5.Example of Policy Target Setting : Ireland National Action Plan Against Poverty & Social Exclusion Policy Objective: T o facilitate participation in employment Policy Targets: T o eliminate long term unemployment as soon as circumstances permit but in any event not later than 2007 T o reduce the level of unemployment experienced by vulnerable groups towards the national average by 2007 T o increase the employment rate of women to an average of more than 60 per cent in 2010, as envisaged in the National Employment Action Plan and T o achieve the objectives set out in the National Employment Action Plan to increase employment rates 8

9. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty EC Commonly Agreed Indicators 11 Primary Indicators 6.Poverty Indicators At-risk-of poverty rate At-risk-of poverty threshold Income quintile ratio Persistent at-risk-of poverty rate Relative median poverty risk gap Regional Cohesion Long term unemployment rate Population living in jobless households: children / prime-age adults Early school leavers not in education or training Life expectancy Self-defined health status by income level 9

10. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty EC Commonly Agreed Indicators 9 Secondary Indicators 6.Poverty Indicators Dispersion around the at- risk-of-poverty threshold At-risk-of-poverty rate anchored at a moment in time At-risk-of-poverty rate before social cash transfers Gini coefficient Persistent at-risk-of-poverty rate (50% of median equivalised income) In-work poverty risk Long-term unemployment share Very long term unemployment rate Persons with low educational attainment 10

11. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 7.Case Study: Ireland’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) & Community Engagement Structure 11

12. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 7.Case Study: Ireland’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) & Community Engagement Structure 12

13. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 7.Case Study: Ireland’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) & Community Engagement Structure 13

14. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 7.Questions on Lessons Learnt : Effectiveness of such Policies & Programs 1.Accorded high priority in Government agenda, with Government pledges on targets to be achieved 2.Strong mandate to pull community efforts & innovative programmes (resources, researches, opportunities etc.) 3.Evidenced-based quantifiable & qualifiable demonstration of needs, effectiveness of programmes, measurements of poverty are in place 4.Community engagement structure & process strengthened social consensus and solidarity 14

15. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 8.1 To Develop a Set of Poverty Indicators a.“At-risk-of poverty” rate - To use the measurement of half median family income of various family size to identify low income families at risk of poverty ( can break down by household type-households with & without dependent children; by accommodation; by economic activity status) b.Income quintile ratio c.Persistent at-risk poverty rate – share of persons with equivalised disposable income below the at-risk-of poverty threshold in the current yr and in at least 2 of the preceding 3 yrs d.Gini coefficient e.Long term unemployment rate - total long-term unemployed population (> 12 mths, ILO definition) as a proportion of total active population aged 15 yrs of above 15

16. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty f.Population living in jobless households – % over total population for children/ elderly/working age adults g.Early school leavers not in education or training – share of persons aged 18-24 who have only lower sec education and have not received education or training in the 4 weeks preceding the survey h.Persons with low educational attainment – share of the adult population (aged 25 yrs and over)whose highest level of education or training i.Self defined health status by income level – proportion of pop’n aged 16 yrs and over in the bottom and top quintile of the equivalised income distribution who classify themselves as in a bad or very bad state of health j.In-work poverty risk – individuals who are classified as employed according to the definition of most frequent activity status and who are at risk of poverty 8.1 To Develop a Set of Poverty Indicators 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 16

17. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.2 To Define the Objectives of Anti-Poverty Policy / Programs Facilitate participation in employment – make work available, make work pay and make work skilled Facilitate access to resources, rights and services for all - ensure basic livelihood protection for those who cannot work, decent and sanitary housing, healthcare, education, justice and personal support services to live in accordance with human dignity Target at vulnerable groups to prevent poverty – child poverty, elderly poverty, and people that have a disability or belong to a group experiencing particular integration problems. To ensure all have the chance to improve their lives, which is important to keep people motivated and not to give up 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 17

18. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.3 Priority Issues for Action in Combating Poverty (COP) Prevent Intergenerational Poverty Working Poor Community-based Anti-Poverty Model 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 18

19. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.3.1 Prevent Intergenerational Poverty Strategies: Facilitate employment of Parents in Low Income Families with dependent children Drive down youth unemployment rate Ensure access to quality childcare and preschool service for all, especially low income families: provision rate against projected demand and take up rate Ensure school attainment level and drop-out rate of low income children do not fare below others Ensure provision & take up of subsidized informal/extracurricular educational activities reaches children at-risk-of poverty Enrollment rate of youth in continuous learning 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 8.3 Priority Issues for Action in Combating Poverty (COP) 19

20. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.3.2Working Poor Strategies: Make work available – encourage investment in economic activities that can increase job opportunities or by using opportunities for integration and employment provided by the social economy; put in place, for those in the most vulnerable groups in society, pathways towards employment and by mobilizing training policies to that end Make work pay – minimum wage issue or wage subsidy or tax credit measures Make work skilled – invest in training and re-training, to improve employability through human resource management, organization of work and life-long learning 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 20

21. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.3.3Community-based Anti-Poverty Model Strategies: Set Floor Targets to improve relative disadvantage in the 5 basic domains of Employment, Education (School Attainment/ Literacy/School Drop-out), Health, Housing, Crime Establish Local Strategic Partnership platform to mobilize X- sector efforts and resources to find local solutions to local problems Give incentives for local enterprise enhancement for Job Creation 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 21

22. 從政策入手滅貧 Advocating Policy for Combating Poverty 8.4 Community Engagement Structure & Process Commission on Poverty to host public forum to engage stakeholders in identifying & addressing priority issues of poverty Set up District Partnership Platforms Drafting of a 5-year Action Plan to Combat Poverty (interim 2-year target) Develop a set of Poverty Indicators Encourage and Commission research to analyse, monitor state of poverty in Hong Kong 8.Recommendations for Hong Kong 22

23. 23 T h a n k Y o u