Addressing Poverty and Vulnerability in ASEAN: An Analysis of Measures and Implications Going Forward
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Abstract
This paper aims to review and analyse the mechanisms through which the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) quantifies progress vis-à-vis poverty and socio-economic development. Drawing on analytic literature and international experience, this paper details specific reforms that the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community could consider adopting to holistically capture the specific vulnerabilities faced by the ASEAN region and more accurately measure progress in implementing the ASEAN post-2015 vision. These recommendations most significantly include revising the formulation of the purchasing power parity poverty line, harmonising data collection efforts and introducing an ASEAN panel survey, and leveraging the comparatively rich availability of household data among member states to create an ASEAN-specific multidimensional poverty index.
