DUSHANBE, July 1, 2008, Asia-Plus — In Tajikistan, 53 percent of the population are estimated to be poor and 17 percent are estimated to be critically poor.
Ms, Bakhtiya Muhammadiyeva, the first deputy chairman of the State Committee for Statistics, remarked this on June 30, while speaking at a ceremony of presentation of the basic information document entitled “Tajikistan: Living Standards Measurement Survey 2007.”
She defined the poverty line as equal to not more than 139 somonis ($40.5) per month and the critical poverty line as equal to 89 somonis per month (the critical poverty line means that money is pent to foodstuffs only).
According to Muhammadiyeva, the survey provides updated data of the poverty level in Tajikistan as well as monitoring of the socioeconomic situation of the population with an emphasis made on women and children.
The survey will serve as foundation for making decisions as well as provide the better monitoring of state social measures and economic programs specified by the Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2007-2009, Tajik official said.
According to her, 5,000 households in urban and rural areas have been surveyed. The living standards survey was conducted September through November 2007.
According to the Sate Committee for Statistics, the survey results are being discussed in details today at the conference formally titled “Role of Surveys of Household and Statistics in Monitoring Poverty, Developing Policy and Decision-Making and Implementation of Programs.” The conference is expected to bring together some 125 representatives of the government, ministries and organizations as well as 23 representatives of international organizations and the diplomatic missions of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, etc.
