Halving global poverty

The goal of central importance to this paper is to cut in half the proportion of people living below $1 a day from around 30 percent of the developing world's population in 1990 to 15 percent by 2015. Based on population projections in 1990 this would correspond to around one billion people exiting poverty. This paper begins by discussing poverty trends on a global scale -- where the poor are located in the world and how their numbers have been changing over time. It then discusses the relationship of economic growth and income distribution to poverty reduction. Finally, it suggests an evidence-based agenda for poverty reduction in the developing world. Full text available at Official URL