Lessons drawn from household surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America

Javier HERRERA, Mireille RAZAFINDRAKOTO, François ROUBAUD

Javier Herrera IRD-Paris, DIAL
herrera [at] dial.prd.fr

Mireille Razafindrakoto, IRD-Paris, DIAL
razafindrakoto [at] dial.prd.fr

François Roubaud IRD-Paris, DIAL
roubaud [at] dial.prd.fr

Abstract

Public statistics face quite a challenge when it comes to measuring new dimensions of development (institutions, governance, and social and political participation). To take up this challenge, modules on Governance, Democracy and Multiple Dimensions of Poverty have been appended to household surveys by National Statistics Institutes in twelve African and Latin-American developing countries. This paper presents the issues addressed and the methodological lessons learnt along with a selection of findings to illustrate this innovative approach and demonstrate its analytic potential. We investigate, for instance, the population’s support for democratic principles, the respect for civil and political rights and the trust in the political class; the “need for the State”, particularly of the poorest; the extent of petty corruption; the reliability of expert surveys on governance; the perception of decentralisation policies at local level; the level and vitality of social and political participation, etc. The conclusive appraisal made opens up prospects for the national statistical information systems in the developing countries. The measurement and tracking of this new set of objective and subjective public policy monitoring indicators would benefit from being made systematic.

Conception graphique couverture : Aurette Leroy et Anne Caminade
Impression : mediatys / Groupe Corlet
Photos de couverture : ©IRD, Deliry Antheaume, Elisabeth
Afrique du Sud : campagne pour les élections de 1994. La démocratie pour tous, une préocupation largement partagée en Afrique.
Réalisation Nanda Sooben.
©Ministère des Affaires étrangères, 2006
ISBN : 2-11-095646-1
ISSN : 1160-3372

Governance, democracy and poverty reduction - (PDF, 1.6 Mo)