R4D Moldova

Left behind in transition? Poverty, social networks and social support amongst older people in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Impact Report.

Thu, 26 May 2011 05:11 GMT

Document Type: Miscellaneous
Creator: Falkingham, J.; Evandrou, M.

Production Year: 2011

Citation: Falkingham, JC, et al (2011) Left Behind in Transition? Poverty, Social Networks and Social Support amongst Older People in Central Asia and the Caucasus ESRC Impact Report, RES-167-25-0191. Swindon: ESRC.

Summary: The main scientific impact of the project has been an improved empirical understanding of the well-being of older people living in the poorest countries of the former soviet union, most notably Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, where the in-depth qualitative research took place. It highlighted the limited role played by public transfers and the significance of private transfers, especially remittances, in providing a safety net. Intergenerational exchanges however operate in both directions, with grandparents providing support for grandchildren.

The impact of migration on older people in Moldova

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:01 GMT

Document Type: Miscellaneous
Creator: Grant, G.; Falkingham, J.; Evandrou, M.

Production Year: 2009

Citation: British Society for Population Studies annual conference, Brighton, 9 September 2009

The impact of adult children’s migration on wellbeing in later life : voices from Moldova

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:14 GMT

Document Type: Miscellaneous
Creator: Grant, G.; Falingham, J.; Evandrou, M.

Production Year: 2009

Citation: Centre for Research on Ageing discussion paper, 0902, University of Southampton, 2009

Healing the crisis. A prescription for public health action in South-Eastern Europe.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:40 GMT

Document Type: Miscellaneous
Creator: Rechel B and McKee M.

Production Year: 2003

Citation: Open Society Institute, Published by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK, ISBN 0 902657 73 9, 117 pp.

Summary: This review summarizes existing evidence, highlights gaps, and reviews donor and other priorities in public health investment. The sources of data include published studies, health statistics, reports from governments, development agencies, and NGOs.

Health service utilisation in the Former Soviet Union: evidence from eight countries.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:49 GMT

Document Type: Miscellaneous
Creator: Balabanova, D.; McKee, M.; Pomerleau, J.; Rose, R.; Haerpfer, C.

Production Year: 2004

Citation: Health Services Research, 39(6), Part II, 1927-1949, 2004.

Summary: In the past decade, the countries that emerged from the Soviet Union have experienced major changes in the inherited Soviet model of health care, which was centrally planned and provided universal, free access to basic care. The underlying principle of universality remains, but coexists with new funding and delivery systems and growing out-of-pocket payments. The objectives of this study were to examine patterns and determinants of health care utilization, the extent of payment for health care, and the settings in which care is obtained in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.

Impact of the withdrawal of modern energy on urban poor

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:00 GMT

Project Status: Ongoing
Project Background: Policy makers and civil society organisations will understand the impacts on livelihoods of the urban poor of deterioration of modern energy supplies (in E. Europe), with a view to incorporating mitigating activities into reform policy and pro-poor activities respectively.

Project Conclusions: Of more interest to the research is an understanding of how people's fuel choices and use are likely to change as the reforms start to bite. For example, if a significant number of people use wood to substitute for electricity, then there will be consequences for the regulation of timber industries in order to protect forests. It appears that gas is the preferred substitute for electricity and whilst in Albania there are plans to expand the local LPG industry, which would appear to be a timely response to changes in the electricity supply industry, there is no LPG industry to speak of in Kyrgyzstan where electricity prices remain relatively low. Social protection mechanisms proposed are based on existing state support mechanisms, yet the data indicates that some households experiencing poverty are not receiving any form of benefit e.g. up to a third of pensioners are not receiving pension benefits. The cost of making benefit systems more effective needs to be included in any analysis of social protection mechanisms. Changing to cheaper fuels will have not only environmental implications associated with burning gas, wood and coal in preference to electricity (mostly renewable from hydro plant), but also health implications on a domestic level. There will also be implications on livelihoods (notably health and education) of likely coping strategies associated with reduction of energy use. The implications of this for the urban poor is being discussed in final workshops within the research project. The final output of the project should inform decision makers regarding how industry reforms can be linked to social protection systems in such a way to minimise the negative impact on the poor.

Actual Outputs: The research methodology employs a combination of qualitative data and non parametric statistical analysis to investigate the links between changes in the energy industry and changes in household energy behaviour. Household surveys questionnaires were developed through preliminary surveys in each of the three countries, which included interviews with government ministries, regulators, energy related institutions, electricity distribution companies, NGOs, local energy suppliers, and local residents. The main household surveys have now been completed and the data is being prepared for analysis.

The preliminary surveys confirmed that the energy reform processes in all three countries do indeed have potential negative social and economic impacts on the poor. It is also evident that the full implications for the poor of liberalisation are yet to be realised. Tariff increases to date have been minimal e.g. only nominal increase in lifeline tariff in Albania, and although lifeline tariffs have increased in Kyrgyzstan, they remain low in real terms e.g. around 1.1 cent/kWh. Electricity companies are only just beginning to address the issues of non-payment and theft e.g. meter installation programmes are under way in Albania where over half of respondents receive nominal rather than metered bills (only 7% of respondents have no meter in Moldova and Kyrgyzstan). Nevertheless, the authorities recognise the potential consequences of increased electricity costs, and are investigating mechanisms to administer additional funds to compensate for price increases e.g. the Kyrgyz Tariff Policy Project (funded by DFID). However, social protection mechanisms proposed are based on existing systems i.e. existing registers for pensions, disability, unemployment benefits etc. Two main concerns have been voiced - will the extra money be enough (pensioners have been identified as a high risk group), and what will happen to households who fall through the social protection net?

Preliminary results confirm a general preference for gas for cooking (LPG and piped, depending on national markets). Although gas is also the dominant space heating fuel in Albania, use is low in Kyrgyzstan because gas is only piped to dwellings that also have district heating, so there is no demand; electricity and coal are used instead. Albania is the only country registering significant use of wood.

The data shows that even though the full impact of reforms has yet to be felt, some have already changed their choice of fuels and payment behaviour. For example, in Albania over a quarter of people have changed fuels, with most changing from electricity to LPG for cooking and heating, whilst in Kyrgyzstan less than 20% have changed fuels. It is interesting to note that whilst 30% of respondents in Albania have started paying for electricity over the last 5 years, 20% have stopped paying.

When faced with potential enforcement of payment and price increases, enforcement is regarded as the main threat where payment rates are low (Albania), otherwise electricity price rises are regarded as most important (Kyrgyzstan). Potential responses appear to be mixed; for example people in Albania say they will change to cheaper fuels, whilst those in Kyrgyzstan prefer to reduce their energy consumption. What is clear is that people will have difficulty paying, and the remaining analysis intends to look at responses to coping strategies to predict the impacts on livelihoods.

Now that data sets from all three countries are available, the analysis needs to be completed and a draft policy paper drawn up. Research partners in each country will then circulate these amongst national experts as part of a consultation and verification phase. Finally, a set of reports will be published and disseminated amongst various stakeholder groups.

Implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategies in the NIS

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:00 GMT

Project Status: Completed

Project Objectives: This study identifies the key challenges facing NIS governments in implementing full PRSPs. This involves an assessment of the PRSPs of Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, and examination of the actions taken after launching the PRSPs and a comparison with the experiences of Moldova and Uzbekistan in developing PRSPs. In identifying the key challenges, the study assesses the depth of integration of the PRSP in the budget process; the existence of sector strategies/work plans with clear priorities in the PRSP framework; and the extent to which indicators, monitoring and feedback arrangements have been put in place and utilized effectively.

Left behind in transition? Poverty, social networks and social support amongst older people in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:00 GMT

Project Status: Current
Project Background:

The break-up of the Soviet Union and the subsequent transition to market-led economies was accompanied by severe economic disruption and a crisis in public funding. A significant amount of research has been conducted into the impact of economic transition on living standards of the population in general and children in particular. However, there has been relatively little research focusing on older people, despite the fact that the older population face particular challenges in terms of the falling value of pensions and shrinking government services. Having lived their entire working lives in a planned socialist state, they now find themselves in later life facing a new world / politically, economically, socially, psychologically and physically.

This project examines the living conditions and sources of finance and social support (both state and family) amongst older people living in the seven poorest countries of the former Soviet Union / Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The project uses a mixed method design, combining quantitative analysis of recently available household survey data in each of the 7 countries combined with in depth qualitative research in 3 case study countries.

Project Objectives: The main objective of the proposed research project is to shed light on the living conditions and sources of finance and social support (both state and family) amongst older people living in the seven poorest countries of the former Soviet Union / Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (known as the CIS-7). A secondary aim is to disseminate these findings to key stakeholders, both regionally and within the international donor community, and to influence the poverty alleviation programmes in these countries

Global experience with PRSP implementation.

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:00 GMT

Document Type: Research Paper

Production Year: 2004

Citation: Global experience with PRSP implementation, EC-PREP, 47 pp.

Summary:

The purpose of this report is to identify a set of findings and lessons learned from global experience with implementation of the PRSP process. The Synthesis Report will bring together the global experience identified in this document with the specific needs and issues related to the Newly Independent States (NIS).

This report uses the basic analytical framework set out in the study terms of reference. The ToR defines two sets of factors: Challenges and issues within a number of domains. Within this report, these challenges are examined in the sense of being good features of the PRSP. The challenges are therefore to achieve these good features of the PRSP. A valid question is whether these features are sufficient to ensure implementation of the PRSP or if there are other features or issues that would also need to be addressed. The report attempts to identify these other features or issues.

This particular document begins with an overview, then chapters including: PRSP implementation, key issues affecting implementation of the PRSP, implications/relevance for NIS, and annexes follow.

Impact of the withdrawal of modern energy on the urban poor: Final technical report

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:00 GMT

Document Type: Technical Report
Creator: N. Scott, K. McKemey, S. Batchelor

Production Year: 2004

Citation: Gamos Ltd., UK, 181 pp.

Summary: This final technical report introduces the project (Impact of the withdrawal of modern energy on urban poor, R8147) and its research methodology, and provides country contexts (for Albania, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova) in terms of national energy, energy reforms and poverty. Analysis and findings are presented for each country, along with points of interest from cross-country comparisons. The report finishes with conclusions and recommendations. There are 4 appendices: an example questionnaire and survey analysis for each country.