Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Unit, the Republic Statistical Office and the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia initiated the project Analysis of Poverty Characteristics in Serbia. The main goal of the project was to support the analyses of poverty factors and risks in Serbia. The aim was also to enhance research practice in the Country, utilize the existing research data, and motivate researchers at the beginning of their career to improve their capacities in poverty characteristics analysis.

In May 2008, the Republic Statistical Office published the Living Standards Measurement Survey – Serbia 2002 – 2007. The analyses contained therein are based on the data of the LSMS 2002, 2003 and 2007. The poverty and living standards data are seen as integral to the information system which facilitates decision-making of the Government of Serbia and its ministries. Statistical poverty data are crucial for the strategic planning processes undertaken by the Government of Serbia to monitor efficiency and outcomes of adopted strategic measures, and to manage socio-economic policies with accountability.

The statistical system of Serbia was improved significantly between 2003 and 2008. The Draft Law on Statistics mandated competencies of the Republic Statistical Office to monitor poverty trends in Serbia, in order to identify the most vulnerable groups of population and the main poverty risks. Data accessibility was improved, raw LSMS data are available for the public, and the realization of the research contributed to the enhancement of the link between the official statistics and data users.

The LSMS provides an abundance of data, however, the report does not indicate all poverty dimensions and characteristics.

The project Analysis of Poverty Characteristics in Serbia covered 13 research projects and/or the following topics:

• Impact of adult training;
• Reproduction of social inequalities through education transition;
• Poverty among pensioners and the elderly(65+) without pension;
• Integration of displaced persons;
• Single parenthood and poverty;
• Social exclusion as a phenomenon of multiple deprivation;
• Action research of the needs of the youth in rural regions;
• Higher education and support mechanisms (scholarships, student homes) for vulnerable groups and ethnic minorities;
• Socio-economic and demographic correlations of participation in secondary education;
• Assessment of social and health safety of women (65+) in rural regions: Nis and Kragujevac municipalities;
• Children with developmental disabilities – from passive service beneficiaries to active participants in the life of the community;
• Efficiency and equity of the student standards system;
• What is the cause of poverty and what alleviates poverty – consumption dynamics in Serbia.

The publication hereof covers nine researches, while all researches are published on the webpage of the Network of Social Affairs Researchers, http://www.mrezaisp.org