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Estimating Poverty among Refugee Populations: A Cross-Survey Imputation Exercise for Chad

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  • Beltramo, Theresa
  • Dang, Hai-Anh H.
  • Sarr, Ibrahima
  • Verme, Paolo

Abstract

Household consumption surveys do not typically cover refugee populations, and poverty estimates for refugees are rare. This paper tests the performance of cross-survey imputation methods to estimate poverty for a sample of refugees in Chad, by combining United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees survey and administrative data. The proposed method offers poverty estimates based on administrative data that fall within a 95 percent margin of poverty estimates based on survey consumption data. This result is robust to different poverty lines, sets of regressors, and modeling assumptions of the error term. The method outperforms common targeting methods, such as proxy means tests and the targeting method currently used by humanitarian organizations in Chad.

Suggested Citation

  • Beltramo, Theresa & Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Sarr, Ibrahima & Verme, Paolo, 2020. "Estimating Poverty among Refugee Populations: A Cross-Survey Imputation Exercise for Chad," GLO Discussion Paper Series 538, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:538
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    Cited by:

    1. Pape, Utz & Verme, Paolo, 2023. "Measuring Poverty in Forced Displacement Contexts," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1245, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Ibrahima Sarr & Hai-Anh H. Dang & Carlos Santiago Guzman Gutierrez & Theresa Beltramo & Paolo Verme, 2025. "Using Cross-Survey Imputation to Estimate Poverty for Venezuelan Refugees in Colombia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 207-251, March.
    3. Hai-Anh H. Dang & Talip Kilic & Ksenia Abanokova & Gero Carletto, 2024. "Imputing Poverty Indicators without Consumption Data : An Exploratory Analysis," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10867, The World Bank.
    4. Dang, Hai-Anh & Carletto, Calogero & Jolliffe, Dean, 2024. "Better tracking SDG progress with fewer resources? A call for more innovative data uses," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1539, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Hai‐Anh H. Dang & Talip Kilic & Kseniya Abanokova & Calogero Carletto, 2025. "Poverty Imputation in Contexts Without Consumption Data: A Revisit With Further Refinements," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 71(1), February.
    6. Hai-Anh H. Dang & Paolo Verme, 2023. "Estimating poverty for refugees in data-scarce contexts: an application of cross-survey imputation," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(2), pages 653-679, April.
    7. Della Guardia, Anne & Lake, Milli & Schnitzer, Pascale, 2022. "Selective inclusion in cash transfer programs: Unintended consequences for social cohesion," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Refugees; Forced displacement; Targeting; Poverty; Chad;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods: General
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O20 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - General

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