Solomon Islands - Asia & the Pacific

Solomon Islands: Analysis of Poverty from 2005/2006 HIESof cash income to meet that expenditure. Trade-offs are made between one bill and another, food or school fees,utilities or bus-fares. Households deemed to be experiencing basic needs poverty are therefore facing hardship ona daily basis. They struggle to pay bills and purchase adequate and suitably nutritious food. They borrow regularlyfrom “loan-sharks”, who charge very high interest rates, for small unsecured loans to meet family commitmentsand community obligations. They are thus frequently, and occasionally constantly, in debt.28. Urban drift, leading to higher levels of unemployment and growing numbers of people living in squattersettlements and sub-standard housing conditions, result in a deteriorating social environment. Many of the poorlive in low-quality housing without proper access to water, sanitation and other basic services. Poor housingconditions lead to poor health, poor employment prospects, and poor education attainment. Children frequentlymiss school due to ill-health or because school fees have not been paid. Adults are frequently poorly educatedand thus unable to get anything but the lowest paid and often casual employment, if such employment is evenavailable. The cycle of poverty can therefore be perpetuated.29. This analysis seeks to provide government with clearer, evidence-based indications of the extent and natureof poverty in Solomon Islands. It suggests policy issues and possible policy options to address these. Increasedopportunities for employment or economic opportunity, not only in the urban centres but also in the rural areas,together with improved basic education are amongst the critical.Millenium DevelopmentGoal IndicatorsSolomonIslandsHoniaraProvincial- UrbanCentresRural1.1 Propotion of Population below US$1(PPP) per dayNot available - Purchasing Power Parity exchange ratesare not yet available for Pacific Island countriesProportion of PopulationbelowBasic Needs Poverty Lines22.732.213.618.8Proportion of Population vulnerable tofalling into poverty; pcae