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A Human Rights-Based Approach to Poverty: The South African Experience

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The Many Dimensions of Poverty

Abstract

There exist numerous definitions of poverty. Traditionally, poverty has been associated with a lack of resources.1 The more recent concept of social exclusion2 is now no longer seen as an alternative to the poverty concept, but as a more comprehensive concept, which concerns much more than money. In fact, poverty (referring to a lack of disposable income) can be seen as part of the multidimensional and dynamic concept of social exclusion (referring to multifaceted failure). Social exclusion, therefore, has to be understood with reference to the failure of any one or more of the following: (i) the democratic and legal system (civic integration); (ii) the labour market (economic integration); (iii) the welfare state system (social integration); and (iv) the family and community system (interpersonal integration).3

Poverty is a human rights violation, and freedom from poverty is an integral and inalienable human right.

United Nations Development Programme, January 1998

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Authors
  1. Linda Jansen van Rensburg
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sydney, Australia

    Nanak Kakwani (Former Director) (Former Director)

  2. International Poverty Centre, Brazil

    Nanak Kakwani (Former Director) (Former Director)

  3. Bar-Ilan University, Israel

    Jacques Silber

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© 2013 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

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van Rensburg, L.J. (2013). A Human Rights-Based Approach to Poverty: The South African Experience. In: Kakwani, N., Silber, J. (eds) The Many Dimensions of Poverty. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230592407_9

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