Pobreza multidimensional no Semiárido Nordestino (2000 e 2010)

Abstract

This thesis focuses on poverty in the northeastern semi-arid region from a multidimensional perspective, articulating three scales of analysis: individuals, household arrangements and municipalities. The study is based on the observation that poverty, especially in the semi-arid region, cannot be fully understood by purely monetary indicators, and that it is necessary to adopt a more comprehensive approach that takes into account the multiple deprivations faced by the population. The methodology used microdata from the 2000 and 2010 Demographic Censuses, applying the Alkire-Foster methodology to calculate the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). The dimensions of analysis include Work and Income, Education, Functional Capacities, Infrastructure and Standard of Living. The analysis was broken down into specific chapters for each scale, investigating demographic and socio-economic profiles, household characteristics and the spatial distribution of poverty. The main results show a general reduction in multidimensional poverty in the region between 2000 and 2010, driven by factors such as economic growth, appreciation of the minimum wage and the expansion of social policies such as Bolsa Família. However, the detailed analysis highlighted the persistence of deep inequalities. From an individual perspective, black and brown people, as well as individuals with less schooling, had the worst poverty indicators, despite the progress made. Women improved significantly, overcoming vulnerability at a faster rate than men in some aspects. The analysis by household arrangement showed that larger family structures (extended and composite) demonstrate greater resilience to poverty, while single-person households and households headed by single men with children remained more vulnerable. Occupation and income were key determinants for overcoming poverty in all arrangements. At the municipal level, extreme poverty was persistently concentrated in smaller municipalities, highlighting territorial inequalities and the influence of population size on access to policies and infrastructure. Deprivations in education became relatively more relevant in 2010, despite advances in other dimensions such as infrastructure. Spatial autocorrelation maps confirmed the existence of high deprivation clusters in specific regions of the northeastern semi-arid interior. The originality of the thesis lies in the integration of demographic and territorial analysis, offering a broad understanding of poverty, anchored in multiple scales and sections. By proposing a detailed diagnosis of deprivation in the northeastern semi-arid region, the research provides relevant input for planning more effective public policies aimed at overcoming the multiple forms of exclusion that still mark the region.