MAKING SENSE OF URBAN POVERTY

This paper synthesizes recent work on urban poverty with an emphasis b eing placed on the relationship between urban poverty and the labour m arket. The themes considered include the distinction between permanent and temporary poverty and between trends and shocks. A number of dist inctive features of urban poverty are discussed including the informal labour market, female headed households, the individualized nature of urban poverty and the greater exposure of urban residents to environm ental risks. A final section considers policy implications, differenti ating between promotive and protective strategies.