Measuring poverty from the perspective of capabilities approach: An empirical analysis on missing dimensions of poverty

Basing on the "capabilities approach" this study approaches the poverty issue as a multidimensional concept and focuses on missing dimensions of poverty in Mersin and Erzurum. The data used in calculations is gathered from the field surveys conducted in urban areas of those cities in 2011. The main motivation for conducting the study was the consideration that the most commonly implemented monetary approach to measure poverty lacks particularly social and physical aspects of poverty. Examining the outcomes obtained in Mersin and Erzurum, it was found that the poverty rate in Mersin is higher than that is in Erzurum. The striking finding is that number of the persons suffering from deprivation within the empowerment dimension in two cities is quite different, particularly with respect to participation of women to the decision making process in the household. Although overall poverty is found to be relatively higher in Mersin, number of deprived people in empowerment dimension is higher in Erzurum. This might be an indication of relatively more freedom experienced by household members in Mersin. Another important finding of the study is that in both provinces people who live in the lowest socio-economic conditions, middle aged people, women, people who have at most primary school degree, labor class and petty bourgeoisie experience a higher level of poverty. For women, working in irregular jobs and on daily payment, having no educational degree, and for men, having no educational degree and facing with prejudice attitude because of ethnicity are found to be the factors that increase individuals' deprivation and poverty. For women, having a university degree, and for men, working in public sector institutions are found to decrease individuals deprivation and poverty. In addition, individuals' capability to give their own decisions can be counted among the factors that decrease poverty.