This literature review is the first stage of a programme of research by the Childhood Poverty
Research and Policy Centre (CHIP). It is part of a wider programme of research and policy work
on childhood poverty taking place in Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, China and India and the UK. It is
funded by the UK Government Department of International Development, Save the Children
UK, Save the Children Alliance and the Chronic Poverty Research Centre.1
The two-year study seeks to understand the nature and causes of childhood poverty in
Kyrgyzstan and how it varies geographically across the country. It also examines the extent of
intergenerational poverty transmission, and whether chronic poverty is developing in Kyrgyzstan.
A third focus of the study is the impact of local, state and donor responses in addressing this
poverty. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following key questions:
• How does poverty affect children and young people in Kyrgyzstan and how do they
experience it?
• What are the key reasons why so many children are living in poverty?
• How do key livelihood or coping strategies affect child wellbeing? What are the immediate
and possible long-term effects?
• How do childhood poverty and children’s future life chances vary between mainly
agricultural and mainly pastoral areas, isolated industrial/ former industrial towns and
urban areas? Isolated and less isolated areas? Mountainous and low-lying areas?
• What evidence is there that intergenerational poverty cycles are taking place or developing?
Which groups are vulnerable to falling into intergenerational poverty cycles?
• How far are existing social and economic policies causing/ helping tackle childhood
poverty?