Chronic or persistent poverty describes the state of individuals or groups experiencing different forms of disadvantages and streses at the same time. The Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC)identifies the following individuals, households and social groups as those suffering form chronic poverty (taken from their website):
- Those experiencing deprivation because of their stage in the life cycle e.g. older people, children and widows.
- People discriminated against because of their social position at the local, regional or national level e.g. marginalised castes, ethnic, racial or religious groups, refugees, indigenous people, nomads and pastoralists, immigrants.
- Household members who experience discrimination within the household e.g. female children, daughters-in-law.
- Those with health problems and impairments e.g. HIV/AIDS sufferers, people with mental health problems.
- People living in remote rural areas, urban ghettos and regions where prolonged violent conflict and insecurity have occurred