Bahrain Mirror: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) revealed that 3.3 million GCC nationals still live in poverty.

ESCWA disclosed in a statement it issued on Wednesday (May 24, 2023) that "3.3 million citizens still live in poverty: 1 in every 7 nationals in Saudi Arabia, 1 in 10 nationals in Oman and 1 in 13 nationals in Bahrain. However, in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, poverty rates are below 2%.

ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti explained that the distribution of income and expenditure among the population were key factors contributing to poverty. In some GCC countries, the expenditure of the richest 10% of households was 16 times greater than that of the poorest 10%, she noted.

"Financial reforms should be implemented to allow a broader share of the population to benefit from socioeconomic opportunities," Dashti stressed. "This includes adopting a fair and equitable tax system; reforming land allocation and public procurement policies; reforming subsidy policies to target low-income groups; ensuring better targeting of social protection systems; and facilitating access to affordable housing, basic infrastructure, and quality health and education services."

The policy brief proposes specific recommendations to tackle poverty in the GCC region, geared towards ensuring a more diversified and inclusive economy that leaves no one behind and is environmentally sustainable.

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