www.ssc.wisc.edu/~walker/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wdr2001.pdf

Poor people live without fundamental freedoms of action and choice that the better off take for granted. They often lack adequate food and shelter, education and health, deprivations that keep them from leading the kind of life that everyone values. They also face extreme vulnerability to ill health, economic dislocation, and natural disasters. And they are often exposed to ill treatment by institutions of the state and society and are powerless to influence key decisions affecting their lives. These are all dimensions of poverty.Prioritizing can allow the poor to have greater independence and security in their day-to-day lives. For example, empowering women and other socially disadvantaged groups expands their range of economic opportunities. Furthermore, strengthening poor people's organizations and their involvement in decision-making processes, enables them to press for improved services and for policy choices that respond to their needs. Finally, making poor people less vulnerable makes it easier for them to take advantage of potential market opportunities. (Au)