Vulnerability context

The vulnerability context within which people pursue their livelihoods includes:

• trends: such as economic trends, resource trends
• shocks: such as conflict, economic shocks, health shocks and natural shocks such as earthquakes
• seasonality: seasonal fluctuations in prices, production, health, employment opportunities

These factors can have a direct impact on people’s assets and the options available to them to pursue beneficial livelihood strategies. Shocks can destroy assets directly or force people to abandon or prematurely dispose of them as part of their coping strategies – for example selling off livestock in the face of drought or to pay for medical care. Not all trends are negative or cause increased vulnerability – for example new technologies, medical advances or positive economic trends can help improve people’s livelihoods.

The vulnerability context of poor people’s livelihoods is usually influenced by external factors outside their direct control and is dependent on wider policies, institutions and processes. To support people to be more resilient to the negative effects of trends, shocks and seasonality, development policy-makers and practitioners can support people’s access to assets and help ensure that critical policies, institutions and processes are responsive to the needs of the poor.