How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty

Concern's mission is the elimination of extreme poverty and the reduction of suffering. How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty (HCUEP) sets out the conceptual framework and principles that guide how we understand the multidimensional nature of extreme poverty and how this understanding informs our work in fragile and conflict affected contexts. 

Extreme poverty is shaped by multiple, interconnected factors. HCUEP looks beyond income to understand people's strengths, assets and priorities, alongside the inequalities, risks, systems and barriers that shape their opportunities and outcomes. It promotes locally led, power-aware analysis, recognising the importance of local knowledge and ensuring that the needs and priorities of affected communities inform analysis, programme design and decision-making. This helps Concern make better-informed decisions about where and with whom we work and how programmes are designed, monitored, reviewed and adapted.

The HCUEP framework brings together four interconnected dimensions: 

1. Assets and Return on Assets: the resources, capabilities, relationships and forms of influence people can draw on, and their ability to use, protect and benefit from them. 
2. Intersectional Inequalities: the ways unequal power relations, discrimination, exclusion and social norms shape people's access to assets, services, opportunities, protection, voice and influence. 
3. Shocks and Stresses: the risks, hazards, trends and disruptive events that can affect people's wellbeing, assets, safety, dignity and opportunities. 
4. Vulnerability: how susceptible people, households, communities or systems are to harm from shocks and stresses, and their capacity to anticipate, cope with, adapt to and recover from them.  

These dimensions are interconnected. Looking at them together helps us understand why people experience extreme poverty differently, what can deepen or sustain poverty, and what can enable positive and lasting change. 

HCUEP provides a practical and flexible lens for analysis and decision-making across Concern's programmes, sectors and contexts. It supports locally led, power-aware and systems-informed programming, working with communities, partners and local actors and recognising the systems and power relations that influence people's opportunities and outcomes. It also helps bring together Concern's fundamental programme approaches, including Climate Adaptation, Conflict Sensitivity, Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction, Equality and Protection.  

HCUEP works alongside Concern's Approach to Emergencies. Together, they provide a foundation for translating our commitment to people living in extreme poverty into context-relevant programme choices, including preparedness, humanitarian response and recovery.