Impact of the National Human Development Initiative (NHDI) on urban social exclusion in Morocco: An econometric study

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, the fight against poverty and social exclusion has become a priority in Morocco. In response to persistent inequalities and insufficient public policies in this area, the Kingdom launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) in 2005, whose primary goal is to combat poverty in all its forms and reduce social exclusion across the national territory. Implemented through various programs focused on improving basic infrastructures and developing human capital, the initiative raises several questions regarding its effectiveness.

In this study, our objective is to analyze the impact of the program aimed at combating social exclusion in urban areas (and, by extension, reducing multidimensional poverty) using the logistic regression method. To guide our analysis, we formulate the following hypotheses: The INDH significantly reduces the rate of multidimensional poverty in beneficiary communes; The socio-economic characteristics of communes (notably the schooling rate and the illiteracy rate) moderate the impact of the INDH on the improvement of living conditions, and, Access to basic infrastructures (water, electricity, communication networks) influences the probability of enrollment in the program and, consequently, the effectiveness of the initiative in combating social exclusion.

The results obtained confirm the positive and significant effect of the INDH on reducing multidimensional poverty, particularly through improved access to education and essential infrastructures. These findings underscore the importance of sustained governmental commitment and an integrated strategy to ensure a lasting reduction in inequalities and an overall improvement in citizens' well-being.

Keywords : INDH, Multidimensionnel Poverty, Social Exclusion, Human Development, Logistic Regression.

JEL Classification: O15

Paper type: Empirical research