An Empirical Exploration of the Central Human Functional Capabilities of People Living in Informal Settlements in the Context of Poverty Eradication

Abstract

While many researchers and policymakers use the capability approach to evaluate well-being, its application in the context of informal settlements remains limited. This study thus seeks to examine how people in informal settlements value central human functional capabilities, with a focus on poverty reduction. A critical realist paradigm and a multi-case study design were adopted to explore four informal settlements in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through a digitalised semi-structured household questionnaire administered to 243 conveniently sampled informal settlement households, alongside four focus group discussions with informal community leaders and eight key informant interviews with government and NGO representatives. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 17, and the qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis. Abduction, retroduction and retrodiction were used for data interpretation and inference. Findings show that people living in informal settlements value all ten capabilities but not equally. Access to resources and the complex interplay of various conversion factors and social structures affect the attainment of capabilities. This study contributes to the literature on poverty reduction, demonstrating the utility of the capability approach in informal urban contexts. It also offers important insights for policy and practice in poverty reduction within informal settlements.