persistently in severe material deprivation, and 41.1 percent of those persistently experiencing both AROP and SMSD are Roma. These figures underscore the disproportionate levels of poverty and deprivation faced by the Roma community, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to address their socio-economic challenges.

# **Some individuals and types of households are more likely to be chronically poor and deprived**

**in Bulgaria.** Women, less educated individuals, unemployed, retired or inactive individuals, as well as home renters and people living in rural areas, have a significantly higher probability of enduring persistent monetary poverty and material and social deprivations (Figure 5 and Table A4.10). In addition to the Roma community, female-headed households, households with an unemployed member, with three or more children, households receiving social aid, and singleelderly are significantly more prone to experience long-standing poverty and deprivations – in contrast, families with a disability recipient or a pension are less likely.

**<mark>Knowing the profile of chronically poor and deprived individuals is a key element in the design of policies.</mark>** <mark>Policies and actions should be context and group-specific, which means that identifying who are the individuals suffering from persistent deprivations is crucial to address the specific vulnerabilities they face (Chronic Poverty Research Center, 2011). In the case of Bulgaria, given that the composition (in terms of individual, socio-economic, and familiar characteristics) of the multidimensionally poor and the chronically poor and deprived is similar, some policies can simultaneously fight the two social phenomena (current and persistent deprivations). For instance, higher education, labor participation, and home property largely shield individuals from falling into multidimensional poverty but also from staying poor and enduring long-lasting material and social deprivations.</mark>

**<mark>Different policies have been proposed in the literature to alleviate persistent monetary poverty and material deprivation.</mark>** <mark>Because persistent poverty usually relates to poverty traps</mark><sup>57</sup> <mark>, it is important to design policies to prevent people from falling into poverty because once they are poor, chances are they will remain poor in the future. Promoting quality post-primary and vocational education, labor force participation, quality and quantity of jobs, and selfemployment opportunities could be most effective in reducing the risks of chronic poverty. In addition, risks related to family structures can be addressed with policies that facilitate the balance of commitments between home and work, such as childcare subsidies (Addison et al., 2008). Social protection is also very valuable in interrupting risk and vulnerability among the chronically poor (Barrientos and Hulme, 2005). Access to quality health services and basic infrastructure to better connect disadvantaged rural areas to national markets are critical elements to prevent downward mobility into chronic poverty (Chronic Poverty Research Center, 2011).</mark>

> 57 Distinguishing between persistent poverty caused by enduring unobserved characteristics versus causal poverty traps is challenging. The association between past and future poverty may reflect consistent background factors like health or motivation predisposing individuals to poverty each period (Biewen, 2014).

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