Employment and natural resources management: A livelihoods approach to poverty reduction.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute additional and innovative pro poor policy options in the area of employment and natural resources management. Within this framework the concept of sustainable livelihoods is used as both a concrete goal of policy and as an approach for policy formulation and development of anti-poverty strategies. The paper initially examines UNDP's use of a sustainable livelihoods approach for poverty reduction, including the evolution of the concept and methodology. Using a livelihoods lens, subsequent sections explore: (a) innovative enterprise mechanisms that can potentially play a key role in providing sustainable livelihoods and halting the impoverishment process; (b) the linkages between poverty and the environment, identifying strategies that can empower communities by improving access to and control over a wide range of assets; and (c) the employment and livelihood opportunities for young people, an area of particular concern for the General Assembly and Secretary-General. (online abstract).