Abstract

This essay provides a survey of population well-being across the post-Soviet region, encompassing Russia, the western Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Caucasus and Central Asia. It covers recent developments in public spending, poverty, social protection, health and education. Attention is also paid to economic migration, high living costs and new forms of marginalization as current challenges for the region. Overall, this text emphasises the vulnerability of populations to further crises and the frequent failure of social protection systems to provide support in times of individual or mass need.