# Empirical Strategy

The project has four layers:

1. Data audit and descriptive statistics.
2. Descriptive time-series and country comparisons.
3. Composite structural vulnerability index construction and sensitivity checks.
4. Lightweight econometric and machine-learning extensions.

The econometric scripts specify pooled OLS, country fixed effects, year fixed effects, and two-way fixed effects. Suggested dependent variables are monetary poverty and structural vulnerability. Suggested regressors are labor informality, social protection coverage, GDP per capita, female labor participation, and unemployment, conditional on availability.

All results should be read as descriptive or associational unless a later version adds a credible identification design.