How is poverty affected by social policies?

Social policies influence poverty by helping countries and communities come up with ways to improve people's livelihoods. A social policy often identifies the responsibilities of the government, business community, NGOs, multinationals, and families in fighting poverty. For example, the government may be responsible for the provision of public goods, such as water and affordable electricity for the poor. The business community and multinationals may have to use their resources to fund social projects that lead to the betterment of the people—for example, the construction of health institutions. NGOs may have to offer crucial services to the marginalized communities—for example, free medical consultations and medication since they cannot afford them. Families may have to support each other through moral encouragement and collective responsibility so that everyone gets what they need despite the circumstances.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/social-policy/about-us/What-is-social-policy