GSDRC newsfeed on Inequality

Policies Towards Horizontal Inequalities

Frances Stewart, Graham Brown, Arnim Langer — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What are the most effective strategies for reducing Horizontal Inequalities (HIs)? This book chapter assesses the range of policies that could alleviate the impact of political, cultural and socioeconomic HIs on conflict likelihood. While there may need to be trade-offs with other policy objectives, there is no evidence that reducing HIs needs to reduce growth.

The Political Economy of Public Spending on Education, Inequality and Growth

Mark Gradstein — Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT

This paper from the World Bank examines data on public spending on education in developing countries, revealing significant inequality in the distribution of resources between rich and poor groups. While current donor policy is to alleviate poverty through the universal provision of public services in developing countries, the evidence suggests that political dynamics within these countries often distort these goals to the disadvantage of the poor. Personal rent-seeking, in the form of political pressure from richer households, skews resource allocation, often resulting in both increased inequality and social exclusion.

Examining Conditional Cash Transfer Programmes: A Role for Increased Social Inclusion?

Benedicte de la Briere, Laura B. Rawlings — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Conditional Cash Transfer programmes (CCTs) provide money to poor families, contingent on specific verifiable actions such as children's school attendance or preventative health care. How successful are CCTs in addressing social inclusion and inter-generational poverty? What is their impact on social accountability relationships between beneficiaries, service providers and governments? This summary focuses on the Social Inclusion section in a World Bank paper. While CCTs hold promise, they are not a panacea against social exclusion. They should form part of comprehensive social and economic policy strategies and be applied carefully in different policy contexts.

Indigenous Inclusion/Black Exclusion: Race, Ethnicity and Multicultural Citizenship in Latin America

Juliet Hooker — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Why is the landscape of citizenship so uneven across Latin America? Latin America exhibits high degrees of racial inequality and discrimination against Afro-Latinos and indigenous populations, despite constitutional and statutory measures prohibiting racial discrimination. The multicultural reforms of the 1980s and 1990s which brought many collective rights to indigenous groups have not, however, had the same impact on Afro-Latinos. This article from the Journal of Latin American Studies examines the region's multicultural citizenship regimes, and finds an emphasis on cultural difference or ethnic identity over race which disadvantages Afro-Latinos.

Inequality and Human Rights: Who Controls What, When, and How

Todd Landman, Marco Larizza — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Are countries with resource distribution inequalities more likely to suffer from higher levels of human rights abuse? This article from the International Studies Quarterly analyses data from 162 countries over the period from 1980 to 2004. The results suggest that both income and land inequalities significantly contribute to human rights abuses.

Social Exclusion, Social Isolation and the Distribution of Income

Brian Barry — Thu, 01 Jan 1998 00:00:00 GMT

While social exclusion is unquestionably closely associated with poverty, is it inextricably linked? Can a community marked by significant inequalities of power and status still be socially integrated? This paper from the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion discusses the relationships between social exclusion, justice and solidarity, with a particular focus on class systems within the USA and Britain. Despite varying income distribution, government policies targeting inequality and favouring social solidarity can promote an integrated society.

Harmful Traditional Practices in Three Countries of South Asia: Culture, Human Rights and Violence against Women

UNESCAP-Social Development Division — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How can research, advocacy, and legal reform reverse social acceptance of practices that violate the human rights of women and girls? This paper by UNESCAP explores these issues through case studies from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka and finds that harmful practices have evolved from originally non-harmful colonial, religious and cultural traditions. Combating the entrenched social norms that promote these practices requires a comprehensive, human rights-based approach.

Urban Labour Market Discrimination

Sukhadeo Thorat, Paul Attewell, Firdaus Fatima Rizvi — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Do caste and religion influence a graduate�s employment opportunities in India�s private sector? This paper from the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies examines the prevalence of discrimination in the job application processes of modern private sector enterprises. It finds that discriminatory processes operate even at the first stage of the application process. Caste favouritism and social exclusion still exist in the labour market in today�s urban India.

The Capacity to Aspire: Culture and the Terms of Recognition

Arjun Appadurai — Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Why does culture matter for development and for poverty reduction? The capacity to aspire is a future-oriented cultural capacity. This book chapter from Stanford University Press argues that strengthening the capacity to aspire could help the poor to contest and alter the conditions of their poverty. Culture is a dialogue between aspirations and sedimented traditions. Traditions, linked to issues of social class, can conflict with development goals. Policymakers must approach the creation of a culture of aspiration through capacity building.

The Role of Gender Inequalities in Explaining Income Growth, Poverty and Inequality: Evidences from Latin American Countries

Joana Costa, Elydia Silva, Fabio Vaz — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What role can gender play in understanding income growth, poverty and inequality? This working paper, published by the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth, argues that gender equality is critical in any attempt to reduce poverty. In particular, increasing women's access to the labour market correlated very positively with greater economic equality overall. The analysis draws on microsimulations performed for eight Latin American countries, covering four areas of gender inequality: labour market participation, occupational status, wage discrimination and characteristic endowments.

Urbanization Trends and Forces Shaping Slums

UN-HABITAT — Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Why do cities take certain forms and the poor congregate in particular locations? How do macro or external forces act on the cities responsible for slum formation? Written for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, this paper examines urbanisation trends and the forces that shape slums. It is argued the internal spatial organisation of cities can be seen as ?ecological? competition, with the strongest groups taking the more desirable land.

Social Exclusion and Health Inequalities

Jane Mathieson et al — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What are the limits of present empirical evidence over the links between health inequality and social exclusion? How does social exclusion contribute to the theories of social inequality in health? This Social Exclusion Knowledge Network paper examines the theoretical contribution that social exclusion can make to theories of social inequality in health. It is argued that the present focus on a state of social exclusion fails to recognise the crucial causal link to power inequalities across society. It does not take into account the potential for targeted inequality amongst marginalised groups.

Challenge of Positive Discrimination in India

Judith Heyer and Niraja Gopal Jayal — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Despite mixed results, India's positive discrimination (PD) programme ensures a minimum level of inclusiveness for disadvantaged groups and keeps discrimination issues in public view. This paper, published by the Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity, reviews achievements, political and economic outcomes and challenges of the PD programme. Despite its achievements, the PD programme is insufficient: disadvantaged groups need to build stronger political movements in order to demand more from the majority.

China: Minority Exclusion, Marginalisation and Rising Tensions

Human Rights in China and Minority Rights Groups International — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Over the past twenty-five years, China has undergone rapid social and economic change. A report by Human Rights in China and Minority Rights Group International argues that this transformation has exposed the Chinese government's negative policies towards minorities. Key issues preventing minorities from exercising their rights include limited political participation, inequitable development and inadequate protection of minority cultural identity.

Economic Consequences of Social Identity: Discrimination, Social Identity, and Durable Inequalities

Karla Hoff and Priyanka Pandey — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What are the mechanisms by which societal discrimination affects individual achievement and why do effects of past discrimination endure once legal barriers are removed? This paper, published by the American Economic Review, reports findings of experiments in village India that explore the effect of social identity on individual performance. The link between discrimination, social identity and behaviour causes the effects of past discrimination to persist over time for well-identified groups.

The Epidemic Through Voices - Impact and Vulnerability

Don Operario — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How does the HIV epidemic impact on human development? What are the specific challenges amongst vulnerable populations? Written for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this paper examines the impacts of HIV in Eastern Europe and CIS countries. A human development perspective is called for, providing a comprehensive approach to match the complex challenges of HIV.

Youth Exclusion, Violence, Conflict and Fragile States

Lyndsay McLean Hilker, Erika McAslan Fraser — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What factors contribute to youth exclusion and increase the likelihood of youth engagement in violence? How can DFID effectively address issues of youth exclusion and violence? This report from Social Development Direct examines existing evidence and analysis on the links between youth exclusion, violence, conflict and fragile states. It highlights factors which can contribute to youth violence, and makes recommendations for DFID's work on youth exclusion and violence.

Containing Fear: The Origins and Management of Ethnic Conflict

D Lake and D Rothchild — Mon, 01 Jan 1996 00:00:00 GMT

What causes ethnic conflict, and why does it escalate? This article in International Security argues that intense ethnic conflict is usually caused by collective fears for the future. It presents a framework for understanding the origins and management of ethnic conflict, and recommends how the international community can intervene more effectively.

Poverty and the Politics of Exclusion

Charles Tilly — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

How does politics affect individual and collective exits from poverty? This chapter from a World Bank publication examines the politics of exclusion and the political production or reproduction of poverty. It focuses on causal links among four elements: social exclusion, poverty, exits from poverty and overall processes that generate inequality among social categories. Social exclusion lies at the heart of inequality-generating processes. Exclusion itself promotes poverty, and exits from poverty therefore depend on eliminating or bypassing the usual effects of social exclusion. Political programmes to address political interests are required.

Promoting Health Equity in Conflict-affected Fragile States

K Ranson, T Poletti, O Bornemisza and E Sondorp — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

What are the main factors that threaten health equity and health care equity in conflict-affected fragile states? What strategies can reduce the impact of these factors? This paper prepared for the World Health Organisation examines the impact of conflict and state fragility on health equity. It identifies the key drivers of health inequity in conflict-affected states, as well as some useful strategies for addressing equity in conflict and post-conflict settings.