HUMANITY DIVIDED - CONFRONTING
INEQUALITY - WOMEN - UNDP
Direct Link to Full 296-Page 2014
Report in English: English
"Inequality matters because it influences our perceptions about
self-worth and justice and all human beings are entitledto the same respect and
dignity."
- On average—and taking into account population
size—income inequality increased by 11 percent in developing countries
between 1990 and 2010.
- A significant majority of households in developing
countries—more than 75 percent of the population—are living today in
societies where income is more unequally distributed than it was in the
1990s.
- Evidence shows that, beyond a certain threshold,
inequality harms growth and poverty reduction, the quality of relations in
the public and political spheres of life and individuals’ sense of
fulfilment and self-worth.
- There is nothing inevitable about growing income
inequality; several countries managed to contain or reduce income
inequality while achieving strong growth performance.
- Evidence shows that greater income inequality between
households is systematically associated with greater inequality in
non-income outcomes.
- Inequality cannot be effectively confronted unless the
inextricable links between inequality of outcomes and inequality of
opportunities are taken into account.
- In a global survey conducted in preparation for this
report, policy makers from around the world acknowledged that inequality
in their countries is generally high and potentially a threat to long-term
social and economic development.
- Redistribution remains very important to inequality
reduction; however, a shift is needed towards more inclusive growth
patterns in order to sustainably reduce inequality.
- Reducing inequality requires addressing
inequality-reproducing cultural norms and strengthening the political
agency of disadvantaged groups.
- Evidence from developing countries shows that children
in the lowest wealth quintile are still up to three times more likely to
die before their fifth birthday than children in the richest quintiles.
- Social protection has been significantly extended
globally, yet persons with disabilities are up to five times more likely
than average to incur catastrophic health expenditures.
- Despite overall declines in maternal mortality in the
majority of developing countries, women in rural areas are still up to
three times more likely to die while giving birth than women living in
urban centers.