Reducing Inequalities

The problems related to the process of industrialisation such as biodiversity depletion, climate change and a worsening of health and living conditions, especially but not only in developing countries, intensify. Therefore, there is an increasing need to search for integrated solutions to make development more sustainable. The United Nations has acknowledged the problem and approved the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. On 1st January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda officially came into force. These goals cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively addresses the SDGs in an integrated way. The Encyclopedia encompasses 17 volumes, each one devoted to one of the 17 SDGs. This volume addresses SDG 10, namely "Reduce inequality within and among countries", but also includes inequalities in income as well as those based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status within a country. The Goal also addresses inequalities among countries, including those related to representation, migration and development assistance. This volume contains the description of a range of terms, to allow a better understanding and foster knowledge about it. Concretely, the identified targets are: Progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to states where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes Reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent Editorial Board Md. Mahmudul Alam, Olga Bialostocka, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Narasimha Reddy Donthi, Ulla A. Saari, Daniele Vieira, Amanda Lange Salvia

International debate has recently focused on increased inequalities and the adverse effects they may have on both social and economic developments. Income inequality, now at its highest level for the past half-century, may not only undermine the sustainability of European social policy but also put at risk Europe’s sustainable recovery. A common feature of recent reports on inequality (ILO, OECD, IMF, 2015–17) is their recognition that the causes emerge from mechanisms in the world of work. The purpose of this book is to investigate the possible role of industrial relations, and labour policies more generally, in reducing these inequalities.

The reduction of inequalities within and between countries stands as a policy goal, and deserves to take centre stage in the design of the Sustainable Development Goals agreed during the Rio+20 Summit in 2012.The 2013 edition of A Planet for Life represents a unique international initiative grounded on conceptual and strategic thinking, and – most importantly – empirical experiments, conducted on five continents and touching on multiple realities. This unprecedented collection of works proposes a solid empirical approach, rather than an ideological one, to inform future debate.The case studies collected in this volume demonstrate the complexity of the new systems required to accommodate each country's specific economic, political and cultural realities. These systems combine technical, financial, legal, fiscal and organizational elements with a great deal of applied expertise, and are articulated within a clear, well-understood, growth- and job-generating development strategy.Inequality reduction does not occur by decree; neither does it automatically arise through economic growth, nor through policies that equalize incomes downward via ill conceived fiscal policies. Inequality reduction involves a collaborative effort that must motivate all concerned parties, one that constitutes a genuine political and social innovation, and one that often runs counter to prevailing political and economic forces.

Socio-economic inequalities in health are present to a greater or lesser extent in all European countries and the available data suggests that the health gap is increasing. Many studies have been conducted to explain inequalities in health and from them much has been learnt about the different contributory factors. However, in practice it seems hard to translate the knowledge of causes into effective interventions and policies. Reducing Inequalities in Health: a European Perspective: * brings together an unrivalled collection of contemporary data on successful policies and interventions * compares differences in approach in several European countries * includes recent evaluation studies * discusses conceptual issues for research * provides examples of good and bad practice in Europe * draws out the policy and research implications for the future With contributions from leading researchers in 14 different European countries, this book provides a comprehensive source of reference for the reader interested in what really works in the field of health promotion and what sort of policies reduce the health gap.

This edited collection analyses social inequality in the European Union, within and between countries. The work critically explores both vertical inequality, existing between those with high incomes and low incomes, and horizontal inequality, existing between groups according to nationality, age, ethnicity, and gender. Reducing Inequalities has been written by leading academics in the field who describe the current social situation in the European Union, focussing on inequality from a multidimensional perspective that includes income, poverty, social exclusion, education. The authors argue that social issues such as these have become national prerogatives for countries within the European Union. In response they ask: How does the European Union engage with inequality today? What principles of social solidarity ought to be applied between states and citizens of the European Union? What should be the role of European Union and its institutions regarding the challenge of reducing inequality? This book will be of interest to anyone seeking to understand inequality as a multidimensional concept, rather than solely as an economic phenomenon, across different geographical and historical contexts.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of global goals that meet some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. Goal 10 concerns reducing global inequalities. Inequality is currently seen in the social, political, and economic structures of communities at both the national and international level. The United Nation’s approach to sustainable development is to create a set of goals and targets try to minimize the accelerating gaps of inequality. The book presents new insights for evaluating the progress on SDGs (especially goal 10), it also boldly sets new economic, social and environmental targets for reducing inequality. Using case studies, this book encourages readers to view economic development through the lens of growing inequalities and disparities. Such inequalities are clearly becoming more obvious as the world is better connected, and information is quickly shared. The books main aim is therefore to direct the efforts of scholars, practitioners and policymakers to swiftly find the balance between the three pillars of sustainable development. The main challenges and focus of each chapter are different and collectively they give an integrated understanding of the phenomenon of sustainable development and its diverse aspects. This book will be useful for policymakers, social and environmental activists, agencies, educators and practitioners in the sphere of social or environmental economics. The methodology of the research can be replicated and taken forward by future researchers in the field.

This revised edition of Helen Roberts' classic study of child health inequalities features new case studies, updated research references, and a new section on cost effectiveness—an important tool in an era of government spending cutbacks. Applying tools from a variety of disciplines and drawing on evidence from the UK and beyond, Roberts tests the effectiveness of public policy, community, and individual efforts to reduce health inequalities among children at different life stages—including infancy, early years, middle childhood, and adolescence—and to address the particular needs of disabled children.

This book examines the contribution of Vocational Education and Training to advancing human development and reducing inequality. It uses the example of Palestine as case-study rich in multi-layered inequalities, some of which are experienced in the region and worldwide, while others are specific to adverse conditions. The case of Palestine provides fertile ground for understanding inequality and human development, and for echoing the developed knowledge through to the understanding of Vocational Education and Training and Human Development globally. The book brings original theoretical approaches, evidence of the value of Vocational Education and Training, and contributes to academic debates, as well as provides empirical evidence for practitioners and donor community.