2014-04-23

Inequality – measurement, trends, impacts, and policies


Many low- and middle-income countries are achieving good rates of economic growth, but high inequality remains a priority concern. Some countries meanwhile have low growth, high inequality, and pervasive poverty―often linked to their fragility. There is now an active debate on whether countries should set themselves goals for not only achieving absolute poverty reduction, but also lower inequality. But policy action needs to be better served by analysis and data.

The UNU-WIDER Development Conference ‘Inequality – measurement, trends, impact, and policies’ focuses in exploring the latest developments in the measurement of inequality in income, wealth, and human development, drawing also on advances in measurements in the advanced economies. It will also examine what we know about trends in inequality and discuss the impact of inequality on development, and the impact of development on inequality. And as the global development debate moves from the Millennium Development Goals to the post-2015 development agenda, the conference will draw out the implications of inequality for development policy and poverty reduction.