PHA-Exchange> A New Equity Agenda?

[Claudio]

From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) 
 EQUIDAD at LISTSERV.PAHO.ORG 

Is this the way academics see it...?
Claudio


Key issues and questions 
Inequality is therefore a key issue in debates about achieving the MDGs. Nevertheless, there are still important issues which need to be resolved before one can design sensible and effective policies for addressing inequality. These issues are highlighted by three main questions: 

·         which inequalities matter? 

·         what drives inequalities, and how can they be affected by policy? 

·         which specific policy instruments work best where? 



Which inequalities matter? 
Like poverty, inequality can exist in a range of dimensions (e.g. income, life expectancy, mortality, education). One needs to first ask which inequalities matter, and of those that matter, which matter most. 

This paper was written as a background paper for a roundtable discussion on 'Equity and Development' held at the
 Overseas Development Institute on 31 March 2006 


A New Equity Agenda?

Reflections on the 2006 World Development Report, the 2005 Human Development Report and the 2005 Report on the World Social Situation

 

Edward Anderson and Tammie O'Neil

Overseas Development Institute, Working Paper 265, April 2006

London, UK

 

Available online as PDF file [37p.] at: http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp265.pdf 

 

"..In terms of implications for policy-makers in governments and national organisations, the paper has three main conclusions. 

·         The first is that there are good reasons for placing more emphasis on equity, and related concepts such as social justice and fairness, as policy objectives - in addition to, or as a broader concept which includes, the elimination of absolute deprivation. 

·         The second is that, although making equity a more explicit policy objective does not require a fundamentally different approach to development policy, it does require that governments and donors do some things they are not doing now, and some things they are already doing, but doing then differently. 

·         The third is that the institutional inequalities at the core of 'inequality traps' reflect political disparities that are historically rooted and therefore persistent. 
However, even within this institutional landscape, there are opportunities for social actors to negotiate, to strategically manage reform processes and to build coalitions for pro-equity change. Donors will need to invest in political analysis in order to support these processes.



A final point is that the main focus of the paper is on inequalities within countries.."

 

Contents

1 Introduction 

2 Do Inequalities Matter for Development and If So Why? 

2.1 Arguments from WDR 2006, HDR 2005 and RWSS 2005 

2.2 Comparison with existing arguments 

2.3 Discussion 

2.3.1 The focus on equity 

2.3.2 The definition of equity 

2.3.3 Additional instrumental and intrinsic arguments 

3 Policies for Addressing Inequality 

4 Politics, Implementation and the Role of External Agencies 18

4.1 Political economy and pro-poor reform 

4.2 Strategies for policy change in WDR 2006, HDR 2005 and RWSS 2005 

4.3 Strategies for pro-equity change? 

4.3.1 Extending institutional analysis 

4.3.2 Recognising the role of elite reformers 

4.3.3 Recognising the importance of alliances for change 

4.3.4 What role for donors? 

References 

Annexes

 

Regional Synthesis:

Regional Synthesis: Africa by Christiana Okojie and Abebe Shimeles (2006) 

Regional Synthesis: Asia by Arsenio M. Balisacan and Geoffrey M. Ducanes (2006) 

Regional Synthesis: Latin America by Dante Contreras, Patricia Medrano & Claudia Sanhueza (2006) 

                Policy Briefs

Policy Brief 1: Social grants, South Africa 
Policy Brief 2: Familias en Acción, Colombia 
Policy Brief 3: Red de Protección Social, Nicaragua 
Policy Brief 4: Programme for Advancement through Health and Education, Jamaica 
Policy Brief 5: Social safety nets, Indonesia 
Policy Brief 6: Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Scheme, India 
Policy Brief 7: National Employment Fund, Tunisia 
Policy Brief 8: Youth Training, Chile and Argentina 
Policy Brief 9: National Functional Literacy Program, Ghana 
Policy Brief 10: Universal Primary Education, Uganda 
Policy Brief 11: Educational opportunities for the poor, Sri Lanka 
Policy Brief 12: Health insurance for the poor, India 
Policy Brief 13: Affirmative action, Malaysia 
Policy Brief 14: Affirmative action, India 
Policy Brief 15: Affirmative action, Nigeria 

 
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