Increasing disparities in income and access to services

Income disparities between and within countries have continued to widen.

Today, they are comparable with American income disparities. Income disparities have halved both in nominal terms when expressed in euros and in real terms when taking into account differences in purchasing power.

32. It is also in the cities that the income disparities are most obvious.

We inherited a dual society with the worst income disparities seen anywhere in the world.

Unsurprisingly, then, regional disparities in income are much greater across the enlarged EU s countries than across the US states. In 2005, average income disparities were twice as high within the then EU 25 as within the American states.

Homelessness and an increase in numbers of street children is one consequence of increasing income disparities.

27. The tax system has made a major contribution towards the reduction of disparities in income and wealth.

66. Despite relatively robust growth achieved in some developing countries, poverty remains deeply entrenched, with major income disparities persisting.

Poverty in the Caribbean was generally characterized by large income disparities and was linked to a high rate of unemployment.

State policies have also helped to reduce income disparities between different economic sectors and among different social groups in the country.

A fair proportion of the people do not have access to adequate quantities of food, mainly because of disparities in income.

Tourism can also help to reduce disparities in income and employment within countries, since tourism areas are often away from main commercial centres.

Disparities in income are growing quickly within some countries, and urban rural and regional inequalities in per capita gross domestic product are widening.

Regional disparities as well as the highest gini co efficient (income distribution indicator) in the world, point to both vertical and horizontal discrimination.

The Committee recommends that in the Hong Kong SAR, budgetary allocations be targeted towards reducing income disparities, including through increased funding for social safety nets.

Regional disparities and differences in race and income should not affect the planning of programmes and initiatives to combat violence against women throughout the country.

Addressing health disparities

B. Economic disparities

The Committee is concerned that in the Hong Kong SAR insufficient resources are allocated to reduce poverty and that income disparities are increasing within the population.

Increasing numbers of young people are now at risk of crime and victimization in association with poverty, income disparities and the breakdown of traditional socialization mechanisms.

Ways to close disparities

Disparities in employment income Average family income of Palestinians in Israel is 57 of the average family income of Jews, which in addition to a lower rate of income among women (69 of men's average income) leads to the fact that only 3 of Palestinian households are in the top one fifth of households nationally, compared with 22 of Jewish households.20

The speed of urban growth, coupled with increasing income disparities, has had a major impact on the structure and functions of social institutions, including education and the family.

It should also be pointed out that the National Minimum Wage Commission has adopted measures for reducing wage disparities in the country in order to increase workers' available income.

Overall objective The overall objective of the Major Programme is to increase economic growth, create employment, generate income and reduce economic and social disparities through fostering private sector driven entrepreneurship.

In addition to coverage disparities between countries and regions, there are significant inequities within countries clear rural urban disparities as well as coverage and service level disparities between richer and poorer households.

More puzzling is the fact that more generous welfare policies do not translate into smaller health disparities. Even the Nordic countries world leaders when it comes to creating universal and well designed welfare policies that cover citizens from cradle to grave face significant health disparities, despite their relatively low income inequality.

The promotion of decentralized industrial development patterns can stem from rural urban migration, bring employment opportunities to rural areas, reduce regional income disparities, and thus fight poverty at its very source.

Recognizes that the current phase of globalization and restrictive labour mobility are widening the income disparities between the developed and developing countries and that efficient labour migration management is essential for closing down such disparities and reducing the negative impacts of globalization through facilitating the flow of trade, capital, skills and ideas.

Large disparities also exist among developing countries.

However, significant regional disparities continue to exist.

Competition policy and laws thus need to be reconciled with other policy objectives and instruments within a broader context of promoting sustainable growth and development, including objectives related to employment and income disparities.

334. Gender disparities are minimal in educational participation.

However, there are significant disparities between developing countries.

Romney s budget plan would also make the federal tax and transfer system considerably less progressive, thereby worsening income inequality, which is already at its highest level since the Great Depression. Rising income inequality fuels a growing opportunity deficit for children born into poor and middle income families, reflected in disparities in educational attainment by family background, and a decline in intergenerational mobility.

In the 1960 s and early 1970 s, disparities in purchasing power declined by about 40 , then stalled, while nominal income disparities fell by a similar margin from the mid 1970 s to 1990. With the introduction of the euro, and with falling inflation, nominal convergence and real convergence have grown similar, both making gradual progress since the mid 1990 s.

But usually that is linked to very strong social disparities.

Disparities in enrolment between urban and rural areas remain stark.

The following disparities are reported in the area of education

Similarly, China has become more uncoordinated, or fragmented, as its income disparities have continued to widen. And sustainability is being jeopardized by environmental degradation and pollution, which pose a growing threat to the country s atmosphere and water supply.

While rates of urbanization in advanced economies, including those of Japan, North America and North West Europe, are much slower than elsewhere, there are clear discrepancies in population density, cultural and ethnic inequalities and increasing disparities in income.

Gender disparities in respect of access to technical assistance are significant.

A. The weight of the past and economic and social disparities

Moreover, while poverty eradication will remain a paramount concern after 2015, the focus must shift from national averages to local disparities. Measures must move beyond overall social needs to bolster progress in productive job creating and income generating sectors.