inequality

Oxfam estimates that just one of the richest men in Ghana earns from his wealth more in a month than one of the poorest women could earn in 1,000 years. In this report, we call on the government of Ghana to use public spending to reduce inequality and put women’s economic empowerment at the heart of policymaking.  

New Oxfam research shows that four pharmaceutical corporations – Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co (MSD), and Pfizer – systematically hide their profits in overseas tax havens. This activity could deprive developing countries of more than $100 million every year – money that is urgently needed to meet the health needs of people in these countries.

“The growing split among G7 leaders is bad news for millions of women and men around the world struggling for a better life," said Oxfam International executive director, Winnie Byanyima.

The slight decrease in development aid spending in 2017 is bad news for the fight to end poverty and reduce inequalities, said Oxfam today in response to the publication of new aid figures by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The Asia-Pacific region was a model for ‘growing with equity’ in the 1970s and 1980s. However an economic take-off and market-oriented reforms in recent years has been accompanied by wealth gaps between rich and poor. This report suggests a course for the region’s economies to be defined by inclusive growth and shared prosperity.

In Mali, French aid aims to build the technical capacity of Malian administrations to collect tax by fighting against fraud and tax evasion. However, collecting more domestic resources alone will not be sufficient to reduce poverty. France must support watch-dog organizations to ensure greater transparency and accountability on the use of these resources for the benefit of the poorest.

With the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings wrapping up, Nadia Daar, the head of Oxfam International’s Washington office commented on the week’s events, including developments on inequality, climate change, and tax policy. 

What is the IMF doing in practice to tackle inequality? Its main initiative has been a series of pilots that integrate inequality analysis into its economic surveillance of countries. This paper outlines Oxfam’s evaluation of these pilots and finds that they are not promoting policies that reduce inequality.

One year after the release of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines landmark report, this paper assesses the level of implementation by countries and institutions and recommends ways to use the report to improve both innovation and access to medicines.