Comment on UN human development report faults inequality

UN human development report faults inequality

TOKYO (AP) — Improvements in life spans, education and incomes are slowing due to natural disasters, misguided government policies and worsening inequality in a world where the 85 richest people have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest people, the United Nations said Thursday in its annual human development report. With nearly a third of humanity poor or vulnerable to poverty, governments need to put a higher priority on creating jobs and providing basic social services, the United Nations Development Program said in the report, launched in Tokyo. The report reflects the growing conviction among many working in global policymaking and poverty alleviation that the gains made in the late 20th century risk being eroded by climate change, a global "race to the bottom" by big corporations that is forcing more and more workers to live on less and government budgets "balanced on the backs of the poor," said Khalid Malik, a lead author of the report. Concerns over inequality and job insecurity are rising in Japan despite its emergence from years of economic doldrums as welfare rolls reach record levels and the poverty among its children has surged past 16 percent for the first time since the government began keeping track 30 years ago. Income support, job creation policies and equitable access to health, education and other services, are investments in "human capital" that can secure faster, more sustainable growth in the long run, the report says.

 

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