Engagement on strategies to overcome inequality in South Africa

Engagement on strategies to overcome inequality in South Africa


While South Africa in many ways outperforms other African nations, rising inequality continues to act as a barrier to achieving economic transformation and equitable growth. This two-day event in Pretoria sets out to disseminate research on inequality to help formulate policies that will tackle these constraints head on. 

Jointly organized by The Mandela Initiative, the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), and UNU-WIDER, the event aims to create a conducive environment for policy discussions with senior South African policy makers and international researchers. A series of panel discussions will approach key issues in the country from various thematic angles including: 

  • Trends and issues in inequality
  • Inequality deriving from apartheid 
  • Social expenditures and social security
  • Tax policy
  • International perspectives on wealth and income inequality
  • Civil society’s potential to combat inequality
  • Means to overcome inequality and the way forward

To facilitate these panels and the subsequent policy discussions, UNU-WIDER draws upon its network of leading experts in the field of inequality. The meeting thus continues the Institute’s strong tradition of bringing together policy makers and leading academics to address pressing issues related to sustainable development. 

Presentations

Tony Addison Tax policy and inequality
Gary Fields The labour market and inequality in South Africa 
Elizabeth Gavin The tax system and redistribution | Additional slides
Gaël Giraud Inequality and sustainability
Carlos Gradín Occupational segregation, poverty, and race
Peter Lanjouw Income mobility in India: Dimensions, drivers, and policy
Murray Leibbrandt Strategies to overcome inequality in South Africa: Thinking inside and outside the box
Itumeleng Makgetla Analyzing the impact of state services on the poor
Zandile Ngubeni Inequality
Miguel Niño-Zarazúa The rise of social assistance in sub-Saharan Africa
Elroy Paulus Black Sash's Hands off our grants campaign
Vera Scott Tekano
Julian Sendin Civil society engagement with poverty
Anthony Shorrocks International perspectives on income and wealth inequality in South Africa
Finn Tarp Global inequality