Within the framework of G20 socialthe Director of the Social Development Division of ECLAC, Mr. Alberto Arenas de Mesa, with the support of the Director of the ECLAC Office in Brasilia, Ms. Camila Gramkow, presented in Rio de Janeiro the special report “The trap of high inequality and low social mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean: an obstacle to inclusive and sustainable social development”.
This document was prepared at the request of the Brazilian Presidency at the head of the G20 in 2024, to address the first priority of the Development Working Group (DWG), ie combating inequalities. This suggests that the extreme inequality that characterizes Latin America and the Caribbean in multiple dimensions constitutes a trap that hinders progress towards sustainable development. Firstly, this inequality is unacceptable from a rights and social justice perspective, in addition to being counterproductive for economic growth and eroding social cohesion and the stability of social pacts. Second, it contributes to perpetuating two other structural development traps in the region: the inability to grow in the long term and institutional and governance weakness. From an economic point of view, inequality is inefficient for various reasons. Gaps in access and quality in areas such as health, education, basic services and housing affect the ability to generate skills and opportunities for labor and digital inclusion in an increasingly digitalized world. This has negative consequences in terms of economic productivity and individual income.
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