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Reducing Inequality, a Critical Step For Development

Minister of Labour Vera Kantukule admitted that inequality is an anomaly existing in most countries like Malawi Minister of Labour Vera Kantukule admitted that inequality is an anomaly existing in most countries like Malawi

Economists and Human Rights experts are proposing development of National Inequality Reduction Action Plans for Southern Africa Development Countries (SADC) to do away with the growing inequality among citizens.

OXFAM and other two organizations, Norwegian Church Aid and Development Finance International in a report called “Commitment to Reducing Inequality” assessed SADC Government’s performance in three key areas of Public Service, Progressive Taxation and Labour.

In these areas, the report documents that most Governments use big shares of their budgets to service debts instead of investing in their populations in health, education and agriculture.

During the launch of the report in Lilongwe, Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA) Executive Director Frank Chikuta, Economist Professor Winford Masanjala and Charles Kajoloweka, Youth and Society Executive Director shared their views on how Malawi can shrink the growing inequality.

OXFAM Malawi Country Director, Lingalileni Mihowa calls for urgent response among countries in SADC to reverse the trend “Governments have to look at policies that can grow the economy, we are also looking at ways in which we can make policies that support spending in public services like education, health and also making sure that we are spending well when it comes to issues of social protection.”

Reacting to the report, Minister of Labour Vera Kantukule admitted that inequality is an anomaly existing in most countries like Malawi that needs to be corrected.

Kantukule made a pledge, Government will take all necessary interventions to reduce the glaring inequality level.

“The critical element that we are facing as a ministry of labour is that we are failing to enforce some of the labour laws when it comes to the informal sector, it becomes a challenge to enforce the labour law but we are doing everything possible to reduce the level of inequality.”

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Last modified on Sunday, 28/08/2022

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