BSS, Dhaka :
Eighty billionaires held more wealth than the poorest half of the world’s population, which is now around 3.5 billion, according to an article published Tuesday by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Winnie Byanyima, the writer of the article, referred to the statistic to magnify the risks of widening world’s extreme economic inequality, which apparently was turning out of control and getting worse despite the fall in the global poverty rate.
Byanyima is the Executive Director of Oxfam International and a Co-Chair at this year’s Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos.
An Oxfam statistic, released last year at the WEF, said that 85 rich individuals held more wealth than the world’s poorest half. Byanyima updated the figure to 80 and pointed out that “from Ghana to Germany, South Africa to Spain, the gap between rich and poor is rapidly increasing”, which is a major challenge that the world would face most this year.
“Across rich and poor countries alike, this inequality is fuelling conflict, corroding democracies and damaging growth itself. Not long ago those who worried about inequality were accused of partaking in the politics of envy,” she said.
She suggested focusing first on international tax reform to make headway on tackling inequality and to prevent corporations from dodging the taxes they owe and to give governments the resources they need to tackle poverty and inequality.
Eighty billionaires held more wealth than the poorest half of the world’s population, which is now around 3.5 billion, according to an article published Tuesday by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Winnie Byanyima, the writer of the article, referred to the statistic to magnify the risks of widening world’s extreme economic inequality, which apparently was turning out of control and getting worse despite the fall in the global poverty rate.
Byanyima is the Executive Director of Oxfam International and a Co-Chair at this year’s Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos.
An Oxfam statistic, released last year at the WEF, said that 85 rich individuals held more wealth than the world’s poorest half. Byanyima updated the figure to 80 and pointed out that “from Ghana to Germany, South Africa to Spain, the gap between rich and poor is rapidly increasing”, which is a major challenge that the world would face most this year.
“Across rich and poor countries alike, this inequality is fuelling conflict, corroding democracies and damaging growth itself. Not long ago those who worried about inequality were accused of partaking in the politics of envy,” she said.
She suggested focusing first on international tax reform to make headway on tackling inequality and to prevent corporations from dodging the taxes they owe and to give governments the resources they need to tackle poverty and inequality.
