WHY A PRO-POOR FOCUS IS THE PINNACLE OF INEQUALITY ADVOCACY

There are many ways to measure inequality in the developing world but our focus begins with a quick but painless economic and sociology lesson. Economists are prone to abstract concepts and hard to digest ideas, one such one is the Gini coefficient. (Not to be confused with a ‘genie’ of the Aladdin or Disney variety.) The Gini coefficient measures income distribution or wealth in an economy, where 0 reflects perfectly equal distribution and 1 indicates absolute inequality. For example, if a nation had a score of 100, it would mean that all the income in that country belonged to one person.

For the sociology part we introduce the concept of intersectionality. This concept holds that when different forms of oppression meet in one group of society or in an individual they do not act independently but instead form an intersection of multiple forms of inequality. This ‘perfect storm’ of inequalities is not easily tackled on its own, as effects of each dimension can be compounded when they occur simultaneously. A simple illustration of income inequality meets intersectionality in the developing world could be found in a poor, disabled, widow who is also landless and has no access to water. How do you begin to tackle the structural deficiencies in her society? We believe a pro-poor focus to policy-making is the optimal approach.

Why it matters

 There are many cracks at which inequality seeps its way into the fractured societies. However, income inequality can cut through a swath of dimensions of inequality including sex, race and ethnicity. While much of the high profile social angst about income inequality has been in the developed West from the Occupy Wall Street protests to the almost annual protests at G7 (G8) meetings, income inequality is also an issue in the developing world. In some countries in sub-Saharan Africa the beginnings of a middle-class that does not fit the $1-a-day typecast is emerging and questions arise of not only of how to protect such growth but also how to do so without harming the vulnerable sections of society. Bearing in mind that the marginalized may not have the social capital to speak for themselves, one way is to ensure that there is a vibrant and diverse civil society that steps into the gap and speaks up for those at the bottom of the inequality scale.

An example of this approach is the work of the Zambia Governance Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organisation that has a mission to strengthen the role of civil society in ‘pro-poor policy engagement’ in Zambia. They do this by not only giving grants to civil society organizations(CSOs) but also by providing capacity development, tools and support mechanisms to their grant partners. ZGF’s approach is novel not only in its unapologetic focus on supporting activities that will directly impact policies in Zambia –CSO’s applying for grants must be able to show policy impact, but also in their collaborative relationship with grantees. The organisation supports a range of CSO’s from women’s advocacy, environmental and mental health concerns. In essence ZGF is an ‘NGO for NGO’s’. This form of support is welcome in a country where, according to the World Bank, 60% of the population lives below the national poverty line and the Gini coefficient is 57.5. Having a pro-poor focus to policy-making is, in effect, a direct response to the income inequality in Zambia. By ensuring that policies do not omit the most marginalized we can promote a more inclusive society and reduce inequality in all its forms.