Inequality Kills: The unparalleled action needed to combat unprecedented inequality in the wake of COVID-19

The UK-based organisation Oxfam International published this briefing paper concerning the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on January 17, 2022. The paper was written by Nabil Ahmed, Head of Executive Strategy and Communications at Oxfam International, with contributions from Anna Marriott, Nafkote Dabi, Megan Lowthers, Max Lawson and Leah Mugehera. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the 10 richest billionaires in the world doubled their wealth while the majority of the world’s population grew poorer. The paper examines this wealth gap between the world’s richest and the poorest people. It states that economic and political policies are structured to benefit the privileged few at the cost of the rest, perpetually worsening inequalities. These inequalities  resulted in people from underprivileged groups – women and girls, people with disabilities, those living in poverty, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, or those belonging to certain castes or religions – being disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The briefing paper notes that the actions of governments during the pandemic prove that they can provide the “fiscal firepower” necessary for building an equitable future for all. It advocates measures like progressive taxation to redistribute the wealth of the richest people and corporations to improve the quality of life of the masses.The 60-page document contains a summary followed by three sections: An unprecedented rise in billionaire wealth as billions suffer (Section 1); Economic violence (Section 2); and Solutions (Section 3).