The Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index 2022

COVID-19 has profoundly impacted the world’s economy, but most governments failed to mitigate its dangerous rise in inequality. The CRI Index shows half of low- and lower-middle-income countries saw the share of health spending fall during the pandemic, while half of the countries cut the share of social protection spending.

Highlights

• Despite widespread destitution caused by the pandemic, half of the countries tracked by the CRI actually cut social protection spending, and 70% cut education spending.
• Despite big losses in tax revenue, and huge increases in the wealth of the richest people and corporations during the pandemic, 143 countries out of 161 failed to increase taxation of the richest people, and 11 countries inexcusably cut taxes on rich people.
• Two-thirds of countries failed to increase their minimum wage in line with gross domestic product (GDP).
• The pandemic is now being compounded by a cost-of-living crisis that has engulfed ordinary people worldwide, driving millions into hunger and crippling the finances of governments all over the world.

Contents

• Executive Summary
• Covid-19 Impact On Inequality, Government Responses, And The Role Of The International Financial Institutions (IFIS)
• Fighting Inequality Through Public Services: What Progress Is Being Made?
• Tax Policy To Fight Inequality
• Fighting Inequality Through Labour Rights And Wages
• Conclusion And Recommendations
• Annex: Cri Index Rankings
• Notes

This report was originally published on the Oxfam International website.