Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International released in January 2021 has exposed the deepening inequalities worldwide brought about by the pandemic. The report states that the pandemic has driven inequality in almost all nations at once, in a way never seen before.

Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Facts about the World

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International showed the following effect worldwide:

Inequality on Health

• Coronavirus has exposed the inability of a poorly equipped and poorly funded public health system to deal with such a pandemic. It has also revealed the failure of the private system to treat all equally, irrespective of their wealth.
• A poor person is more likely to die from Covid-19 than a rich person. The risk is much higher for people belonging to black or indigenous communities.

Inequality on Education

• In the 2020 pandemic, the children of developing countries were deprived of almost four months of schooling compared to six weeks for children of high-income countries.
• The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International estimates that the pandemic will reverse the progress made during the last 20 years in girls' education.

Inequality in Work and Livelihoods

• The pandemic has laid bare the brutal inequalities in the labour system. The Commitment to Reduce Inequality (CRI) Index shows that in 103 countries, at least one in three workers lacked labour rights and protections such as sick pay.
• It has led to an explosion in underpaid and unpaid care work done predominantly by women from marginalized groups.
• The pandemic has brought about a catastrophic loss of jobs. No income and no protection have led to an explosion in hunger.

Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Facts about India

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International reports the following inequalities in India:

• While the pandemic has forced millions of poor Indians out of jobs, the wealthiest billionaires in India increased their wealth by 35%.
• The fortunes of India's top 100 billionaires increased by Rs 12.97 trillion. In contrast, 1,70,000 Indians lost their job every hour in April 2020.
• India's informal workforce was the most hit. They made up 75% of the 122 million jobs lost.
• The digital divide in India worsened the inequalities in the educational sector. Only 3% of the poorest 20% of Indian households had access to a computer, and only 9% had access to the internet.
• Regarding health, only 6% of the poorest 20% of households had access to non-shared sources of improved sanitation. The same was accessible to 93% of the top 20 households in India.
• Covid-19 also widened the gender disparities. Unemployment among women rose to 18% from 15%. Of the women who retained their job, 83% were subject to a cut in their income.
• Pandemic also fuelled domestic violence in women, with cases rising by almost 60% in 2020.

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Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Way Forward

Coronavirus has opened our eyes to the gross inequalities that require urgent attention from policymakers worldwide. As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, taxing the rich fairly and redesigning business policy to prioritize the society can be the way to go about it.

FAQs on Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International

Q 1. When was the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International Released?

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International was released in January 2021.

Q 2. What is the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International about?

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International is about the deepening inequalities fuelled by the pandemic throughout the world.

Q 3. As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, what inequalities persist in the health sector?

The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International highlights that a poor person is more likely to die of Covid-19 than a rich person.

Q 4. How has the pandemic affected livelihood as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International?

The pandemic has brought about a catastrophic job loss, leading to an explosion in hunger, as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International.

Q 5. What is the inequality status in India as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International?

As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, the pandemic forced millions of poor Indians out of jobs. However, the wealthiest billionaires in India increased their wealth by 35%. Informal sector workers, women, and marginalized communities suffered the most.