JOHANNESBURG - The G20 Leaders summit has come and gone, with leaders making promises.
Charity organisation, Oxfam, has been urging world leaders to use the G20 to tackle poverty and inequality in the world.
Globally, over 3 billion people are currently living below the poverty line.
Oxfam South Africa’s Senior Policy Advisor, Isobel Frye, says inequality remains deeply entrenched, particularly due to technological barriers and restrictive intellectual property policies.
“Many countries in the global north receive vast state subsidies to produce, and instead of creating global public goods like open access to vaccines they put up huge obstacles to access,” Frye said. That drives new forms of inequality," she said.
She recommends practical steps, including a tax on the super-wealthy to reduce the power of oligarchs, redistribute wealth, stimulate growth, and strengthen social cohesion.
“That’s what we’ll be watching for next year,” Frye added.