Citizen forum on inequalities – Reducing inequalities on different scales

This article is written according to the point of view of Agence France-Presse (AFP) – a French international news agency

The idea of inequality is an issue that millions of people suffer everyday across the globe and in every single continent. During the beginning of the debate process, the AFP wanted to interview the citizen of Ethiopia, who had strong opinions on this subject since the recent war in Ethiopia resulted in multiple different forms of inequalities.

The citizens we interviewed highlighted the lack of educational opportunities for women, particularly in rural regions, as a key factor driving social and economic inequality. Ongoing conflicts and insecurity have further worsened conditions, disrupting access to food and essential resources. Certain recent humanitarian organizations like the WFP (World Food Programme) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) have estimated that there are around 10.8 million Ethiopians that are currently living in a state of food insecurity. Our citizen said she urges for a rise in women’s education and a legal reform to reduce the inequality for women in Ethiopia. The country currently receives foreign aid from the United Kingdom, The United States of America as well as the European Union, therefore increasing Ethiopia’s chances of rebuilding their economy as well as their human rights too.

The best way to reduce inequality is to increase proportionally the highest tax bracket so that some of that money can benefit the poorest categories of the population. Citizens took different stances regarding the way they debated. For example, the citizen of Ghana told us that “It’s important to take an empathetic approach to these matters and put yourself in the shoes of the other citizens that are suffering”, showing that some citizens are taking a more sympathetic stance in resolving the challenges which affect most of the nations present during these debates.

Despite the challenges like the difficulty of agreeing on a resolution and amendments, the citizen forum on inequalities remains optimistic that they will be able to work together and find an effective resolution which can benefit all the citizens present in the forum as well as ensure equal opportunities for all.

Oscar Walkley, year 13, Europa School Culham, United-Kingdom